After an appliance installation went awry, this couple decided it was time for Plan B
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A broken dishwasher was a signal to Michael Benigno and Ian Remler that it was time to replace decades-old appliances and refresh the kitchen of their 1926 Colonial in Glen Ridge.
So they ordered a new dishwasher, a new microwave and a new refrigerator from a home improvement chain. Then their plan fell apart.
"When they were delivered, the installers said they wouldn't install the new microwave because there wasn't enough clearance between the stove top and the bottom of the microwave," Remler said. "Additionally they refused to install the replacement dishwasher because they said it needed to be on the same wall as the kitchen sink."
Remler was not pleased. "We weren't given any options," he said. "So I told them to load everything back on the truck -- refrigerator too. The next day I went and finalized the return."
But they still had a broken dishwasher and a kitchen design that Remler described as "in a word, disappointing."
In discussing their options, they came upon the idea of a full kitchen remodel. They had lived in their 1,330-square-foot home since January 2009.
The kitchen had orange and black granite counters, and its linoleum floors were wearing thin, with several layers of flooring beneath. The walls and a section of wood paneling were painted in an unpleasing pink tone, and there was the old-school, wall-mounted telephone. The refrigerator was curiously tucked into a hallway between the kitchen and the library.
The placement was among symptoms of piecemeal attempts by previous owners to make do with the small kitchen's challenging early 20th century layout.
"As appliances got bigger, they just kind of put them where they could fit them without adjusting anything," said interior designer Lori Jacobsen, whom Remler and Benigno hired to help make the kitchen more functional. A
mong the challenges were the purely decorative wall soffits at the ceiling line. They were removed to make way for wall cabinets. There was also a bump-out that concealed a massive sewer pipe, preventing the kitchen from having a good length of counter space. The pipe's structure was reconfigured to make room for cabinets that now support more counter space, Jacobsen said. "We were able to make one run of cabinets with a length of countertop."
Jacobsen, who owns The Repurposed Home in Montville, also would convince the couple to close off the hallway to the library, bringing more usable wall space to both rooms. The library is easily accessed through the dining room, adjacent to the kitchen.
"When we cut off the hallway, we actually lost a little bit of space in the kitchen, but the flow is so much better, Jacobsen said. "Not having a refrigerator in a hallway adds function to the kitchen." The wall between the kitchen and the dining room also was cut to enlarge the entrance, making room to add a petite center island with seating for two and an ice maker that facilitates their frequent entertaining.
The project would ultimately result in the renewed kitchen, refinished wood floors, and a powder room enlarged to give the three-bedroom home a second full bathroom.
"To make the bathroom bigger, we took a closet," Jacobsen said. They were able to go from 30 square feet to 42 square feet, but the loss of a coat closet required a creative solution that Remler devised.
"We had the contractor build in a coat rack at the top of the stairs that lead to the basement," Remler said. "I also bought and had them install a mirror and shelf that's much like a luggage rack from a train. This has worked quite well."
In the end, the project took about four months and cost $58,000, according to the homeowners and their designer.
"They were very astute in shopping the internet and taking advantage of any kind of sale that came their way," said Jacobsen.
Remler said they also were able to avoid overspending because they never become emotionally attached to their choices. "We shopped around for tile, and when we found one for the bathroom walls that was priced at $5,000, we immediately looked for Plan B."
What they renovated
The kitchen, powder room and library of a 1926 Colonial home in Glen Ridge.
Who did the work
Lori Jacobsen of The Repurposed Home in Montville redesigned the house with construction by State Home Improvements.
How long it took
About 4 months, from July to November 2016
How much it cost
$58,000
Where they splurged
Cambria brand quartz countertops, a heated floor in the enlarged bathroom. ("It truly is a lovely thing," says Remler), bathroom floor tiles, and Delft accent tiles above the stove as "a nod to old-world working kitchens," Remler said. "I bought them one by one here and there."
How they saved
Through patient shopping and cost-effective choices.
What they did themselves
They removed and stored their furniture and possessions in a retired sea container. "A company out of central Jersey was willing to drop off a 20-by-8-by-8-foot container in my driveway for $250 round trip and charge me $98 a month to rent it," Remler said. "We took out an ad on Craigslist and hired a couple college kids to help us move heavy boxes and furniture."
What they like most
"We're most pleased with the additional space that the new layout provides as well as having in-kitchen seating," Remler said.
What they'd have done differently?
"Minor things like a stronger oven fan, glass shelves in the stemware cabinet," Remler said.
Kimberly L. Jackson may be reached at home@starledger.com. Find NJ.com Entertainment on Facebook.
