Before
One continuous 12 ft island with a cooktop at one end and five stools along the back. Anyone sitting at stool three was directly behind the cook, and the only way from the pantry to the range was around the whole island.
North Scottsdale · 2026
Two islands, one traffic problem
A 12 ft island looks generous on a plan and behaves like a wall in a room. We split it into a 7 ft prep island and a 6 ft seating island with a 48 in cross aisle between them.
13 weeks on site$180,000 to $210,000 (sample band)
01
Layout change
Single 12 ft island split into a prep island and a seating island
After
Prep island carries the induction cooktop, the bin pull-out and a ceiling-mounted hood. Seating island is pure stone with four stools and nothing to reach over. The cross aisle turned a 22 ft walk into a 4 ft step.
02
Scope
What was in the contract
- Full cabinetry replacement in rift white oak with a painted perimeter
- Ceiling-mounted island hood with a new duct route and make-up air
- Book-matched quartzite on both islands, three consecutive slabs
- Four lighting layers on a five-scene keypad
- New slab trench for the prep island drain and vent
We asked for a bigger island. They gave us two smaller ones and the room finally works at Thanksgiving.
The part other firms leave out
What went wrong: the make-up air damper we specified was on a 9 week lead time and we found out in week 4. We revised the mechanical submittal to a different unit rather than let the schedule slip, and we now confirm damper availability at design stage.
More about working in North Scottsdale03
Case studies
Other kitchens worth reading
Each one names its layout change, its budget band and its problem.
Arcadia · 2025
One wall, and a 1956 kitchen catches up
Bearing wall between kitchen and dining removed, beam installed
11 weeks on site$96,000 to $112,000
Read the case study
Old Town Scottsdale · 2026
A 96 sq ft galley that stopped feeling like a corridor
Runs reassigned: wet on one side, heat on the other
7 weeks on site$52,000 to $61,000
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Paradise Valley · 2025
A show kitchen and the one that actually cooks
Former butler's pantry converted to a working back kitchen
15 weeks on site$235,000 to $270,000
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Design fee credited against your project. Consultations booking 3 to 4 weeks out.