by Suzanne Huntzinger | photos Brenna Smith Photography
Knocking down walls, creating a hidden pantry, a beverage trough to keep drinks cool while entertaining, and adding more space than you ever thought possible – it’s not just the stuff that happens on home remodel shows. Sherri and Keith Gregor made it happen in their kitchen, and Dave Thaler of Sims-Lohman Fine Kitchens and Granite was a part of it.
The Gregors built their home in 2003. Dave Thaler worked with them to design several spaces throughout the home including the original kitchen. Through the years, they’ve tapped Thaler to update their master bath, laundry room, and powder room. So, when the time came to update their kitchen, he found himself in the hot seat once again.
“Our primary goal was to open up space by knocking down a wall that combined the kitchen and breakfast nook/sunroom,” Sherri says. Thaler’s first order of business was to sit down with the Gregors to discuss their needs and to brainstorm.
“Sherri was open to all ideas and even had some of her own. She got more excited with each idea which fired my enthusiasm for the project, making me work even harder to create her beautiful new kitchen,” Thaler says.
Among the features are topper wall cabinets, multiple islands, and of course the hidden walk-through pantry. It’s no surprise that the pantry is one of their favorite features. To the naked eye, it looks to be a wall of cabinets, but you open the cabinet doors to a walk-in pantry, built from the original pantry space plus the space underneath the stairs.
“It’s not a project that’s done often due to the amount of cabinetry and customization it takes. But it really looks amazing,” Thaler says, “Sherri’s idea was the champagne trough, a narrow sink built into the island which you can fill with ice to chill your drinks. She had seen the feature in a magazine and wanted to incorporate it into her kitchen.”
Start planning your dream remodel today. Contact SimsLohman today at 317-870-8011 in Zionsville, 317-467-0710 in Greenfield, or visit their website at sims-lohman.com.
