Sawhill Wins Award in Kitchen Design Competition!

Sawhill's co-owner Susan Palmquist, CKD, received a 2nd Place Award in the 2009 Local Sub-Zero Wolf Kitchen Design Competition co-sponsored by Roth Distributing in Minnetonka, MN.

The decision to remodel in lieu of building a new house was the foundation for this major whole home improvement project. The kitchen was one of the top priorities, and the desire of the home owners was to improve on the layout and to bring the quality and details up to their standards. The initial study resulted in the decision not to enlarge the kitchen, but to make better use of the existing space.

The building blocks for the final plan were two key decisions: 1) The door to the dining room was shifted to the left 23”. 2) The cooktop and separate ovens were combined into a large professional range. This increased the available wall space which now gives the owners more countertop and larger working surfaces. This request was high on their “wish list”. In addition, the “Hearth Hood” is placed directly across from the large see through fireplace which balances the scale in the room and adds an area of decorative detail.

The soffits were removed and the new cabinetry goes to the ceiling with a three member crown molding at the top. The doubled paneled doors on the upper cabinets keeps that scale in proportion with the lower cabinets. The contrast of the walnut on the island countertop with the softer more neutral colors on the perimeter brings your attention to the center of the room. The kitchen did not Increase in size, but now feels like a much larger room with the quality and detail that is very satisfying to the home owner.

Contact Sue if you'd like more information on this project or regarding the products featured in this beautiful kitchen!!

Our First 2010 Sawhill Sampler!!

Countertop Class!

Please join us on

February 18th from 5-6:30pm for the first in our series of 2010 Sawhill Samplers!

Come and gather information on each type of countertop material that’s out there. See the latest samples and innovations in surfacing.

Enjoy fun finger food and refreshments while you meet & greet experts who specialize in each particular area of countertops.

Bring all of your countertop questions and your friends!

Designers & Consumers Welcome

Please RSVP by February 15th

To Sarah Michalowski

By calling 612.338.3991

Or emailing

Sarah@sawhillkitchens.com

Thank you and we hope to see you at Sawhill on February 18^th!

Sawhill Custom Kitchens

International Market Square

275 Market Street, Suite 157

Minneapolis, MN 55405

Don't Sterotype Kitchens or the Cook

You can’t stereo type people any more, especially when it comes to kitchens, and who the primary cook is. The kitchen isn’t just for women, and the garage isn’t just for men. For years & years now we’ve seen most men actively involved in the kitchen design process as well as being the primary cook. I have a number of close friends and neighbors where the “man of the house” is the primary grocery shopper and the primary cook, especially when it comes to cooking gourmet meals.

I on the other hand, to a certain degree, am the old stereotype. But I have a good reason. I have a wife who runs the majority of her business out of our home so she has time at the end of her day to start dinner. While I on the other hand, am sitting in traffic on the way home to Forest Lake from Minneapolis. The truth is my wife has always been the primary gourmet cook in our family. My wife’s mother was a caterer, so cooking has always been in her blood. Her mother also instilled in her that the food is one thing, but, “it’s all about the presentation.” So our family dinners are rarely served on a paper plate, or in front of the TV.

But like some men who serve as the chef’s assistant or secondary cook, I have some specialty meals that are my signature pieces as well as being the grill master. I cook a mean Cornish Game Hen, and my signature omelets and my Cajun Breakfast are legendary in my family!

While I may have a few signatures meals, my wife on the other hand has not served the same meal twice – or so it seems. I’m exaggerating to some degree, of course, but she’s always looking for ways to improve a main entre or the side dishes. She’s her worst critic.

When we remodeled our kitchen my wife, had a list of wants and needs, including high BTU gas burners, that also incorporate a low simmer setting, a larger than standard refrigerator, and large drawers for her Dutch oven and other favorite cookware.

Though our kitchen is small, it now functions perfectly for our style of cooking and entertaining. A raised snack bar, which wraps around one of the large work counters, is a perfect spot for family or guests to sit while the cook (yes, primarily my wife) puts the finishing touches on the meal or the last appetizer. The large work counter on the other side of the snack bar is also the perfect spot for me to set up the bar and act as bartender for party guests sitting at the raised snack bar.

So, if you’re remodeling or redesigning your kitchen, make sure you get input from everyone in your family. Don’t stereotype your own family members. They may have a good idea to share. Oh and by the way. Since our kitchen is so small, many bulky kitchen items are stored in cabinets in “MY” garage. Sorry, she never cleans it, so it’s mine. And yes, I do clean the kitchen, and I do clean the dishes. So it’s “OUR” kitchen!

And don’t forget. Just because your kitchen is small, doesn’t mean you can’t turn out some great meals! Click on the links above for some recipes that may help.