Orange oak cabinets and terracotta tile replaced with white cabinetry, a long granite island, and hardwood floors under the original beams.

The original kitchen had orange oak cabinets and terracotta tile floors. We replaced the cabinets with white raised-panel cabinetry, installed a long island and a round dining peninsula in a dramatic gray granite, and laid hardwood floors. The dark ceiling beams stayed, and now they stand out against the white kitchen.

Why kitchens like this get remodeled

A lot of kitchens in southern New Hampshire still have the cabinets, counters, and layout they were built with. They were fine for their time, but storage runs short, the counters get crowded, and walls often close the kitchen off from the rest of the house. A remodel like this one changes more than the finishes. It changes how the whole first floor works, every day.