The Story
Originally wanting to give their Winter Park kitchen a “facelift’ by just replacing the cabinetry, Dr. Lou and Adrienne Payor were motivated to take the kitchen renovation to the next level when their home suffered hurricane damage. An oak tree that fell through the northeast corner of the Payor’s home resulted in structural damage that affected the master bedroom, piano room and dining room. PSG Construction completely renovated this area of the home, but also addressed the Payors desire to create a kitchen they both could work in.
“The cabinets were so bad,” Adrienne explains, “we were ready to do something with the kitchen anyway when the hurricane struck.” Adrienne recalls that the hinges on some of the cabinets were broken, but the couple couldn’t find replacements. “We had one cabinet with no door on it!” Adrienne says.
The couple also wanted to make the kitchen more conducive to having two cooks in the kitchen. While Dr. Payor enjoyed cooking, the inefficient layout of the kitchen could only efficiently accommodate one person. “It was difficult for two people to work at the same time.” Adrienne explains.
Originally a porch, the existing kitchen in the 1970’s home had structural problems that needed to be corrected. PSG took the ceiling down, removed a support post, and put in a new ceiling. PSG also teamed up with Kornerstone Kitchens to give the Payors a kitchen that would change the way the family lives. An oversized island is a stunning focal point with a solid slab of granite. Because of the weight, island countertops of this size typically are made from two pieces. The Payors insisted on a single slab to avoid seams. Set on top of black painted cabinets with a rub-through finish from Executive Kitchens, the 800 pound granite countertop also complements the cherry cabinets from Decora that line the perimeter of the kitchen. A glaze finish accentuates the texture of the cabinet wood. The granite that was selected for the countertops works extremely well with the black finished cabinets as well as those with a cherry stain. All cabinets have roll-out trays to make retrieval of cookware easier. On the end of the island is a bookcase for the Payors’ cookbooks. On the side with the cooktop is an open cabinet that houses the microwave. Not heavy users of a microwave, the Payors wanted the microwave to be out of the way. This arrangement also allowed room for a double oven. The appliances are from Wolf, and the cooktop features a downdraft. “We obsessed over every appliance,” Mrs. Payor recalls.
A hutch, built from the same cherry cabinets as those on the perimeter of the kitchen, helps streamline the space. An upgraded base helps the hutch appear more like a piece of furniture. The glass front cabinets provide Mrs. Payor with space to display family heirlooms. Mrs. Payor specifically requested that the wall cabinets on the hutch stop short of the top of the hutch base. This gives her space to set up a Christmas village that is part of the family’s holiday tradition.
French doors adjacent to the hutch lead to a beautifully landscaped patio area that can be enjoyed from the breakfast area.
The renovation allows Dr. Payor to focus on cooking, while Mrs. Payor concentrates on baking. The large island space is particularly useful to Mrs. Payor for rolling out pastry. “We make everything pretty much from scratch,” Mrs. Payor says. “We like having the kids see us baking and cooking. We want them to see how long it takes to prepare our food.” The Payors are pleased with how the renovation now accommodates their lifestyle, and allows them to be back together in the kitchen again.
