Total Transformation
as seen in Saint Charles Magazine

When we last saw the Jarvis’, they were anxiously anticipating the demolition of their existing kitchen. We have all seen it – the standard issue suburban home kitchen. The one in the Jarvis home came complete with blue walls, Formica countertops, white appliances, and a rather inconvenient center island housing the cook top. Pots and pans hung on the walls because there was no space for them in the lackluster cabinetry. Cooking in the kitchen was an endless circuit around the island, and if there were two people in the room there was one too many.

But Mrs. Jarvis had a vision. She dreamed of natural wood cabinets, stone countertops, space to entertain in the kitchen and of having room for more than one chef. Enter Matt Chapman of Cabinets & Interiors, Inc. As we previously saw, Matt and his staff provide a one-stop shop for design and decorating details. Matt also acts as project manager, creating a timeline where everything flows smoothly, and ironing out any bumps that may occur along the way.

The Jarvis family’s quest for a more useful kitchen began with several weeks of planning, from the selection of appliances, cabinets, counters and floors, to preparing to live without a functioning kitchen for several weeks. At least a week was given to storing most of the contents of the kitchen, leaving out only the bare essentials. A makeshift kitchen in the dining room included the microwave and disposable utensils and plates on a folding table, with the lone refrigerator drifting from spot to spot as the flooring was put in place. “When the demolition began, and the kitchen was disassembled, we moved into the dining room. We were excited to watch our dream kitchen transform, and Matt made sure we were amply prepared to deal with the inconvenience,” notes Mrs. Jarvis.

A major renovation will entail design, demolition, flooring, electrical, plumbing, and finally the installation of cabinets, counters and appliances. Timing is everything, so Matt arranged for demolition to commence once the new cabinets arrived to minimize any delays between stages of construction. “We try to ensure our client is inconvenienced as little as possible. Once we know the product has shipped from the manufacturer we can plan for the demolition,” he said. Authorized Builder Sales’ Sherry Knoblauch agrees with the timing, stating, “Appliances should be delivered about the time the cabinets are delivered so that when the installer begins he has all products at the jobsite.”

Demolition only took a couple days and then the detail work began. Cabinets & Interiors arranged for professional electricians, plumbers, and their own master carpenter, Alan, who oversees the placement of the plumbing and electricity to ensure that the final product matches the design plans. Along the way Alan recommended outlet placement, dimming options for lighting, and other things that the average homeowner doesn’t think about until it is too late…when they wish they had done it.

For flooring, the Jarvis’ chose Countryside Carpets and Interiors. Owner Todd Schoolfield guided them through the enormous selection of flooring, where they finally selected a porcelain tile in multiple sizes to be placed randomly. In considering the tight timeline, they were reassured by Todd that “most materials can be received in our warehouse within 4-6 business days, and can typically be installed within 7-10 days.”