Kitchens
Full Kitchens
Over the years, we have built a reputation for high-end kitchen remodeling. We're proud to have received multiple Gold Cornerstone Awards for our kitchens, a prestigious honor from the NH Homebuilders Association.
We are known for flawlessly executing designer kitchens with all their nuanced complexities and complications. These are not mere aesthetic updates, they're one-off creations that almost always involve significant modifications to structure, floorplans, plumbing and electric, and require thinking outside the box when it comes to transforming concept into finished product.
But, not everyone needs, wants or can afford a "magazine kitchen". We work with our clients to meet their needs regardless of what those may be. We can work with what you already have and offer suggestions to save cost where possible.
Image Contracting does both full kitchen remodels as well as all types of updates to existing kitchens.
Under the best of circumstances these projects take months from initial design consult to hosting your first dinner party in your beautiful new kitchen. Even if you are in the preliminary stages of considering a kitchen update, contact us to discuss your project. We typically book quite far in advance, so the time to develop a plan is not when you are ready to start work, it's when we all have time to plan ahead.
Kitchen Updates
We can also work magic with the kitchen you already have. Adding a backsplash is hands-down one of the most cost-effective and dramatic improvements you can make not just to your kitchen, but to your home. We can add a custom island, paint and/or reface your cabinets or add trim components like crown moulding. We have examples off all these updates on this page.
What to expect...
According to Remodeling Magazine, the 2022 average cost of a mid-range major kitchen remodel is about $85,000 and an upscale major kitchen remodel is around $165,000.
Here are some budget guidelines based on our experience:
Mid-Range Kitchen Remodel
Budget:
$80,000-
$125,000
A typical project in this range would include:
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new entry-to-mid-range semi-custom cabinetry, including trim details such as fascia and crown moulding
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removing all old cabinetry and countertops
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installation of new cabinetry (in identical configuration) and cabinet handles
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installation of new entry-to-mid-range stone countertops
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stainless steel sink with mid-range faucet
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new paint on ceiling, walls and trim
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new mid-range appliances
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installation of appliances in existing locations
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plumbing and electrical work to connect sink and appliances
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tile backsplash (limited)
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undercabinet lighting
Upscale Kitchen Remodel
Budget:
$125,000-
$$$unlimited
A typical project in this range could include:
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a redesign of the kitchen layout
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removing or adding walls
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moving or adding doors and windows
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drywall work
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refinish flooring or new flooring
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new mid-to-high-range semi-custom cabinetry or custom cabinetry, including trim details such as fascia and crown moulding
-
removing all old cabinetry and countertops
-
installation of new cabinetry and cabinet handles
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addition of an island or peninsula
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installation of new mid-to-high-range stone countertops or quartz countertops
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apron or farmer's sink with mid-to-high range faucet
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electrical reconfiguration/new lighting
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plumbing reconfiguration
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new paint on ceiling, walls and trim
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new mid-to-high range appliances
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installation of appliances
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plumbing and electrical work to connect sink and appliances
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tile backsplash or stone/quartz backsplash
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undercabinet lighting
Here are some examples of the different styles and scopes of projects we have completed to give you an idea of things we can do.
Click the "View Project" button for more detailed photos.
Designer's Dream
This was a special project for us. It was the personal kitchen for our design partner. For them, it was the culmination of many years of dreaming and planning. For us, it challenged our full array of skills to execute. This design mixed classic with contemporary, sleek and modern with the rustic and repurposed. Silver and gold. Black and white. The final product was a contestant in the 2018 NH Home Magazine Design Awards.
When we began, most of the demo had been completed. First, we enlarged the load-bearing opening between the kitchen and dining room. Then we built the re-claimed antique beam into the ceiling and the re-purposed antique corbels, complete with the desired peeling paint and cracked wood. Making these old trim components usable and fitting them to the beam was a project in itself. We replaced the drywall ceiling with beadboard paneling. We installed the cabinets, double-size built-in fridge/freezer and ran crown moulding throughout the kitchen and adjoining hallway.
There's a massive island where the sink and dishwasher were relocated. Did we mention the full-wall tile backsplashes? There's just too much to list, because every inch of this beauty is one of a kind. Be sure to check out all of the pictures.
Windham Dream Kitchen
This major kitchen update was for an amazing young couple who had just purchased their first home. Although relatively functional, the existing kitchen had builder-grade finishes and was original to the home. The huge space was poorly utilized for functionality, and the whole space felt cold, dark and very dated. Our chef client had a very specific vision.
Gold Cornerstone Award
Winner 2021
We replaced the tile with hardwood which tied into the rest of the first floor. We also eliminated the ubiquitous soffit above the cabinets which was replaced with 4-piece crown moulding on the beautiful, functional new cabinetry. The refrigerator was relocated and a microwave drawer was built into the island. The addition of the coffee bar with lighted, glass front cabinets makes the previously cavernous space feel warm and cozy and is a focal point for the homeowners and guests alike. All new lighting on dimmers including our signature under-cabinet LEDs warm the space and fill it with ample amounts of task lighting. The cabinet range hood contains a Subzero fan. Our suggestion to add a pot-filler was one of the features our clients were most excited about. The space is topped off with Wolf and Subzero appliances.
Our clients welcomed their first child while we were making their dream kitchen become a reality. They were looking forward to a future of hosting family and guests in comfort and style!
Next Generation
This is the house our client grew up in. She and her husband had recently purchased it from her father. As we posted progress on social media it was especially heartwarming to see her father commenting with enthusiastic approval as they made the family home their own.
This project demonstrates a major transformation in space/flow, functionality and appearance. The cramped, original 1970s kitchen was replaced with a modern and open one co-designed by the homeowners. Walls, ceilings and windows were removed. Doors were added. Usable space doubled and was reconfigured. Appliances were relocated. The list is long. View the project gallery to see it all.
Small Kitchen, Big Statement
This project demonstrates that even a small kitchen can pack a big punch in terms of visual appeal and functionality. This is a condo in Bedford, NH. Our client is a gourmet cook and was fulfilling a dream of many years to finally get rid of the original 1990s builder-grade cabinets with peeling thermofoil and doors that wouldn't close all the way.
This was a fairly straightforward upgrade, but full of personalized details that make all the difference. The new cabinetry is all natural finish cherry and is gorgeous! There is a spice pull-out next to the stove, a double-level cutlery drawer, two lazy Susans at the corners, an end cabinet with access from the side, and dividers and organizers everywhere. There's a roll-up "appliance garage" with built-in power. And the upper glass front cabinets with interior lighting safely display some of our clients' treasures. The light rail trim at the bottom of the cabinets is a high-end upgrade. We ran the gas for the new Italian range to replace the old electric one. Refinished floors, full paint, and a custom maple pantry insert (one of our trademarks) finish off this super clean and functional classic.
Blue & White Beauty
Something old. Something new. Something white. Something blue. That could best describe this showstopping transformation composed by our design partner. This is by far one of our very favorite kitchens.
This stunning Bedford, NH kitchen was part of a remodel of the entire first floor. It's a juxtaposition of old and new. The old: dark stained hardwood floors, an exposed antique (looking) beam, vintage light fixtures, distressed open shelving and an actual antique door
Gold Cornerstone Award
Winner 2021
complete with crackled and peeling paint weconverted to a barn door. The new: clean, modern cabinet lines in white and navy blue, ultra modern white appliances with gold hardware, and gold cabinet hardware, pendants & plumbing fixtures.
We removed a load-bearing wall and enlarged the opening in another. We opened the staircase wall into the dining room to create a double-waterfall landing and an open sightline from the front door to the back of the house. We replaced all the dated, stained woodwork throughout the level. Added hardwood in the kitchen and sanded, stained, and refinished all the hardwood on the whole level and stairs.
Be sure to view all the photos of this major transformation!
Complete Facelift
This project in Brentwood, NH shows what can be done to what you already have with a little creativity. This was part of a whole floor remodel in a typical, boring, builder-grade attached condo. The end result looks and feels like a brand new kitchen, but it is the same cabinets, appliances and countertops.
The peninsula was re-positioned to convert it to an island. The cabinets were painted. The recessed lighting was converted to flush LED fixtures. The recessed light over the sink was converted to a pendant and a new pendant was wired in and added above the island. Fascia, and accent trim was added to the cabinet tops to fill the gap to the ceiling. Crown moulding was run around the cabinets and continued throughout the kitchen and adjoining dining room. A marble backsplash with pencil trim detail was added and walls and ceilings were painted.
Islands
We have built some incredible islands in our kitchen remodels, but we can also add an island to your existing kitchen! This is a particularly dramatic one.
This is a very large custom island for a client of our design partner in an otherwise perfectly good kitchen. It added a huge amount of usable counter and storage space while also offering a seating area to replace the dinette the homeowners had always used.
Backsplashes
Through years of remodeling and hundreds of projects, we have concluded that three small scale projects afford the most dramatic improvements in a home: adding crown moulding, wainscoting and...tile backsplashes!
We do backsplash installations all the time. Here are a handful of projects we have done demonstrating all different types of backsplashes in different styles and sizes of kitchens. Judge for yourself!
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