Living in the Kitchen

A large living room became an expansive Escondido kitchen and great room, designed for cooking, gathering, and opening the home to the outdoors.

Putting the Kitchen Where Life Happens

Janel loves to cook and often spends hours in the kitchen. But the home’s original kitchen was cramped and dated, with barely enough room for one person to move comfortably. It could not support the way she and her college-aged daughter wanted to cook and spend time together.

The large living room at the back of the house offered a different possibility. Moving the kitchen into this space would provide the room needed for a serious working kitchen while bringing cooking, gathering, and everyday living together.

Making a Kitchen from a Living Room

The room had plenty of space, but it was never designed to support a kitchen. We had to incorporate plumbing, electrical, lighting, ventilation, appliances, and extensive cabinetry without losing the openness and character that made the room appealing.

The existing vaulted ceiling, exposed beams, windows, doors, and continuous flooring shaped the design. We repositioned window and door openings around the new layout, allowing each working area to function while preserving the room’s generous proportions. Folding patio doors create a direct connection to the backyard, turning the kitchen and great room into one large indoor-outdoor living space.

White pantry wall with built-in appliances, open counter space, and dark wood cabinetry

Escondido kitchen remodel with dark wood cabinetry, light countertops, copper sink, and large black-framed windows

A Kitchen for Someone Who Loves to Cook

At the center of the room, an enormous island provides a second sink and a generous surface for meal prep. A second person can work at the perimeter sink near the window.

An appliance garage keeps frequently used equipment close at hand but out of sight. The paneled refrigerator is integrated into a full wall of cabinetry, while a separate pantry next to the fireplace adds even more storage.

The finishes keep the expansive kitchen and great room from feeling cold or cavernous. Previously painted ceiling beams were faux-finished to restore the appearance of natural wood and emphasize the vaulted ceiling. Rich wood cabinetry grounds the kitchen, while lighter upper cabinets and glass-fronted storage provide contrast.

The cooking wall includes a full-size cooktop, separate grill, spice rollouts, and a prominent copper hood. A convection steam oven, panel-ready dishwasher, reverse-osmosis water filtration system, and dedicated water heater support the way the kitchen is used.

Each feature has a purpose. Together, they create a kitchen where multiple people can cook, prepare, clean, and gather without getting in one another’s way.

Warmth in a Very Large Space

The original brick fireplace was retained, anchoring the living area and preserving some of the room’s history. Across the room, the copper hood provides a second strong focal point. Together, the brick, copper, and natural-looking beams bring warmth and character to the open space.

Copper range hood with butterfly detail above the cooktop, framed by black arched windows and dark wood cabinetry

A New Center for the Home

The most important change is not the size of the island or the number of appliances. It is where the kitchen now sits within the life of the home. Cooking no longer happens in a cramped room apart from everything else. It happens in the great room, with space for family to join in and folding doors opening the room to the backyard.