Countertops | JimHicks.com Yorktown, Virginia

From Disaster to Design

Backsplash, Countertops, Insurance, Kitchen, water damage / By Jim Hicks / December 23, 2021 / 2 minutes of reading

From Disaster to… Design!

What do you do when you have water damage in your kitchen, but your insurance only covers the single cabinet that was damaged? Do you try to find something close and hope it blends? Do you repaint all the cabinets so, at least, the color matches? Or do you think outside the box and get a little creative?

When a pipe burst in Alicia’s home while she was at work, it flooded the entire house. While all the floors, baseboards and some drywall sustained damage, only the sink base cabinet was affected. The rest of the white cabinetry was not damaged or covered for replacement. The mitigation team hired by the insurance company carefully removed all the base cabinets for reuse, but damaged the granite countertops, so they would also have to be replaced. Luckily, this was covered by insurance.

Once the demo was completed, and the home was dried thoroughly, it was time to make some decisions about the next steps. Initially, the plan was to find a similar sink base and to paint everything. Unfortunately, because this was an older home, the cabinet shop could not find a close style match.

Time to turn this disaster into a design! One of the more popular trends these days is to have a contrasting kitchen island, or to select upper and lower cabinets in coordinating or contrasting colors.

The homeowner chose a light grey sink base that had a bit more detailing and trim than the original cabinetry. Working off the new grey and white palette, she selected new granite in a color called Luna Pearl. The old backsplash tile was a simple, white subway style. We changed it up with glass mosaic tile in black, grey, and pearl white, and finished it with Raven black grout. Light grey laminate flooring in a color called “Normandy” carried the theme through the kitchen and dining area, into the living room, down the hall, and into the bathroom. New carpet in “East Beach” was laid in both bedrooms.

The new kitchen is stunning, and the remainder of the home was restored to pre-loss condition. If you’re facing the repair vs. replace conversation with your insurance adjuster, give us a call. We will be happy to show you how to make the most of what you have to work with!

2021 Kitchen Makeover in Yorktown

Backsplash, Countertops, Design: Interior, Flooring, Kitchen, Paint, Projects, Remodel, Yorktown / By Jim Hicks / September 17, 2021 / 3 minutes of reading

Like many homes built in the late 1980s, Keith and Dottie’s home in Yorktown featured a kitchen with upper cabinets above the peninsula. While this added storage and helped define the area, it closed the kitchen off from the adjacent dining area and den. The cabinets were dark, stained wood, with laminate countertops, and the flooring was a standard sheet vinyl. We were asked to update the kitchen and remove the upper cabinets to give the area a more open feel.

The clients wanted lighter colors throughout the new kitchen, so they started with custom cabinets painted in a creamy white. Because there is a functional cabinet door on the back of the peninsula, the entire back was finished to look like cabinet doors. This detail was also repeated on the end of the peninsula and on one upper cabinet end. Glass doors on two of the upper cabinets add interest to the wall above the stove, and LED strips add task lighting.

New granite countertops in White Savannah continued the lighter color scheme. New backsplash tile by Marazzi in “Urban District Downtown” extends from the bottom of the cabinets to the top of the granite surface.

New engineered hardwood floors by Impressions in “Terracotta” were installed in the kitchen, dining area, and foyer. In the back hallway, laundry room, and downstairs bath, we installed “Lucinda” Coretec stone flooring.

Finishing touches were new stainless-steel appliances, industrial-style pendant lights above the sink and peninsula, and a few well-placed can lights.

The end result is a new, lighter and brighter kitchen which will serve the homeowners for many years to come!

Kitchen Remodel in Hampton

Backsplash, Countertops, Design: Interior, Hampton, Kitchen, Lightning, Projects, Remodel, Testimonial/Referral / By Jim Hicks / May 15, 2019 / 2 minutes of reading

Kitchen Remodel in Hampton

We love repeat clients! In the Spring of 2018, we were asked to update the exterior of this home in Hampton. A former rental property, the siding and trim were showing their age. The homeowner asked us to replace these, and to remove a failing back porch. The new exterior looks great, and it will give the homeowner a carefree exterior for years to come.

Check it out here: https://www.jimhicks.com/remodels/siding-and-trim-update/

We were delighted to hear from Janet and her sister Francine when it came time to remodel the kitchen and family room. While the basic layout of the kitchen worked, the cabinets and countertops were dated and there simply wasn’t enough storage space. The kitchen also felt a bit closed off from the family room, separated by a peninsula and an upper cabinet.

First up – demo! In the kitchen, all the cabinets and fixtures were removed. The upper cabinet between the kitchen and family room was eliminated, creating a more open look between the two rooms. In the family room, the wood paneling and carpet were removed.

With the help of our kitchen designer, the sisters selected beautiful new birch cabinets in “Rouge”, brushed nickel knobs and handles, laminate countertops in “Kalahari Topaz”, and a stunning glass and shell mosaic tile for the new backsplash. Luxury vinyl tile replaced the original wood floor. Previously, the cabinetry had been limited to the area between the kitchen and family room, and along one wall. The new layout kept the peninsula between the two rooms, but deleted the upper cabinet. New cabinets were added along the back wall. The one next to the fridge even has a pull-out pantry for lots of food storage! New stainless steel appliances and range hood, and recessed lighting complete the look.

In the family room, the old fireplace had been removed during our earlier project, and a pellet stove was installed. For this phase, we removed the wood paneling, repaired or replaced the sheetrock as needed, and painted. The carpet was also removed, and a new laminate floor was installed. The new ceiling fan helps to keep the room comfortable year-round.

Janet and Francine have become favorites of our entire team, and we hope to work with them again soon!

[Show picture list]

Energy Efficient Sunroom and New Kitchen Countertops in Newport News

Backsplash, Countertops, Design: Interior, Kitchen, Lightning, Newport News, Projects, Remodel, Testimonial/Referral, Windows / By Jim Hicks / April 4, 2019 / 2 minutes of reading

Andy and Jackie had a great sunroom at their home in Newport News. The problem was, it was too cold in the winter and too warm in the summer. Multiple sliding glass doors lining the walls leading out to the deck gave an unobstructed view, but they were very drafty.

In the kitchen, the homeowners wanted to update the countertops and sink, eliminate the raised breakfast bar, and add a new slide-in electric range.

New energy efficient windows and door were a must in the sunroom. We installed 10 new Low E/Argon filled double hung windows and one new sliding door. Above that door we also replaced the 3 picture windows and the arched window, keeping the same size and style of the originals. The entire room was painted, in the same cheerful yellow and white the homeowners loved.

The layout of the kitchen still worked for the homeowners, and the cabinets were in great shape, so they were left as-is. The laminate countertops and raised breakfast bar no longer worked, so they were replaced. The homeowners selected a beautiful Quartz countertop, with a new undermount sink and faucet, accented with a new tile backsplash. The single-level countertop allowed room for a new slide-in electric stove, while still providing a comfortable place for meals.

This sunroom update gave the homeowners a space that is now comfortable year-round, and the new energy efficient windows and door will save them money on their heating and cooling costs. The new Quartz countertop in the kitchen looks great and is much more functional.

Andy and Jackie tell us, “We were more than pleased with the sunroom and kitchen work. You have a good team that was a pleasure to work with and we will consider you for future projects.”

Thanks for your kind words! We enjoyed bringing these beautiful updates to your home!

[Show picture list]

Different House, Same Address: Whole House and Kitchen Remodel in Running Man Neighborhood, Yorktown VA

Backsplash, Bathrooms, Countertops, Design: Interior, Flooring, Kitchen, Lightning, Remodel, Sinks, Tile Work / By Jim Hicks / March 20, 2016 / 3 minutes of reading

Mark Lownik grew up in the the Running Man Neighborhood of York County. After College, his career took him to Connecticut where he met Jennifer and they started a family. In 2015, with his parents desiring to downsize, Mark found himself contemplating moving his family from New England back to the very neighborhood and to the very home that he had grown up in. We were referred to them in a quite round about fashion by a friend of a former client that had since moved to Florida. The circuitous route by which they found us proved to be a perfect introduction to a great family who proved fun to work with when we helped to bring their vision of their new home to life!

Her Vision:

Mark & Jen Lownik had a unique opportunity to move back in to the house that Mark had grown up in but remodel it pursuant to a whole new vision. Jen envisioned removing a wall in between the kitchen and the den, remodeling the kitchen, installing new hardwood floors, removing and replacing the textured ceilings with smooth ceilings, re-designing the guest bathroom, laundry room and storage room and removing and replacing the stained trim in the house with new white trim.

Always Keep The Main Thing The Main Thing:

The key element to the entire project was the kitchen.

2015-05-29 14.58.31 — The existing kitchen with openings on the left and right that limited the amount of wall space that was available for cabinetry

The cased opening between the existing kitchen and the dining room was so close to the corner of the kitchen that it did not allow for enough cabinet space. The doorway to the laundry room at the right end of the cabinets also limited how much cabinetry could be on the adjacent wall.

The existing kitchen in the house had a wall that separated it from the den (click on thumbnails for full size) :

View from the end of the wall separating the kitchen and the den

Small countertop at the end of the kitchen-den wall

The Plan:

Remove the wall to create an open floor plan, move both the opening to the dining room and the door to the new pantry area to maximize the amount of wall space that was available for cabinetry.

Where the wall had once existed, the view was now opened to the entire den:

Moving the openings allowed for much more base and wall cabinets:

(click on thumbnails for full size)

Rethinking the Garage Entry:

Another area that the Lownik’s wanted to reconfigure was the entry from the garage to the main house. The current entry was into the laundry room that also had a spare bathroom and a storage room off of it. (click on thumbnails for full size)

The washer and dryer will be relocated to provide space for the new pantry

To the left is the door to the garage. This entire area will be reconfigured

The existing floor layout looked like this:

Lownik as built plan — The existing floor plan for the laundry room, bathroom storage area that connected the kitchen to the garage.

We redesigned it to look like this:

Here are some of the pictures from during construction of the new pantry cabinets looking into the new bathroom area (click on thumbnails for full size) :

New pantry cabinets on the right looking through to the new bathroom

The new pantry cabinets match the color and design of the new kitchen cabinets

The Vision Realized

The final result was nothing short of a stunning transformation resulting in a completely different house at the same address.

Contrary to what Thomas Wolfe once wrote, Mark & Jen proved that you could go home again.

Maple kitchen cabinets, granite countertops

What Does a Kitchen Remodel on a Budget Look Like?

Countertops, Kitchen / By Jim Hicks / April 7, 2015 / 1 minute of reading

I made this quick little slideshow to illustrate the before & after impact that a kitchen remodel can have, even when it’s done on a budget.

Here are two kitchens we recently completed with reasonably economic lines of cabinetry, Level 1 granite countertops, vinyl flooring, and stainless steel sinks. No walls were moved. These are what we call a “pull & replace” kitchen in the remodeling business.

I put together a video slide show of the images shown below that goes back and forth between before and after to give a different perspective:

Click on any of the images below for a larger view – you’ll have to click once to select the picture and then a second time to show the large size:

Maple cabinets with granite countertop, stainless steel oven and microwave, tile floor — After Picture Kitchen #1

granite kitchen countertop, stainless steel sink, faucet — After picture of counter and sink

kitchen cabinets, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops — After Picture Kitchen #1

Stunning Kitchen Remodel in Newport News, Hidenwood Neighbood

Backsplash, Carpentry, Countertops, Design: Interior, Electrical, Flooring, Kitchen, Lightning, Paint, Remodel, Restoration, Sinks, Skylights, Tile Work / By Jim Hicks / April 2, 2015 / 5 minutes of reading

This is a kitchen we just finished in the Hidenwood neighborhood of Newport News, near Christopher Newport University and James River Country Club. We absolutely loved this project and our clients! If you’re interested in the complete list of everything we did on this project it is at the end of this article.

In the meantime you can watch the video slideshow or scroll down for the larger versions of some of the pictures so that you can really see the detail in each image!

Our Scope of Work for this Kitchen Remodel Project:

Demolition

Demolish remove and dispose of:
1. Cabinets
  1. Existing kitchen cabinets
  2. Kitchen island
  3. Wet bar and wall cabinet
2. Existing sink and plumbing fixtures in both kitchen and wet bar
3. Existing countertops
4. Existing trim on paneled walls
  1. Door casing
  2. Window casing
  3. Crown molding
  4. Baseboard
5. Appliances
  1. Double ovens
  2. Existing cooktops and down drafts in both island and wetbar

HVAC

Move HVAC register under toe-kick in base cabinet near dishwasher
Run new gas line to new cooktop location

Plumbing

Adjust plumbing supply and drain lines as necessary for kitchen sink and hook up new sink drain, attach disposal, hook up faucet, and attach dish washer drain line
Furnish and install new customer selected kitchen sink and faucet
1. KITCHEN FAUCET – quoted from Ferguson $209.62
  - LF 1HDL PO KITC FCT ARST 1.5 GPM
2. Furnish and install new customer selected wet bar sink and faucet
  1. BAR FAUCETS -quoted from Ferguson $311.50
    - LF ALLEGRO BAR FCT 1.5 GPM
  2. Hook up dishwasher supply line
  3. Re-route ice maker supply line to new refrigerator location and hook up.
  4. Garbage disposal will be replaced.
  5. Sinks:
    1. Stainless steel sink at wet bar
    2. Blanco Silgranit ll 1 3/4 Bowl Low Divide Anthracite for kitchen sink

Electrical

Provide electrical demo as necessary.
Wire for duel fuel range in new location.
Wire for new range hood in new location.
Relocate refrigerator outlet.
Wire for dish washer in new location.
Wire for garbage disposal in new location controlled by switch.
Furnish and install four six inch recessed lights in same locations as existing four inch cans, to be controlled by dimmer switch.
Furnish and install five LED under cabinet lights controlled by one switch.
Install two new GFCI protected receptacles in kitchen island.
Install two customer supplied pendant lights controlled by two three way dimmer switches.
1. Remove ceiling fan in den and replace with one ceiling mounted pendant with multiple hanging lights ( Fizz -5 lights) over the eating island
2. Replace light fixture over sink with George Kovaks – single mount with 5 hanging lights
Furnish and install One three inch recessed light in glass cabinet controlled by one switch.
Relocate receptacle in bar area to new location.
Relocate recessed light over bar to center of bar area.
Demo wiring and switch for whole house fan.
Replace light fixture in den with light fixture in kitchen

Finishes

Walls:
1. Install drywall walls over the existing paneling in the kitchen area.
2. Repair drywall in den where electrician needs to cut existing drywall to change light fixtures and run wire.
3. On new drywall walls: Trim interior of doors, windows, and walls with new stained:
  1. Door & window casing
  2. Base Board
  3. Crown molding

Floors:
1. Repair hardwood floor where hvac register has been removed.
2. Repair area around island
3. Re-set toilet
4. Sand and finish hardwood floors in kitchen area to extend to the garage door and bathroom (inside the decorative detail in the floor)
5. Install 3 layers of poly on sanded floor and 1 layer on existing shoe molding.

Kitchen Cabinets:

Kitchen: furnish and install customer selected cabinets – refer to attached drawing for cabinet layout
1. 42” wall cabinets with crown molding
2. Aristokraft Cabinetry, All Plywood Construction, Soft Close Full Extension Dovetail Drawers
3. Teagan Doorstyle, Maple, White Paint Finish

Blind Corner “Cloud” Pullout Storage Unit in Corner by Kitchen Sink
Spice Rack Storage in Wall Cabinet to Left of Hood
Pegboard Storage to Left of Stove; Tray Storage to Right of Stove

24” Deep Panels on each Side of the Refrigerator, and a 24” Deep Cabinet Above (for built-in look)
Rollout Shelves in One Island Cabinet, Double Trash Bin in the Other Island Cabinet

Rollout Shelves in Cabinets by Stove
Drawer Base by Dishwasher
Microwave Cabinet on Right of Hood

Baseboard Molding to be Used at Base of Island, Wet Bar, and Island Table
Flush Contemporary Molding to be Used as Crown Molding
Berenson Hardware for All Doors and Drawers – Item #9234-1BPN-P

Glass Doors and Shelves for Wall Cabinet over Bar Sink

Glass Shelf Mounted to Granite Top in Wet Bar Area
Stainless Steel Undermount Bar Sink
New Aristokraft Cabinetry Doors for Existing Pantry Cabinet by Doorway
Cabinet & hardware material cost: $19,005.04

Kitchen Counter tops –

Install new Black Pearl Leather Granite (Kitchen Island Tops and Wet Bar)
Altea Vicostone (Perimeter Counter Tops)
Backsplash
1. Install tiled backsplash under the wall cabinets in kitchen and wet bar
2. Schluter edging system – Brushed Stainless Steel EB
  1. 9’ of edging on backsplash outside terminations
    1. On the side by the entrance to the kitchen
    2. On both sides of the wetbar
    3. Along the top edge of the tile at wetbar where there is no wall cabinet
    4. 2’ of outside corner on the wetbar backsplash

Paint

Paint all walls, trim and ceiling in kitchen area. (Estimated for a neutral color: 2 coats. Bolder colors may include more coats)
Paint ceiling in Den

Stain

Stain all new door & window casing
Stain all new baseboard
Stain all new crown molding trim
Stain new T-111 siding replaced on roofing & siding repair.

Skylight in kitchen

21” x 46” Velux skylight will be installed
Skylight tunnel will be framed from roof deck down to ceiling of kitchen.
New drywall will be installed for walls of skylight tunnel
Drywall will be painted

Sun Tunnel in hallway

Sun Tunnel – Remove house fan and install 14” sun tunnel
Includes painting hallway

Roof repairs on chimney

Remove shingles, flashing and T-111 siding on rear slope of garage where roof meets sided wall
Install new ½ cricket in dead valley area to prevent ponding water
Install new shingles and flashing along chimney, cricket and wall
Install new T-111 siding in repair area
Stain new siding to match

Bathroom Remodel with Walk-In Shower in Yorktown Virginia

Bathrooms, Countertops, Remodel, Tile Work / By Jim Hicks / March 15, 2015 / 2 minutes of reading

Our clients in Yorktown were ready for a change with their Master Bathroom. They had originally designed the bathroom they had when they built the house in 1988, but over the years found that some of their needs had changed.

"Before" Picture showing vanity, soaking tub and shower — “Before” Picture showing vanity, soaking tub and shower

They no longer seemed to ever use the large soaking tub. The shower was small and after 27 years the large step up into it (and out of it) seems a bit more precarious than it used to.

"Before" shot of shower that was too small with a large step to get in and out of — “Before” shot of shower that was too small with a large step to get in and out of

They had encountered the idea of a walk-in shower when on vacation while staying at a premium resort. They asked us if we could build them one.

We removed the shower, the wall and the soaking tub and went to work. The results speak for themselves! The new shower is 7 feet long and 3.5 feet wide – that’s a foot wider than the standard home’s shower and 2 feet longer! The controls are just inside the opening so that the owners can turn on and adjust the water without having to walk down to the end and get wet. It has both a rain head and a multi-function hand-held shower head on a slide bar. There is a half wall with a glass splash guard to allow the light to enter the bathing area. The glass sits on a granite cap that was cut from the same piece of granite that the vanity top was cut from.

"After" Picture of walk in shower — “After” Picture of walk in shower

In addition to tiled niches in the walls for shower accessories it has two seats cut on a radius from the same piece of granite that the new vanity top and the cap on top of the half wall came from.

"After" picture of tiled walk in shower, half wall with glass and granite top on vanity. — “After” picture of tiled walk in shower, half wall with glass and granite top on vanity.

The floor was re-tiled. A small custom made set of shelves was made for linen storage and placed at the opening of the shower area under the window. The vanity was replaced. The new vanity sports a new granite vanity top with undermount porcelain sinks. The owners decided to change the one large vanity mirror to two smaller framed one with their own vanity lamps. Only the toilet was re-used.

"After" Picture of new vanity with granite top, half wall with glass sitting on granite cap — “After” Picture of new vanity with granite top, half wall with glass sitting on granite cap

After the bathroom was painted, the owner changed her mind and had us repaint with another color. It’s an owner’s prerogative to change their mind 🙂

"Before" Picture of worn vanity with acrylic top — “Before” Picture of worn vanity with acrylic top

"After" Picture of new vanity with granite top, new mirrors and new lamps — “After” Picture of new vanity with granite top, new mirrors and new lamps

"Before" Picture of vanity with acrylic top, toilet and tile floor — “Before” Picture of vanity with acrylic top, toilet and tile floor

"After" picture of toilet that was re-used, new tile floor, new vanity with granite top, new mirrors and vanity lamps — “After” picture of toilet that was re-used, new tile floor, new vanity with granite top, new mirrors and vanity lamps

The Most Popular Kitchen Picture of the Month!

Backsplash, Countertops, Design: Interior, Flooring, Kitchen, Remodel, Sinks, Skylights, Windows / By Jim Hicks / February 26, 2015 / 2 minutes of reading

We have a lot of fun on our Jim Hicks Home Improvement Facebook Page ! Our fans never hold back with their opinions on what they like, what they would do differently or which kitchen or bath they prefer. We love hearing about it!

This picture was the most popular we posted in the month of February.

After a fair amount of research, we believe it was done by Greenview Homes in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Can you guess why it was the favorite? We think it’s because of the amazing unique perspective it was shot at! It showcases this newly remodeled kitchen so well! You can clearly see the hardwood floors, the backsplash, the range and oven, the different colors of the base and wall cabinets (some with glass cabinet doors) as contrasted with the island, not to mention the different color granite countertops of the perimeter counters and the island.

Here’s another perspective of the same kitchen:

Many kitchens these days are installing skylights to bring natural light into the most popular room in the house, whereas this kitchen enjoys a skylight type tunnel extending down from a dormer window. To supplement the natural light provided by the dormer window, the glass patio door and the window over the sink, the kitchen also has can lighting and a centerpiece light fixture.

If you like pictures of kitchen and other great remodels, we’ve got more than you’ve ever seen on our Facebook page! You can visit by CLICKING HERE!

Remodeled Kitchen in Newport News

Backsplash, Countertops, Flooring, Kitchen / By Jim Hicks / July 1, 2014 / 1 minute of reading

Post by Jim Hicks Home Improvement.