Kitchen remodel adds the perfect elements for cooking, entertaining

CEDAR RAPIDS - Susan Clark, unlike a lot of women, doesn't jump at the chance to eat out. She and her husband, Scott, would rather 'stay in” and let Susan indulge in her love of cooking.

And why not? After a four-month remodeling project of historic proportions, they ended up with a kitchen that transformed an already great space into one that topped the Dream Kitchen pyramid.

And it only cost $100,000-plus. Gulp.

The Clarks live in a three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath condo in the southeast Sutherland Square, in a neighborhood of homes that are in the mid-$300,000 range and upward. Most of us would say there was nothing wrong with the existing kitchen in their 3,088 square-foot condo but, says Susan Clark, an experienced practitioner of the culinary arts, 'I wanted an island, a better work space, and more storage. ... And some bling!” The remodeling was completed in October 2014.

It would be hard to pick out what one likes best in this astonishing array of kitchen features. Would it be the 13-by-3-foot granite island in lush caramel/blacks/grays? Or the matching 20-foot countertop opposite - the island and countertop both designed with the graceful ogee edge known for its classic look in traditional kitchens.

Or would you choose the double electric ovens that steam-clean themselves and are complemented with a combination microwave and convection oven that can be used in either microwave or convection mode - or switched back and forth. Perhaps you would covet the garage-size refrigerator (well, not really, but it is 29.8 cubic feet, of French door style for glorious wide-shelf viewing.)

Professional cooks prefer gas, and the Clarks have it in the five-burner gas stove.

And if you've ever hosted a large meal, you would salivate over the two side-by-side dishwashers that hum along in a swishy chorus, music to a hostess' ears.

The bar sink at the end of the counter is perfect for frequent entertaining, close to the beverage cooler, the 13-bottle wine rack, the hanging wineglasses, the two rollout cabinets for 'booze” and ice buckets and the drawer that has all the wine accouterments a little oenophile would desire.

Maybe you're drawn to the ascending/descending KitchenAid mixer that hides coquettishly on a bottom shelf behind a cabinet door, then 'rises to the occasion” to working height, only to disappear again after use. And any home cook would envy the ultimate 'spice rack:” two wide four-tier drawers, the tiers slanted so spice jars can be easily plucked and replaced.

Coffee aficionados would drool over the three-pot coffee station: a Krups Espresso; a Keurig single-cup maker for coffee/tea/hot chocolate - or best of all, the Capresso. It grinds the beans at the top, pops them into the hopper and makes the steaming coffee.

Not a major feature, but everyday handy is the lighting in the cupboards under the sink. No dark bowels here: Like a refrigerator, the light automatically goes on when the doors open.

And the bling? It's the two chandeliers above the island, their sparkling crystals only adding to the kitchen's air of sophistication and elegance.

Scott Clark is not the family's main chef, but he's no stranger to the kitchen, either. He makes a mean Sunday morning omelet and for the holidays, a stuffing, with gravy that's famous.

The supremely outfitted kitchen was not done with just the two of them in mind.

The gregarious couple entertain 'at least once a week,” says Susan, 'from anywhere from 4 to 40.”

Scott Clark, 75, is a retired electrical engineer who worked with the famed James Van Allen and also NASA. Susan Clark, 63, retired as a part-time administrative assistant at Rockwell Collins.

They most frequently host dinner parties for eight, her favorite number. Susan Clark has two styles: A one-plate meal with a salad, then eithera beef or pork tenderloin and a dessert. Or a 'course” meal, with individual courses of soup, salad, entree with vegetable and dessert. Their dining table seats eight in the 18-by-12-foot dining area, and for big family gatherings, it extends to seat 12.

About 70 percent of their entertaining is for friends and 30 percent family, for their two sons and their families, Todd and Trevor, live in Minnesota and Illinois, respectively.

Says Scott Clark: 'The kitchen is fabulous. Susan spent years doing research. She found the right kitchen designer, and we're very, very happy with the end product.” Was it worth the price tag? Definitely, he says. 'It's all the add-ons,” he reflects. 'The kitchen cried for a built-in refrigerator. Then it was all the granite and the backsplash and ...”

The couple liked the square footage they had and wanted no walls moved or eliminated. 'We felt the popular ‘open concept' would be too noisy. And, bigger isn't always more efficient,” notes Susan. 'Our kitchen storage was increased over 30 percent just using good design techniques.”

Susan Clark interviewed four kitchen designers and chose Devonna (cq) Wood of Cabinet Studio, Inc. (cq) 'We were blown away by her design work,” Clark enthused.

They chose all KitchenAid (cq) appliances, excepting the double Whirlpool ovens. Flooring is engineered red oak.

The new kitchen fits beautifully into the rest of the spacious condo that's done in a traditional, classic sense. From the reproduction Oriental rugs to the flickering fireplace, from the wingback chairs to the Queen Anne dining set, from sunroom to master bedroom, it is one of the most welcoming, functional homes - and kitchen - that one could find.