Upper East Side Kitchen Renovation

A happy client is the best reward.

I recently received these snapshots of a project I completed in Manhattan.

The renovation was extensive and walls came down and rooms had to be re invented. What you are seeing is the result of a long process including the expansion of the kitchen, restructuring of the existing fireplace, new ceilings, complete new lighting layouts, restoring the wood floors, the whole nine yards!

The result, a spacious calm and bright custom designed eat-in kitchen, planned with meticulous detail.

The client kindly sent a letter which was so nice that I 'Happy Danced' all around my living room :) I have included excerpts below, I just couldn't help myself!!

Directional lighting over the new fireplace and charcoal grey feature wall. Glass china cabinets are flanked by solid door dressers for additional storage and as a visual separation from the working kitchen area. Marble back splash and walnut counter top creates a warmer feel for dining.

Choice of uplighting  and under counter lights means the kitchen lights can be turned off whilst dining.

Plenty of space for preparing meals.

Fantastic Sub Zero combination which includes tons of refrigeration, wine fridge and freezer drawers. An easy access lower drawer is dedicated to childrens juices, yogurts and snacks.

Walnut contrasts and marble complements the gorgeous hand painted cabinets.

Stainless Steel dishwasher and appliance garage is flanked by a full height pull out pantry.

Discreet custom colored glass back splash was manufactured in one single piece. Space is allocated to cooking books and trays. Full size pull out trash bin is concealed behind a custom door.

There is a place for everything in this kitchen: Pot and pans, spices, cutlery and utensils are put away out of sight. Small appliances, cleaning products and recycling also have a spot in order to keep the counters clear and tidy.

I am so thankful to work for such nice and generous clients, their kindness knows no bounds. This client went a step further and took the time out of her busy day to write a letter that makes all the hard work worth while. I would like to share some of it with you.

"Dionne Trifiro was our kitchen designer and I am writing to tell you how much I enjoyed working with her. 

I had been attempting to redo my kitchen for about a year. My satisfaction level with other kitchen designers was quite low and I was beginning to reconsider going forward with the project.  I visited the showroom one afternoon and was introduced to Dionne.  Prior to creating any designs, Dionne met with me a number of times to understand our space, our needs, and our style.  


When she presented the first design sketches, I was amazed at how she had incorporated everything we wanted into three beautiful alternatives.  I have worked with other designers who have taken 5, 10, 20 times to get the design right.  Dionne got it on the first try. 
As we moved through the process Dionne showed immense patience with me, answered all of my questions, provided a number of alternatives and gave her opinion when I needed it.  She made herself available to me at all hours.  

During the construction process, I would write emails to the team and Dionne would always be the first one to answer me back.  At one particularly frustrating point in the construction process, my husband and I were having a hard time choosing our floor stain color.  Dionne answered my call while she was on vacation, suggested a few color alternatives, asked me to send her pictures of each stain sample after they had dried on the floor, and then guided us toward the color we ultimately picked. 

Throughout the process, I felt that I was dealing with a friend that I could trust instead of with just another vendor.  

In my humble opinion, Dionne is remarkably talented, has an amazing eye for color and design, and is fun and easy to work with.  We love our kitchen and it wouldn’t have been this way without Dionne's help.   

Jackie"

Wouldn't this be enough to brighten your day? For me, I've learned an important lesson and I will definitely be remembering to write my thank you notes.