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"    California homeowner Karen Downey had one motivation for redoing the small kitchen in her 1980s ranch-style home: Ravioli Day. Even though her husband, Mel, is the cook in the family, it&amp;#039;s Karen and her two grown sons who make 1,000 raviolis for the family get-together of 25, which takes place every year the Saturday after Thanksgiving. &amp;quot;The kitchen wasn&amp;#039;t big to begin with, but the layout made it feel even smaller,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;The three of us felt like we were in a cave, always bumping into each other.&amp;quot; Add to that 7 1/2-foot ceilings and the need to renovate was obvious. The challenge: Remodel without adding square footage to the 13 x 13-foot space. &amp;quot;I just wanted it to feel bigger,&amp;quot; Karen says, adding that her one &amp;quot;must-have&amp;quot; was a 4 x 4- foot island to replace the existing butcherblock work table. She approached designer Kim Johnson, of Kim Johnson Interiors in Atwater, California, and requested a more efficient kitchen. &amp;quot;Karen wanted to keep the same footprint,&amp;quot; says Johnson, &amp;quot;but I told her we had to think outside the box.&amp;quot; The key: use space-enhancing techniques without adding actual space. First to go was the wall between the kitchen and dining room, which opened up the area and made it light and spacious. The floor-to-ceiling bay windows, which framed a small kitchen table and chairs, were cropped to make room for a work space with a new farm sink and dishwasher, giving the Downeys an outdoor view. A six-burner stove, refrigerator, microwave and oven (with a warming drawer) sit against the wall where the sink once did. By reconfiguring the work triangle, Johnson could fit in a 9 x 4-foot island, much bigger than Karen&amp;#039;s original request. Floor space was gained by making the cabinets opposite the stove and fridge only 18 inches deep, rather than the standard 24. Johnson raised the ceiling six inches around the perimeter, creating a soffit. Then she increased the height in the center to 8 1/2 feet. To achieve a more dramatic sense of space, the designer painted the soffit white and the ceiling beech-wood green, the same color as the walls. &amp;quot;Framing something in white tends to add depth,&amp;quot; says Johnson. To create the expansiveness Karen wanted, Johnson used cabinet panels to cover the stainless hood as well as the dishwasher and refrigerator so the eye isn&amp;#039;t distracted by different materials and finishes. Still, too much of anything can be a bore. That&amp;#039;s why Johnson put in a glass-front cabinet to display server ware and open storage for wicker slide-outs and a TV above. Now the new kitchen is inviting, open and airy. It hasn&amp;#039;t inspired Karen to cook more (that&amp;#039;s still her hubby&amp;#039;s job), but come Ravioli Day it&amp;#039;s a happening place to be. What Was Done \u2022 Removed the wall between the kitchen and dining room, giving the appearance of more space.  \u2022 Rearranged the appliances, siting the sink and dishwasher in front of the window and the rest of the appliances along the adjacent wall.  \u2022 Replaced the butcher-block worktable with a 9 x 4-foot granite-covered island that includes a prep sink.  \u2022 Raised the ceiling to create a sense of spaciousness.  \u2022 Installed 18-inch-deep cabinets and pantry (instead of the standard 24-inch units) to maximize space. Click here to view the resources. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/room-ideas/a1394/a-fresh-approach-to-kitchen-design-49300/>