Modern Full Kitchen Gut Remodel in Northfield, NJ

The kitchen in this Northfield colonial had not been touched since the early 1990s. The owners had lived with oak laminate cabinets, linoleum flooring, and a single-bowl sink for years before finally deciding it was time for a complete transformation. They came to us with a vision: a clean, modern kitchen that could handle a family of five, accommodate serious cooking, and open up to the adjacent dining area.

After a thorough design consultation, we developed a layout that would remove the half-wall separating the kitchen from the dining room and replace it with a 10-foot island that provided both additional counter space and seating for four. The project kicked off with a full gut — every cabinet, the existing floor tile, the drop ceiling, and outdated fluorescent lighting were all removed down to the studs and subfloor.

The electrical panel received a dedicated 20-amp circuit for the new refrigerator, a second 20-amp circuit for the dishwasher, and a dedicated 40-amp circuit for the double oven range. The plumber relocated the sink drain and supply lines to accommodate the new layout and roughed in a second water line for the refrigerator ice maker.

We installed semi-custom shaker-style cabinetry in a two-tone finish — bright white uppers with navy blue lowers — to create visual contrast and keep the space feeling light. The perimeter countertops are 3cm calacatta quartz, while the island received a complementary Carrara white quartz surface that differentiates the work zone visually. The backsplash is a handcrafted zellige tile in off-white that adds subtle texture without overwhelming the clean lines of the design.

Underfoot, we installed 7.5-inch white oak hardwood flooring that runs continuous through the kitchen and into the dining room, tying the two spaces together seamlessly. Under-cabinet LED lighting illuminates the work surfaces, and a custom-built range hood with a stainless liner vents to the exterior.

The finished kitchen bears almost no resemblance to what was there before. The owners now host regularly and have told us the kitchen has become the true center of their home.