Transforming a '50s Kitchen

Lights on the flexible track: One of Karen's favorite touches in this kitchen is the Seagull track lighting that illuminates the counter above the seating area. "They're nice because they have weights so that you can adjust them up and down," she says. "You can move the pendants up if someone is sitting there and you don't want lights in your face, or (move them) down when you're working at the counter and need close task lighting."

Karen also likes the Seagull line because the company organizes all different types of lights — task, under cabinet, overhead — into design families. "You can do the whole house in a linked family of lights without searching through a whole lot of stores or lighting books," she says.

Try this at home: When you turn to selecting a designer for your own home, don't simply pick someone who designed another kitchen you like, Karen says. "Sometimes it's not the space that's the most challenging part of a remodel, it's finding someone who fits with you," she says. "I always tell homeowners, 'You'll never have time to really become an expert on cabinetry, so leave that to the experts.' Look at how designers work; find someone you're comfortable going into business with. A kitchen remodel is very expensive and very stressful, and if you can't work well with the designer the process can become unbearable. That's where all those remodeling horror stories come from."

Meet the designer: Karen Feldheim started her career with five years as a high-end residential interior designer before switching to the "totally different" kitchen and bath design arena, where's she worked for five years for Dream Kitchens Inc. in Chicago. "I also live close to where I work, so it's like a close-knit family here," she says.

Resources
Karen Feldheim
Dream Kitchens
Chicago, Ill.
www.DreamKitchens.com