From Dated to Distinguished: A Mote Ranch Kitchen Remodel in Sarasota
The kitchen in this Mote Ranch home in Sarasota had a lot going against it. Cathedral-topped frosted maple cabinets, dark granite countertops, and a raised bar behind the sink gave it an early 90s look that no longer fit the homeowners’ style. Furthermore, a set of purposeless soffits above the cabinets chopped up the visual line and wasted valuable storage space. To make things more complicated, the homeowners had already purchased a full appliance suite, and the new refrigerator simply did not fit in the existing cabinet opening.
On top of all that, they had installed polished concrete floors throughout the entire house prior to starting this project. So whatever we did in the kitchen had to complement that floor, not fight it.
The Before
The goal was clear: deliver a more contemporary look that still worked with their traditional furnishings, open up the space, and significantly improve storage, all while remaining within the existing footprint.
Solving the Layout Problems First
Before we even talked about finishes, we tackled the structural issues. First, the soffits had to come out. Eliminating them allowed us to bring the cabinets all the way up to eight feet, which immediately made the kitchen feel taller and gave us back meaningful storage. Next, the raised bar behind the sink area was removed. That change alone visually opened the kitchen to the rest of the living space.
For storage, we added deep drawers to the base cabinets and roll-out trays inside the pantry. Both upgrades make a real difference in daily use; no more digging to the back of a cabinet to find what you need. Above the microwave, we incorporated frosted glass doors. They pick up the industrial character of the stainless appliances below and add a layer of visual interest without going over the top.
Getting the Materials Right
The original plan called for continuing the quartz countertop material up the wall as a backsplash. However, quartz slabs run 3 centimeters thick, no matter the use. On a vertical surface, that thickness can appear as bulky and heavy. Instead, we sourced a large-format 24×48 inch floor tile that coordinates beautifully with the countertop selection and keeps the grout lines to a minimum. The result is cleaner and more refined than the original idea would have been while being nearly an inch thinner on the exposed end.
For the cabinets, we specified StarMark Cabinetry in their Bonita door style, a classic shaker profile, built in solid alder wood with an Oregano stain finish. Alder takes stain beautifully and has a warm, consistent grain that bridges the gap between contemporary and traditional. The countertops are Pompeii Quartz in the Coastal finish with a half-inch bevel edge. The sink is a Blanco composite undermount in black, which grounds the lighter quartz and ties back to the charcoal gray hardware throughout. For that hardware, we used a traditional bar handle and cup pull combination in charcoal gray from Top Knobs. It’s subtle enough to not compete with anything, but sharp enough to notice.
The Finished Kitchen
The transformation is significant. The taller cabinets fill the wall the way they should. The quartz countertops and large format tile backsplash give the cooktop wall a clean, continuous look that works with the polished concrete floor rather than competing with it. The warm alder tone sits comfortably alongside the homeowners’ traditional furnishings while still reading as current.
Most importantly, the new refrigerator fits. Sometimes that is reason enough to remodel, and everything else that came along with this project was a bonus. Believe me, this is not the first kitchen I’ve remodeled because someone bought a new refrigerator that doesn’t fit.
If you are considering a kitchen remodel in Sarasota or the surrounding area, we would love to talk through what is possible in your space. Take a look at our kitchen design portfolio to see more completed projects, or learn more about our Stressless Remodeling Program™ and how we guide clients through every step of the process. When you are ready, contact us to get started.
