KITCHEN Project — 01
Inside a Peninsula and Island Kitchen in Manassas
Kitchen Remodeling
- LOCATION
- Northern Virginia
- YEAR
- 2017
- TIMELINE
- 4–5 weeks
Eric Hinley's family had lived with a kitchen that was showing its age for too long. Built in the late 1990s and never meaningfully updated, the kitchen was functionally inadequate and visually outdated. The appliances were struggling, the cabinetry was dated, and the overall layout — not much more than a galley — made the space feel cramped and disconnected from the rest of the home. When the Hinley family decided it was time for a change, strong recommendations from friends who had worked with Bull Run Kitchen & Bath led them straight to the team that would deliver their Manassas kitchen remodeling project. The result transformed one of the lowest points of their home into one of its grea assets.
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This Manassas kitchen remodeling project required more than cosmetic improvements. The Hinley kitchen needed a fundamental rethinking — of the layout, the cabinetry, the appliance placement, the lighting, and the overall sense of space. Designer Hakan brought both the creativity and the technical problem-solving to make that rethinking possible. One challenge stood out from the beginning: the clients wanted both a peninsula and an island — a challenge that required genuine design creativity to solve. Hakan found a way to deliver both. Through thoughtful layout planning and an imaginative approach to the room's geometry, he converted what had essentially been a galley kitchen into a fully realized, multi-function cooking and gathering space.
"One of the challenges with this kitchen was that most designers said you could only have a peninsula or an island —" Eric noted. "And Hakan figured out how to give us both."
Design & Materials:
- New cabinetry chosen for both proportion and finish, replacing the original dated cabinets throughout
- Premium countertops — "I love the countertops," Eric said specifically — that anchor the design and provide a beautiful work surface
- Added windows brought into the space to flood the room with natural light, making it feel significantly larger and more inviting
- A peninsula and island combination that no competing contractor thought was achievable
- A rolling library ladder — added as a practical and visually distinctive touch for accessing upper cabinet storage
- Tile selections chosen in collaboration with the Bull Run team, who helped guide the clients toward the right options for the space
- Paint color consultation included in the service, ensuring the wall colors harmonized with the cabinetry and countertop selections
The addition of windows was particularly significant. The kitchen had previously felt closed in and dim. With the new windows letting in natural light, the room gained a sense of openness and warmth that completely changed the atmosphere.
The Transformation Process:
"It was certainly a process, but it was a process that we worked on cooperatively," Eric said. "And we're really pleased with the final product — in terms of getting both the right cabinets for the room and the countertops, but also the help with paint selection and the right tiles."
The team helped make sure that the appliances selected were the right fit for the newly configured spaces — a detail that matters enormously in a kitchen where the relationship between the stove, refrigerator, sink, and island dictates daily workflow.
Why Bull Run:
Testimonial:
“One of the nicest parts of the design is the windows up above — we put all our glassware up there, it's a great place to display it. And the ladder is a nice touch because it beats bringing a step stool out every time.”
/ Photography
The finished room
Your smile tells us we’ve done things right. That your experience remodeling your kitchen and bath has been more than what you expected. And as a result you can’t help but gush over your new kitchen or bath and tell everyone about it!
