Free Flow: Hinckley Kitchen Remodel Transforms Layout and Style

As a design consultant for Clazak Kitchen and Bathroom, Paul Miller had already worked on remodeling the bathroom, laundry room and wine cellar in this Hinckley home. So, when it came time to tackle the kitchen, he knew the peninsula separating the kitchen from the living room would be the first to go.

“Kitchen use changes for customers who’ve lived in their homes for 30-plus years,” says Miller. “They wanted to entertain people for the holidays and have a layout where people didn’t feel separated.”

During the 2025 renovation, the opening in the wall separating the living room from the kitchen was widened, connecting and opening the spaces. Mismatched terra cotta flooring tiles were replaced with copper Karndean vinyl flooring to pull in the darker colors of both environments. A small kitchen island was swapped out for a larger one to provide more seating and storage, and cherry wood cabinets were replaced with soft white maple cabinets — plus a Brittanicca gold Cambria quartz countertop and an arched, inset coffee bar. To pull together all the textures, finishes and colors, Miller partnered with Jara Thomas of JT Interiors.

The goal of Miller’s design was to improve the flow as well as the function, so the family could move through the room as freely as possible.

“We were really intentional about walking them through the room,” says Miller. “On my computer, we used Chief Architect software for a virtual walkthrough to open every single cabinet and ask, What are you going to put here? That level of detail makes your kitchen fun and makes it feel like a long-term investment.”

The Details

In Range

Removing the peninsula opens up movement in the room. It also gives people a direct sight line on a 36-inch oven range with a custom burnished copper hood from Stoll Industries. Miller moved the range to make it a centerpiece. “These new modern ranges are larger, so they need more space,” says Miller. “It also allows you to prepare, cook and clean after a meal all in one defined space.”

Arched Approval

The inset coffee bar, housed in its own arched iron ore wall, draws the eye. Built-in shelves show off an assortment of teacups and knickknacks while a vertical Tribeca sage gloss backsplash makes it stand out beside the burnished backsplash of the range. “Changing the slopes of the geometry can really make something pop,” says Miller. “Arches are becoming really popular, and we’re starting to do more of them in … windows and cabinets.”

Hide & Seek

Cabinets flanking the range double as artistic storage. Textured transom glass panes from Glass Specialties offer a semi-obscure view of what’s inside. To maintain a cleaner look, Miller hid outlets under each cabinet and the on/off light button inside each cabinet to illuminate it. “You push the button to turn them on, and you hold it down to dim them,” he says.

Stylish Function

The island divides the working side of the kitchen from the entertaining side. The Cambria quartz Charlestown matte countertop is a stark contrast to the lighter Brittanicca gold warm style on the perimeter. The massive Charleston legs come from Timber Wolf, painted in a custom in-house cafe color from Clazak. “The dark and moody island matches the iron ore color of the coffee bar,” says Miller, “and pulls your eye away from the lighter colors around the perimeter.”