There’s No Place Like ‘The Cottage Kitchen’
The Kitchen Company has been creating warm and inviting environments for almost two decades along the shores of Lake Michigan from a Grand Haven location. Building relationships is the Mission first and foremost, which leads to a more perfect match of cabinetry, design, and value for each individual or family that walks through their door. “When it’s Time for a new Kitchen…Turn to the right Company”By Kevin Healey, owner of The Kitchen Company in Grand Haven, Michigan.
LeAnn works very hard. Being an owner of a dry cleaning company with multiple locations, and a family, she has learned to be one that needs efficiency to surround her everyday life. I had met LeAnn years prior when she had built a home locally so when she walked in the door to my showroom, it was nice to see an old friend.
LeAnn is a thinker. I knew as soon as she began to share with me some ideas for her cottage up North on a little remote lake that this would not be like any other cottage I have had the privilege of designing. This home had a mission statement, an atmosphere that was waiting to be created that would give every guest that entered through its doors a sense of belonging, comfort and relaxation.
To best explain would be to share with you my own personal experience. When the cottage was done, the furniture moved in, I asked if it would be possible to make the drive up to photograph the work we had done together. She gave me the keys and simply said, “Go…but take the weekend, and bring your family, stay and enjoy the place for yourself”.
So we did. As the door swings open, the view of the lake is breathtaking as the light floods the space. The kitchen is noticeably open but intimate. “I want NO wall cabinets.” I remember her saying to me, “because when guests come, I want them to not have to ’search’ for a glass or plate. I want them to feel at home completely.” She succeeded.
Even her pantry had a clear glass door that allowed you to already see the contents before even opening the door. Placing the sink on the large island gave the guests the opportunity to converse with the cook while still looking out the the wall of windows on the other side of the kitchen. The microwave was even placed at a level that would serve adults and children alike without issue.
Using Holiday Kitchens Custom Cabinetry gave us the perfect opportunity to manifest her dream. The areas that could be standardized gave us the opportunity to use the more economical Estate portion of the cabinetry line but when a special look was needed, Holiday’s full customization meant we would not have to compromise one bit. A fresh white pallet of cabinetry was the perfect choice to balance the natural textures of the wide planked hickory floor, natural stone see-thru fireplace, tumbled marble tile, pickled pine accents, with natural pine ceiling and beams, all blending perfectly with the splashes of color on the walls. The island back matched the wall color of the kitchen to pull the entire room together and create a more intimate environment in yet a large space.
In the living room, there was a table with a half completed jigsaw puzzle on it. It was the puzzle table. It was there to start one or finish one for whoever came to dwell long enough to unwind. The bathrooms had no drawers. Since the guests were transient, there were baskets in cubby holes where drawers would be, complete with a tag area to personalize each basket with a name of a guest. She gave personal things a place to call home without them feeling in the way. Some bedrooms were more like bunk rooms with built-in beds and platform areas that were large enough to ‘live’ out of your suitcase without having to put it on the bed or floor.
Snow fell the night before we left. As the lake began to freeze, the blankets and hot cocoa were served up as the family joined together in playing board games. I thought to myself that this is just what she wanted all her guests to feel…connected, relaxed, relational.
When the time had come to leave, the cottage was left in the same way as we found it, with the exception of a new partially finished puzzle on the table. I look over by the window one last time, and read the saying on a small counter top plaque…
“There’s no Place Like the Cottage”…and smile.
