The challenge: update and personalize a kitchen, using eco-friendly materials

The starting point: When Rita Penrod got married a few years ago, she moved into her husband's home in Golden Valley. The kitchen, last renovated in the 1980s, was due for an update. "The footprint was good," she said. "But appliances were starting to break down." Penrod wanted to improve the kitchen's functionality while bringing in her own style, which is sleek and contemporary. And as a sustainable graphic design consultant herself, she wanted to ensure that the remodeling was as low-impact as possible.

Re-used cabinets: Penrod and Foss didn't see a need to tear out perfectly good cabinets, so they had them refaced with Plyboo (bamboo plywood), which is sustainably harvested and a rapidly renewable resource, Foss said. The Plyboo was installed on its side, with the grain running horizontally instead of vertically, to visually expand the space and create a fresh, distinctive look. The cabinets above the sink were refaced with metal frames inset with frosted panels, to lighten that space and create a visual connection with the new appliances, Penrod said.

Recycled countertops: For her countertops, she chose a material made from 75 recycled materials (Eco by Cosentino), including glass fragments set in industrial ash resin. "It has bits of mirror in it, with beautiful reflective value," Foss said. Other green choices included Energy Star appliances, energy-efficient lighting, low-VOC paint and water-based coating on the refinished wood floors.

More functionality: The kitchen had a large walk-in pantry, which wasn't the most efficient use of space, Penrod said. "And I didn't like having food and cleaning products in the same pantry." The big pantry was converted to two floor-to-ceiling pantries, with pullouts. "It doubled the storage space," Foss said.

A level island: The former layered island was converted to one-level. "It's more functional, and I wanted a very sleek look, with flat lines," she said. Penrod also added a deep apron sink, like the barn sinks she remembered from growing up on a dairy farm. "I like to freeze and prepare vegetables, and I needed a big sink to clean pots," she said. "The previous sink was very small, and water splashed everywhere."

Natural palette: The kitchen faces the back yard, which overlooks Theodore Wirth Park. Penrod and her husband are both outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy canoeing and biking, she said, and she wanted to bring the outdoors in. The grain of the cabinets and wood flooring evokes trees, while the stainless steel appliances evoke rocks and minerals, she said. She chose soft blue-gray paint to create "an atmospheric quality, like the reflection of sky in water."

Holmberg Studios
Before: The kitchen was last renovated in the 1980s.

Flexible seating: Finding the right table for the long eating area was tricky, Penrod said. Ultimately, she hired local furnituremakers Rust Brothers to create a table using locally harvested ash wood. The table has benches, rather than chairs, on one side. "When we have parties, the kitchen is where everyone congregates," Penrod said. "You can sit and still face the island, still be part of the conversation. It's really flexible and functional."

The result: Keeping her new kitchen clean and uncluttered is easier, Penrod said. Tambour doors provide out-of-sight storage space for small appliances and other countertop items. "Everything can be tucked away," she said. And the kitchen's clean lines motivate her to keep it looking its best. "I just like the feel of it, the sleekness," she said. "Because it's so sleek, I want to keep it very clean."

Kim Palmer • 612-673-4784

The designer: Joshua Foss, Thrive Design Studio (www. thrivesustainability.com

To submit before and after photos of a redecorated or remodeled room for consideration, please send uncompressed jpeg images to kim.palmer@startribune.com. Please include your name and phone number.