Kitchen Remodeling in Howell, MI

Early-1900s homes near the Livingston County courthouse

An older Howell kitchen is often a small room at the back of the house, sometimes a former pantry or porch absorbed over time. Walls may be plaster, floors may slope, and the wiring and plumbing may mix several eras. Ceilings are often taller than in newer homes, which is an asset: cabinets can run higher and a range hood can become a real feature.

The design job is to make the room work for current cooking without stripping the house of character. Furniture-style cabinetry, inset or simple shaker doors and counters that suit the period usually look more at home than a builder-style kitchen. Where a wall might open to the dining room, we evaluate it carefully, because surprises live behind old plaster.

Twenty-five minutes from Kress Rd to downtown Howell: the project steps

Projects begin with Nick at your house, asking how you cook and live, and looking at the structure, wiring and plumbing an older home tends to hide. A design retainer covers the design phase, from rough layouts to a 3D model, elevations and installation-level drawings, then a price review. Selections, hourly or packaged, cover counters, fixtures, hardware, lighting, flooring, tile and custom hoods.

A signed purchase agreement lets us place the cabinet and material orders and follow each delivery. Nick then schedules the partner contractors, and in an older house he stays especially close to demolition, when hidden conditions come to light.

What older Howell homes need from a kitchen designer

Kitchen RemodelingCentury-old kitchens near the Howell courthouse usually need a full remodel, because the wiring, plumbing, layout and finishes date from different decades and rarely line up.Kitchen DesignTight, irregular rooms with tall ceilings in Howell's early-1900s houses reward careful floor plans and elevations before any wall is touched or any plaster comes down.Kitchen CabinetsFurniture-grade, period-appropriate cabinetry with inset or simple shaker doors is Nick's specialty and suits Howell's older houses near the courthouse better than a builder-style run of boxes.Custom Range HoodsCeilings in Howell's early-1900s homes often run taller than in newer houses, which lets a custom range hood become a real architectural feature instead of a microwave over the stove.Small Kitchen RemodelMany older Howell kitchens began as a back room, pantry or enclosed porch, and planning every inch inside that footprint often beats pushing into the dining room.Aging-in-Place RemodelingOlder homes near downtown Howell often have entry steps, narrow doorways and an upstairs-only full bath that accessible design can address for owners planning to stay.Bathroom RemodelingMany older Howell homes have a single dated bathroom, so it is often remodeled in the same project as the kitchen, sharing the partner contractors and the city permit.