Gilday Renovations was asked to remodel the outdated kitchen of a 1960s Bethesda abode. The owners specified a classic white palette with brass accents—and a much larger footprint.

“The original kitchen was about 10 feet by 18 feet, including a cramped breakfast area,” says principal Tom Gilday. “We doubled the size of the space by replacing a wall with a steel beam and expanding.” A peninsula that separated the kitchen and breakfast area was removed; now, a central island dominates the space, with a roomy breakfast area and a new screened porch beyond.

The couple had an extensive wish list for their remodeled kitchen. In addition to keeping their existing brick fireplace, they wanted an authentic wood-burning pizza oven, a wine room and a bar cabinet with a French bakery-style brass shelf system. “They’d show us pictures of what they wanted and we’d find it or have it made,” recounts Gilday kitchen designer Tina Keppler. “It was a matter of working it all into the space.”

Measuring in at 54-by-54 inches, the wood-fired pizza oven by Mugnaini required the most planning. It tucked into a wall opposite the island in a brick surround that matches the fireplace brick; both are painted white. The wine room found a home inside the former pantry closet. “There is a lot going on in this kitchen,” observes Keppler. “They both love to cook, so the goal was a space where both of them could work. Luckily, she likes the stove—and he’s all about the pizza oven.”

Ask Tina

Advice before embarking on a kitchen renovation?
List what you like and dislike about your existing kitchen. Gather images of kitchens that appeal to you for functionality, style and color. Review with your designer.

What elements impart a timeless look?
Kitchens that complement a home’s architecture can feel timeless. A transitional kitchen with Shaker-style cabinets and natural-stone counters will work in a traditional house, while a modern house will look good with flush cabinet doors in wood veneer and an engineered-stone counter.

What are your favorite surface materials?
My favorite natural-stone countertop material is quartzite; it looks like marble and has the durability of granite. Among manmade materials, I prefer Caesarstone for its colors, patterns, durability and stain-resistance.

What trends have you spotted?
I’m seeing brass and gold; rift- or distressed-oak and walnut; and manmade countertops and cabinet finishes. Clients are choosing gray cabinets over white and porcelain floor tile over natural stone.

Renovation Architecture & Kitchen Design: Tom Gilday, principal; Tina Keppler, B. Arch., Gilday Renovations, Silver Spring, Maryland.