Neutral Compact Kitchen + Living Remodel

Orinda, CA

Bright remodeled kitchen with pale custom cabinetry by Levitch, a stone peninsula with seating, pendant lights, and a larger window over the sink, bringing in natural light.
Open kitchen and family room with vaulted ceiling and operable skylights, showing the stone peninsula, pale finishes, and adjacent seating area filled with daylight.
Kitchen cooking wall featuring Levitch fabricated cabinetry, a built-in Wolf range, stone backsplash, and integrated ventilation beneath the vaulted ceiling.
Family room with updated fireplace, refinished wood floors, new window configuration, and seating arranged to highlight the connection to the remodeled kitchen.
Close-up of the custom glass and metal stair railing designed by Levitch, highlighting clean lines, transparency, and integration with the refinished wood floors.
Interior stair landing with newly designed glass and metal railing, refinished wood floors, and views into the updated living spaces.
View up the interior stairs showing the custom glass and metal railing, carpeted steps, wall lighting, and the family room beyond with improved safety and openness.

Neutral Compact Kitchen + Living Remodel

Orinda, CA

  • Year Built: 2020

    A dark, modestly-sized Kitchen becomes light, bright and airy with neutral colors and other features, within the existing walls. Other Living spaces (floors, fireplace and stair railing) also received updated finishes.

    Kitchen:

    Vaulted ceilings and two new operable skylights in the Kitchen and adjacent Family Room make both areas feel more expansive. Each space measures just under under 12′ x 13′.

    The Kitchen got a new layout with a peninsula perfect for making cookies with the grandkids, a larger window over the sink to bring in more light, and an elegant pale color palette to replace dark appliances and cabinets.

    Levitch fabricated the Kitchen cabinetry.

    Yes, that’s a TV built into the Kitchen backsplash.

    Family Room:

    The adjacent Family Room fireplace (visible beyond the peninsula) that had been surrounded in granite that matched the old counters received a facelift.

    The Family Room windows were failing and the layout presented a safety concern for the Owners’ grandchildren. We replaced the windows in a new configuration and enlarged a Living Room window to match one we’d installed previously.

    The clients also engaged us to design a new glass and metal railing at their interior stairs, and refinish the floors.

    Challenges:

    By the time it was safe to visit the home during COVID, we had to work quickly to finalize the design with the Owners and get the HOA’s approval for window changes so the bulk of construction could occur while the owners were on a scheduled vacation.

    Photography by Treve Johnson

  • See how things looked before we started, below.

  • Praise from a building professional.

    I had a baby shower on Saturday and one of the guests was a kitchen designer. Along with her husband she is the owner of a local remodeling firm. She wanted me to know that our kitchen was truly fabulous!

    Apparently the guest of honor mentioned to her that our kitchen was just a year old. She went on about the cabinets, the quartzite [counters] and everything else. Of course I told her that Levitch had remodeled it for us. I was very pleased to hear such lovely compliments and I’m sure Maurice and Jeff will be happy as well.

    S. B.

Process

Family room during construction with new wood floors installed, fireplace opening exposed, and kitchen peninsula framing underway as part of the interior remodel.
Existing kitchen before renovation showing dark wood cabinetry, older appliances, peninsula seating, and limited natural light prior to the new layout and pale finishes.
Existing kitchen before renovation, showing dark wood cabinets, older appliances, and limited natural light prior to the updated layout and finishes.
Kitchen backsplash niche under construction with wiring visible, prepared for a built-in television set flush into the stone backsplash.
Family room before renovation showing a granite-surround fireplace with a built-in television, dark finishes, and limited daylight prior to the updated fireplace and living space improvements.
Kitchen during construction with new layout in progress, showing pale cabinetry, stone counters being installed, and protective floor coverings before completion.
Custom kitchen cabinetry under construction showing a curved pull-out shelf and plumbing access, illustrating Levitch’s detailed fabrication and storage planning.
Existing kitchen cooking wall before renovation with dark cabinetry, double wall ovens, and dated finishes later replaced with a lighter, more open design.
Staircase during construction with temporary treads and railings installed, documenting progress toward the new glass and metal stair system.
Kitchen base cabinetry under installation featuring integrated pull-out waste and recycling bins beneath the counter near the sink and window.
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