kitchen conversations

Recently recognized as one of the nation’s top kitchen and bath showrooms, DCI Home Resource is Charlotte, North Carolina’s premier source for cabinetry, appliances, plumbing, and award-winning kitchen and bath designs. DCI’s designs have been featured in multiple nation-wide magazines such as Kitchen & Bath Design News, Betters Home and Gardens, and Signature Kitchen and Baths.


By:  Kaity Slaughter
Our clients wanted to incorporate 21st century technology and maximize their storage space with minimum alterations to the home’s existing historic 1916 character.  It was very important for them that they retain the exact footprint of the original kitchen, as they are avid preservationists and very detailed.  The husband is an architect and the wife is a realtor.  They are a small family (husband, wife, and 2 young boys), who entertain often in their 1,400 square foot bungalow.

Requests/Challenges

1.   Maximize storage while retaining the exact footprint of the original kitchen.

Solution: Double stacked wall cabinets that extend to the 10’ ceiling and a rolling ladder for easy accessibility.  This significantly increased the amount of storage without increasing the footprint of the kitchen.

2.   Maximize the amount of natural light entering the kitchen (especially in the morning).

Solution: A triple window replaced the original single window on the exterior side elevation and a northwest facing skylight (hidden from view) added to the center of the kitchen allows the maximum amount of light to enter the space

3.   Create visual and audio connectivity between the kitchen, dining, and living rooms while still having the ability to isolate the kitchen in the event of formal dinners.

Solution: Added a 4’ opening with pocket doors above the sink and between the kitchen and dining room allowing light, sight, and sound to travel to and from the kitchen.  These doors can also be closed to create a more formal setting.

Custom Cabinetry
They needed a functional layout finished with the right materials to achieve their goal.
Holiday Kitchens Cabinetry
-  Traditional Framed and Full Overlay
-  Petersburg Square door with 850 edge profile
-  Snowdrift paint and Suede Brushed glaze
-  Custom trim, decorative feet and hutch brackets

Additional Products
-  Reclaimed pine hardwoods, finished to match the original wood flooring throughout the home
-  Natural John Boos maple butcher block countertops, brushed nickel hardware by Top Knobs, and Viking stainless appliances help to create the utilitarian feeling that a 1916 kitchen may have had
-  Viking appliances including a 42” built-in refrigerator and a 36” gas range with griddle provides “professional style”   cooking capabilities
-  Rohl faucet in satin nickel and Kohler Smart Divide sink in white


Kaity Slaughter is a lead designer and project manager for DCI Home Resource and has been with the company for eight years.  She received her undergraduate degree in architectural design and her MBA.