Full Service Kitchen Remodeling for Gainesville Family

The census-designated place of Gainesville is located in Prince William County with a total land and water area of 10.3 square miles. It is the third largest CDP in the county. It is also the third “snobbiest” places in Virginia according to Roadsnacks.net based on median income, education, and private schools. The median household income in Gainesville is $128,472, with the state median at $66,262. On the other hand, The Washington Post calls it the “best city for young families in Virginia,” and has the highest percentage of families with at least one child under 18 in the state.

That is certainly a departure from its early roots, which is a pit stop for stagecoaches traveling on the Fauquier and Alexandria Turnpike. It was only in 1852 that the Manassas Gap Railroad reached the area that it got the name Gainesville. From that point on, it became a major shipping hub for cattle, timber, and grain until the 1960s. However, it was only in 1994 that Gainesville began development as a residential area when the first town homes, appropriately enough called Crossroads, were built.

To address the growing traffic problem in the area, the Virginia Department of Transportation began building the Gainesville Interchange in 2006. The project was completed in 2015. More plans to improve accessibility to the CDP from Washington, D.C, Fairfax County, and Manassas is underway with the scheduled opening of a Virginia Railway Express station in 2022.

The total population of Gainesville as of 2016 is 12,145, of which 58.9% are white, 15.9% are Asian, 11.5% are African American, and 10.2% are Hispanic.

Things to Do Around Gainesville

One of the things you can count on when in Gainesville is the shopping. There are currently six major shopping malls in the CDP, the largest of which is at the I-66 and Lee Highway intersection. You will find many of the big box stores such as Target and Best Buy, as well as many small retail stores and restaurants. Head on over to the US-15 and you’ll find the Wegmans Food Markets.

If you want to watch a movie, the Regal Theaters have been showing flicks in 2013. You might also what to head on over to The Promenade with the little ones for some indoor activities, or the Hillwood Camping Park for some outdoor adventures, Is it teatime? Head on over to the Teatime Tea Room, of course!

Back to colonial days

The clients are a young family with three pre-teens that have recently moved to the area. They had acquired a 5-bedroom 3-bathroom Colonial-style home with a raised patio and a large backyard. Surprisingly, the kitchen was quite small. The floors were hardwood, the cabinets made of oak, and the counters were black quartz. It was a modern kitchen that did not look well with the rest of the home. The clients wanted a much bigger kitchen with a more Colonial theme. They contacted us for a quote on a major kitchen remodel.

Consultation

We arrived at the house on the scheduled date, and saw at once that the open floor layout was marred by the counters that delineated the kitchen from the dining room. The kitchen island was also far too small and off-center. Our staff designer made a quick sketch of the existing layout as we did the measurements. We then sat down to discuss possible changes to the layout.

The designer suggested removing the counters and wall between the kitchen and dining room, which served to enclose the kitchen, and to enlarge and move the kitchen island in its place. We could reuse the cabinets and sink to create the bigger island and maintain the available storage space. It would entail replacing the island countertop and relocating wood flooring to cover the bare spots. We would also have to repaint the walls of the kitchen and dining room a more neutral color. The clients were receptive to the suggestions, and the designer promised to send over the proposed design in the next few days.

Collaboration

The designer worked on the new layout in 3D modeling software, and sent it to the clients for approval. Our designer suggested retaining the main quartz counters, but putting in a much lighter-colored stone on the new island. The new wall paint would echo the coffee and cream color of the living room to create a continuous flow from room to room. After a few weeks, the client approved the design, and scheduled a visit to the showroom to pick out the materials.

Showroom visit

The clients arrived on schedule, and looked through the various quartz stone samples to pick out the island counter. We advised the clients to remove all the breakables from the kitchen and to put protective covers on all the furniture in the dining and living room before the scheduled project start. The paid a deposit for the stones and left.

Construction

Because the kitchen was the hub of the home, and construction would be very disruptive, the clients arranged for the children to stay with relatives for the duration of the build. When the work crews arrived on project start day, the kitchen was ready. The crew moved the appliances and everything else the family had not removed to the backyard and covered everything with a heavy-duty tarpaulin. With all the prep work done, the work started in earnest. The existing island and counters were the first to go. When the bare structures have been established, the painting of the walls commenced. It was already obvious in the first few days that the reno was going to transform the look of the main level.

Installation

The Silestone slabs came in 10 days later, just as the templates were being made. It was perfect timing that seldom happens in renovations! With the construction nearly done and the slabs ready for installation, it was just a matter of a couple of days before we could put the finishing touches to the project and move back the appliances.

Post installation

The kitchen was now truly a colonial one, and the new kitchen island was the centerpiece. We actually added storage space because the old island had been under-utilized due to the small space available to move around in before it was moved. With much more space all around, it was a good place to work and play.

Renovation success

We at Fairfax Kitchen & Bath specialize in complete kitchen remodels, and this could easily have turned into one. However, we chose to minimize the clients’ costs by making key changes to the layout and reusing what we could rather than gutting it completely. The results could not have been better, and the clients could not have been happier. Mission accomplished!

Contact Fairfax Kitchen & Bath for all your kitchen and bathroom remodeling needs. We also do a great basement remodeling, with years of knowledge and skill behind everything we do. Take advantage of our free estimate and design consultation with NO OBLIGATION. It is the smart thing to do.