After creating dream kitchens for countless clients, Sheri Finkelstein, owner of REDECORIZE LLC, decided it was time to have one of her own. Her husband was set on staying in their St. Louis home, but the cramped kitchen space wasn’t going to cut it for their growing family of children and grandchildren. Last September, Sheri set out to construct her tailor-made kitchen.
With the help of Steve Heitkamp of Boone Valley Builders and architect Mary Huelsmann, Sheri decided to knock down her kitchen walls and expand the kitchen into her side yard. Getting the desired extra space did not come at the expense of looking awkward. Sheri’s friends continuously comment on the appendage, “It looks like it belongs in the house.” She attributes the seamless look to the shape of the slanted roof and the overall loft-like feel the room evokes.
Sheri placed the kitchen island specifically so she could look out a wall of windows into her plush, green backyard while she uses the sink. A custom trapezoidal window was placed parallel to the ceiling, brightening the Brazilian Cherry hardwood floor. Sunlight seeps through the side-skylight, hitting the Lighting NY Chandelier and illuminating the entire room with circular prisms in a scene that Sheri says is “almost magical.”
Keeping to a black, white and gray color theme provides a crisp and refreshing appearance to the blended contemporary and transitional kitchen. The wall color boasts a trendy, light charcoal gray called “storm” by Sherwin Williams. The mined Quartzite countertop in White Fantasy creates intermingling harmony between the three choice colors as they follow ambiguous paths. The backless barstools mesh a crisp, white cushion with stainless-steel legs matching the kitchen’s appliances. The gray-and-white backsplash is made out of 12”-by-12” mosaic tiles, sparkling with scattered crystals across each square.
“We wanted to make it something we could age with,” says Sheri, and her dislike of clutter means “everything has a home.” To achieve a smooth transitional feel, the appliances are hidden and flush with the surrounding cabinetry, while also easily accessible. The microwave is interposed between the island’s bottom cabinets, and the double ovens sit side-by-side instead of vertically. The countertops sparkle from the lights positioned underneath the upper cabinets.
The stainless-steel refrigerator, positioned in the corner and aligned with the cabinetry, also acts as a base for an s-shaped sculpture by the ‘90s sculptor Hazizi. The Finkelsteins own two other pieces by him. Not only the kitchen, but the entire house, acts as a museum for aspiring artists around the country who present their work in art fairs. A painting featuring a water lily by Michael Kuseske, found during the local Laumeier Sculpture Park Art Fair, hangs on the wall behind the head seat of the House of Denmark dining set.
The remodeled kitchen was completed just in time for Sheri and her family to celebrate Thanksgiving in the new spacious kitchen. The kids were free to roam and romp about the kitchen, while family members seamlessly weaved around each other, preparing a scrumptious meal in the now-spacious kitchen.
Resources
REDECORIZE LLC, 314-497-8658
Boone Valley Builders, 314-280-0743
Architect, Mary Huelsmann, 314-884-7766
D&E Electric, Inc., 314-574-5119
Schwarzen Plumbing LLC, 636-293-5726
Authorized Builder Sales, 314-429-1758
Henry Kitchen & Bath, 636-532-3303
ALRO Heating & Cooling, 314-427-9932
Draperies by Morton Moel Ltd., 314-434-1886
House of Denmark, 314-878-4800
