This was a dream project that we were recently able to complete just down the street from our store. Every single kitchen or bath that Village Home Stores installs is unique and important for the users, and we know this design will provide access and independence that will make a big impact for many households in our community. Successful in function and style, we are excited to have the opportunity to show you around the finished space.
A New Kitchen for Inspire Continuing Care in Geneseo, Illinois
The team at Inspire Continuing Care works with participants to help them gain skills and independence so that they can thrive and contribute to our community. And believe us when we say that this group is an important part of our Geneseo community! We love to see so many adventures they go on around the area, and we are so incredibly proud to have set up a kitchen design that can truly help to champion efforts and build confidence for the participants in a kitchen setting. We have partnered with the staff at Inspire to design a space that is accessible for all abilities.
The new kitchen is in a large open space filled with great daylight, activity tables, and it’s just a few feet away from the updated ICC lounge area across the hall. The cabinetry is from our Koch Classic line, and this is the Savannah door in a Maple wood with a “Frontier” stain applied. We are thankful that Koch Cabinets has ADA options available and affordable in their catalog. We were able to have the cabinetry arrive on site with ADA modifications already made to the toe space, height, and shape of the cabinetry.
A few years back, we were able to help install a new kitchen classroom at Geneseo High School for the life skills program in place there. That kitchen design also included accessible design choices for students to be able to interact with the space as they learned. This new kitchen at Inspire allows for an extension of that program to build on those skills. The young adults and their families find support and tools to gain more confidence, life skills, and even job skills training to lead to opportunities for post-high school careers and independence as adults in our community.
Before and After Kitchen Remodel Story
This project was managed from start to finish by the complete project management remodel team at Village Home Stores, from designing, estimating, and material selection to installation and scheduling. The remodel was completed while Inspire kept their program running for participants.
Before we dive into the details, you are welcome to take a full video tour of the space and see the project come to life. Just press play below to watch this segment from our TV show, the Village Home Show.
It's an incredible kitchen, isn’t it? This updated room is not just used for snacks and meals; it is also a shared space for events and activities that Inspire hosts for the community. With the large kitchen and island in the same bright space as the tables in the same room, this is now a versatile and stylish room to host guests. We were so thrilled to see how many people could fit into the kitchen during their open house event.
There’s a Place for Everyone at This Kitchen Island
There is a large kitchen island at the center of all activity, and a place for everyone to use that island comfortably. It is over 11 feet long and nearly 4 ½ feet deep in size. The cooking zone side faces the main kitchen wall, and the entire back end includes an overhang that can accommodate guests using chairs or wheelchairs.
The best way to learn about the function of a kitchen island design is to see it in action. We visited this kitchen on a busy day and grabbed some footage of it getting used for snacks and lunch. Press play below to watch a quick video tour of the kitchen island and our favorite features.
As you saw in that video, we even protected the back of the kitchen island with a durable, washable surface that matched the kitchen backsplash. The tiles used in this application allow shoes and chairs to not be a threat to the back of the island over time. Plus, the look of the tile is amazing!
The tile on the island back and kitchen backsplash wall is a mix of multiple textures applied to tiles that measure 4” x 12” in size. The tile is from the same supplier as our “Carrara Breve” countertops: MSI. This is the “Urbano 3D Mix” series in Ivory. The patterns catch the light so well and bring a lot of playful texture to the space without making it too busy. We have installed it in a herringbone pattern in both locations for even more added interest.
ADA Accessible Cabinet Choices for Kitchen Design
As you saw above in the videos, we wanted to be sure that each area of the kitchen was accessible to reach and maneuver around. This is equally important for those just navigating the kitchen pathways for visiting and those using areas like the kitchen sink and dishwasher zone, and the cooking zone. We left 5’ of walkway space from the kitchen sink wall to the island. This leaves plenty of space to allow a full rotation of a wheelchair user and even allows for two users to pass by each other as they work in the spaces.
A minimum of 60” is recommended for this wheelchair turning radius allowance. If more space can be allowed, we do recommend it. Just keep in mind that moving two zones too far apart can sometimes cause added stress, as countertop surfaces may not stay within reach if you are traveling down the center of the path.
An ADA-height toe-kick modification was added to the base cabinets on the sink wall and the island. This adjusts the toe-kick space to an 8 ¼” tall by 6” deep recess area for more comfortable feet and chair clearance. If you are considering a project with our team and want to install accessible or age-in-place investments, we can order cabinetry for your kitchen, bath, or laundry room with this same ADA toe space allowance.
Maytag Cooktop + Built-in Oven
Meals and snack options just got leveled up with the new Maytag cooking zone installed! We included an electric cooktop in the kitchen island and a built-in Maytag oven unit right next to it. The cooktop can be used for users who stand, sit, or wheel up to the cooking zone. The wall oven on the right corner of the island can be easily accessed if standing or sitting.
The Maytag cooktop is 30” wide and has a versatile burner layout perfect for this multi-use space. The front right burner has a Dual-Choice element that lets you match the power and the pan size to what you need. On the left, there are two burners PLUS a bridge element that can be used with the reversible grill/griddle that comes with the cooktop. The pan is dishwasher safe and comes with rubber grips to protect the cooktop surface and keep it safely stable while you cook. And speaking of safety, there is a “Hot Surface” indicator that communicates to those in the kitchen that the glass surface is still too hot to touch or clean.
Raised Height Maytag Dishwasher
For the dishwasher in this kitchen, we went with our bestselling 2-rack Maytag unit and raised it up so that any user at the sink could easily load and unload the dishwasher while standing or rolling up to the sink. Raised dishwashers will forever be our favorite suggested feature for households looking to limit reaching or bending. The truth is, no matter what your age or physical ability, everyone can appreciate not having to reach down to the floor of the kitchen just to access the lowest rack. For the kitchen at Inspire, the staff also “moved into” the base cabinets using drawer storage for all plates, cups, and silverware. Now, any participant can access what they need without needing to ask for help to reach something in an upper cabinet.
The sink base is similar to the cooktop setup. An angled back panel conceals any hardware behind it and allows a wheelchair user to safely wheel up close and operate the kitchen sink.
Whirlpool Sidekick Fridge + Freezer
Did you know that we sell all-freezer and all-fridge Whirlpool units? We do! And when installed side-by-side with a trim kit, this pair gets you a custom-built-in setup that looks about three times the cost of what you actually paid! Whirlpool “SideKicks” can be installed as individual built-in units or as one connected look with the trim kit, like we did at Inspire. If you have the room for it, this setup can get you a LOT of fresh food and freezer storage, plus a customized look.
In this kitchen design, we surrounded the SideKicks with cabinetry, trim, and even a tall pantry unit. Want to see one in person? We have an all-refrigerator unit in the Village Home Stores showroom, so come in and ask for a bottle of water.
There are two tall pantry cabinets included on a previously unused wall space. Now there are plenty of shelves for the pantry, small appliances, bulk items, and other supplies. There are also two tall pantry cabinets on the main wall of the kitchen. One on the far right end next to the raised dishwasher, and another to the right of the refrigerator. Because these two units are full-depth, we included adjustable height roll-out shelf storage inside.
Commercial-Grade Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
Throughout the new kitchen is a new durable flooring surface ready for long-term performance. The planks are 7” wide x 48” long and from a line called Pentz LVT that we get from Engineered Floors. Pentz LVT is a commercial-grade product that comes from a plant in Northwest Georgia. The planks we installed at Inspire are from the Boulevard Plus LVT line, and the color is “St. Thomas”. So many of our LVT products at Village Home Stores come with incredible durability ratings and great warranties. That is why we curate the vendors we offer. But for some applications, a commercial-grade performance is needed. This Pentz flooring has a heavy commercial grade use rating with added antimicrobial components and a ceramic micro-bead coating. The flooring surface is also FloorScore / LEED Certified, and 100% of the materials can be recycled after use. So, keep in mind that while we offer an amazing selection of flooring and wall surfaces for your home…we can also fit your business out with stylish surfaces.
Learn More About Inspire Continuing Care and Village
We are so glad that, as Inspired Continued Care grows with participant interest, we were able to get this kitchen in place to help the group share time and experiences together in a larger space. According to this recent write-up in the Geneseo Current, ICC began in August of 2021. Since opening, they have experienced a 400% increase in the number of participants they serve. Knowing they can fit everyone in one place, PLUS invite guests and families to enjoy the kitchen together, is wonderful! To learn more about Inspire Continuing Care, visit this page on their website or follow the fun activities they post about here on their Facebook page. Participants at Inspire are busy and active in our community, and we are so happy to have had a chance to partner with them for this new kitchen. We know that this new kitchen setup will help continue to build skills and confidence for these important members of our community who aim to have more independence and thrive in adulthood. Thank you to everyone at Inspire for allowing us to be a part of your story and for helping us film and photograph the accessible features of the new space. This kitchen project was made possible by funding from the Francis G. & Betty J Miller Foundation and the Geneseo Communications Charitable Foundation.
To learn more about the materials and design choices made in this project, connect with the team at Village Home Stores. You can use the webchat service here on our site or complete this short form online. You are also welcome to visit our showroom (just down the street from ICC) at 105 S State Street, Geneseo, IL, or call us at (309) 944-1344. We can’t wait to hear what you are working on.