As a certified green-building professional, Ahmad Khreshi recycles as much material as possible in every renovation. “I have it in my contract,” says the owner of Home Perfection Contracting in Falls Church.
But taking an entire kitchen and re-installing it in another house? “That’s a new experience for us,” he says. Katie and Austin Steele asked Khreshi to do just that when they replaced their ’80s-era kitchen in McLean Hamlet last year. “From a price perspective, we needed to save,” Katie says.
A friend recommended Green Demolitions, a New Jersey-based outfit that recycles luxury kitchens and sells the materials at deep discounts, with proceeds supporting a number of charitable causes through its sister nonprofit program, Renovation Angel. The couple found a kitchen they liked on the company’s website, with dimensions that were comparable to their space, and bought everything, sight unseen—for $10,000. “We paid for the entire kitchen what we would have paid for one appliance,” Katie says.
Austin’s father, McLean-based residential designer James Steele, took measurements and created a layout indicating how the cabinets and appliances would be configured in their new home. Khreshi took over from there.
Some parts were a little tricky, says the contractor, who modified several cabinets to fit the new plan and repurposed cabinetry from the original butler pantry to build an island. “You’re trying to put a puzzle together. Does this trim go on this cabinet? They’re not labeled or numbered,” he explains. The Steeles purchased new counters, backsplash tile and cabinet hardware to customize the look.
Now, Katie can cook and keep an eye on their four children, ages 2 to 8, as they play or do homework at the island. “This is more user-friendly for a larger family,” she says.
For his part, Khreshi says he is looking forward to his next kitchen-reuse project. “It’s a satisfying feeling that we were able to bring this kitchen back to life again.”
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