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Greater Hartford Real Estate Blog » Designing a Kitchen

by Kyle

We thought that designing a new kitchen would be relatively straightforward. Really, how hard could it be? Pick a cabinet design, choose the appliances, then the finish details, and away we’d go. We already had a good idea of what we wanted in a kitchen, so we thought the design part would be easy.

As it turned out, there were a number of challenges that we did not foresee. The shape of the room was the first we encountered. We wanted to consider alternative layouts, but after doing some quick sketches it was clear that the room was not quite wide enough for many of the ideas. In addition, the many windows and doors also made alternative layouts tricky. Our current kitchen has more of a modern feel, and we forgot to consider the details, like moldings, when thinking about a traditional remodel. Designing a space that met our needs, while remaining within our budget, proved to be the final hurdle.

Fortunately, we’re not trying to do this project on our own. We know Christian Winkley of Oxford Builders quite well and have been impressed with the work he has done in the neighborhood. Christian introduced us to his brother, Josh Winkley, who designs and builds custom cabinetry as Maple Tree Cabinetmakers . Together they have guided us through the design process to make sure the remodeled room will be functional, look great, and come together smoothly.

Here are some of the specific issues that we’ve discussed in detail:

Changing the traffic flow through the three rooms in question will make a big difference in how the space feels and is used. Currently, we enter the home through the mudroom and then proceed directly to the butler’s pantry, where we can continue on to the dining room or turn into the kitchen. The butler’s pantry is essentially a pass-through with a shelf and drawers that collect random stuff. It isn’t integrated into either the kitchen or the dining room. After looking at the home’s original blueprints, Christian suggested that we restore the original doorway from the mudroom to the kitchen, and remove the door from the mudroom to the butler’s pantry. This will allow the butler’s pantry to be used in a more traditional manner with numerous cabinets and as a natural connection between the kitchen and dining room.

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Mark Kerrigan Arrested in Connection with Father's Death - The ...

by matt@iscribelimited.com (Hilton Hater)

Almost 16 years to the day she was attacked by the ex-husband of her main Olympic rival, an even bigger tragedy has befallen Nancy Kerrigan.

The 70-year old father of this former figure skater was found dead at his Boston home yesterday - and Kerrigan's brother was arrested in connection with the incident.

As first reported by MyFoxBoston.com, emergency respondents found Daniel Kerrigan unresponsive when they arrived at his residence yesterday. He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Meanwhile, sources say there was a struggle between Daniel and Mark Kerrigan in the kitchen; while details of the confrontation are unknown at this time, Mark was arrested and charged with assault and battery on an elder with serious bodily injury.

He's scheduled to appear in court today.

Nancy lives approximately 10 minutes from her father's home. Our thoughts are with her and we'll keep readers apprised of this situation as news breaks.

** UPDATE: Nancy's mother to

Source: Mark Kerrigan Arrested in Connection with Father's Death - The ...