A Burnsville kitchen gets a light-filled makeover without taking down walls. Space : Linda Waddell, a designer, kept the kitchen's footprint, but made counter and work space by eliminating new wet bar and desk areas and tucked a bookcase into the existing island for cooking books. Traffic flow : If somebody went to 
the refrigerator and somebody was working at the counter, they clashed, she announced. She moved the chiller ten feet to get rid of the traffic nightmare. For cabinets, Waddell selected cream with chocolate glaze rather than stain to keep it lighter in her north-facing, tree-sheltered home. She kept existing black granite on the island and garden box, but used lighter granite on the counters. Lighting 
: Brightened the room with ten extra recessed cans ( from 3 to thirteen ) and
"...She placed a..."
put dimmers on all lights for atmosphere.
Hidden assets : Waddell had a cabinet wired to grip and hide a paper shredder for junk mail. Outlet strips are hidden underneath cabinets to keep away from interrupting the tile pattern. A tambour doorway hides tiny appliances ; the coffeemaker is tucked behind a cabinet doorway. Mix it up : we probably did bump out the sink so it would not be such a long, uninteresting line of cabinets on the kitchen's left side, she revealed. Architectural columns on the woodwork also draw the eye. Focus on detail : A rubbish disposal button is installed flush with the counter before the right sink,which is nice, since you are always pulling a wet hand over to the wall switch, Waddell expounded. On a budget? Waddell recommends spending on the jewels or accents that will tie the kitchen together. Her recommendation : Spend a little more on accent tiles and substitute less-expensive porcelain for natural stone somewhere else. Planning recommendation : In regular use, it's urgent to consider the must haves and plan accordingly. She placed a drawer in a glass cabinet just steps from the table, as an example, to carry napkins and placemats. The designer : Linda Waddell of Waddell Interiors, Burnsville, 952-435-0558.
more
