Corky Elegance: Elevated Family Living
Every family home tells a story — of growth, movement, and the rhythms of everyday life.
For this project, lovingly titled Corky Elegance, our clients came to us with a space that no longer matched the vibrant, bustling energy of their household. What they needed was not just a better layout, but a deeply intentional rethinking of how their home should support the way they actually live.
The Challenge: A Home Outgrown
The owners had inherited an addition designed by the previous homeowner — a charming idea in theory, but in practice, it created more limitations than possibilities. The porch beneath the addition was underutilized, the kitchen felt narrow and confining, and the entry sequence had become a daily pinch point for a busy family with active boys and all their hockey and sports gear.
Other pain points included:
A tight and inefficient entrance that created clutter instead of flow.
A narrow kitchen with little functional movement for cooking, hosting, or just grabbing a snack.
Storage shortcomings, including food storage relegated to the basement.
A window wall that offered no value, other than allowing cold air to spill into the home.
A porch area that could have been a lively hangout for the kids — but wasn’t.
It was clear: this family needed smarter space, not necessarily more space.
The Transformation: Smart Planning Meets Elegant Solutions
One of our guiding principles at Kurtz Design is that a home should feel effortless.
So rather than simply expanding, we reframed and repurposed.
A New Children’s Hangout - The previously exposed porch space was enclosed and transformed into a dedicated hangout for the boys — a comfortable buffer where they can relax, host friends, and enjoy their own slice of independence without disrupting the adults.
A Welcome-Forward Entry Hall & Mudroom - We reimagined the existing kitchen footprint, converting it into a beautifully functional entry hall and mudroom. This created:
Organized drop-zones
Generous sports gear storage
A natural flow for busy comings and goings
This shift alone drastically changed the feeling of the home’s arrival experience.
Scullery Storage That Works Hard — Quietly - By adding a scullery-style storage area, we brought food storage out of the basement and back where it belongs: close at hand, beautifully organized, and seamlessly integrated.
A Small Yet Mighty Entertainment Kitchen - The new kitchen layout compacted the appliances into a streamlined, efficient zone that’s perfect for both everyday family life and casual entertaining. Thoughtful placement, improved insulation, and intentional design details allow the space to feel elegant, warm, and completely functional — proving that beautiful kitchens don’t have to be enormous to work incredibly well.
The Result: Warmth, Structure, and a Touch of Corky Charm
With careful planning, strategic reconfiguration, and an eye for understated luxury, Corky Elegance transformed this home into a place that finally fits the family living in it. The spaces now breathe with purpose — welcoming, practical, warm, and elegantly efficient.