“When we bought this house, I knew the kitchen was small,” Amy said. Along with her husband Nathan own a home in the Kingston, MA area. “I thought I could deal with it, but now that we have kids? I’m in the kitchen more than I ever imagined possible, and I can’t stand how dark and closed in it feels.” Increasing the size of the kitchen wasn’t an option, so Amy began seeking ways to make the room feel larger. “One design show recommended painting the walls a lighter color, and that did help. But the tip that really made a difference was having the windows replaced.”
Originally, Amy’s kitchen featured two windows: a small slider window over the sink and a bow window that had been installed in the Seventies. “At first, I thought I liked the bow window,” Amy explained. “It’s a nice place for plants.” But the bow window had several issues. “The glass was constantly getting fogged up, it drips all the time, and when it’s cold outside, you can feel it all around the window.” Not only was this bad for Amy’s plants, but it made the kitchen a very uncomfortable place to be.
“Our goal was to make the room appear larger,” Amy explained. “We wanted lots of natural light and a more open feel in the kitchen.” The family decided to have replacement windows installed in their Kingston, MA home. “Instead of another bay window, we went with a picture window.” Two double hung replacement windows were installed on a facing wall, where cabinetry had previously hung. “We needed the light more than we needed the storage,” Amy explained. “And I love my new kitchen sink window!” The slider window was replaced by a decorative stationary window that offered an unobstructed view of the family’s backyard.