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"VIEW MORE PHOTOS  San Franciscans Tom and Tamara Mack love old houses. They especially like ones that need work. So their goal when house-hunting five years ago was to find a fixer-upper they could &amp;quot;make our own,&amp;quot; says Tamara, &amp;quot;and not have to live with someone else&amp;#039;s remodel.&amp;quot; When the couple found a 1914 California Prairie-style house, that&amp;#039;s precisely what they got. The kitchen especially needed help. A 1950s renovation had left it with an inefficient floor plan that directed back-door traffic through the prep area, and there was a washer and dryer next to the refrigerator. Barbie-pink appliances, limited counter space, and peeling vinyl floors (that the couple&amp;#039;s three young sons couldn&amp;#039;t resist picking at) were other annoyances. After making some quick cosmetic fixes, the couple lived with the kitchen for several years while figuring out how best to change it. Then they called in good friendand designer Tineke Triggs to help turn the space into a family-friendly room with a place for every thing and every activity. The new L-shaped arrangement has a sink, range and refrigerator along one wall with double ovens adjacent. A generous island with a small sink and microwave divide prep and traffic areas.       BEFORE A chopped up floor plan, courtesy of a peninsula, directed traffic through the work zone. Worse, a washer and dryer were taking up precious storage and counter space.      AFTER The new L-shape plan put the sink, range and refrigerator on one wall with ample counter space. Relocating the laundry to the mudroom made space for a banquette.       WHAT WAS DONE  Gutted the kitchen but retained original footprint while creating an L-shaped floor plan Put in a new island, custom cabinets, marble countertops, wood floors and antique crystal pendant lights Installed new stainless steel appliances, and replaced electric cooktop with gas range Relocated the back door to create a built-in eating area; added new windows and reconfigured their placement Turned an old storage area into a mudroom; closed a pass-through to dining room      The Macks always knew they wanted white cabinets. The custom models are topped with Carrara marble selected for its subtle look and color\u2014and, Tamara says, because it&amp;#039;s less expensive than granite. Custom built-ins include a lazy Susan, spice drawer, knife drawer and pull-out pantry. Other drawers have assigned uses, from baking supplies and paper products to baby bottles and juice cups that the boys can reach themselves. To gain a spacious eating area, Triggs relocated the back door and carved out room for a banquette and table against a corner wall. This also allowed her to turn an old storage area into a mudroom. In deference to the home&amp;#039;s age, the Macks wanted to keep the kitchen separate from the formal dining room, so they closed up a pass-through that had been added in the &amp;#039;50s. &amp;quot;When we have guests, the adults can have the dining room to themselves and all the kids can gather at the banquette,&amp;quot; says Tamara. One positive thing Tamara learned from living with the old layout was how much she liked having her washer/dryer in the kitchen. So along with storage for coats and boots, the new mudroom houses a washer and dryer. &amp;quot;I&amp;#039;m in the kitchen most of the day,&amp;quot; she says, &amp;quot;so now, while the boys are playing at the table, I can do laundry and fold clothes at the island. Our kitchen is our new family room.&amp;quot; Click here to view the slideshow. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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