A Kitchen Transformation Story - John’s Kitchen Project

John’s home features a split-level design, and the initial layout of the first floor was somewhat unconventional. From an aerial view, the room takes on a square shape. Within this square, an L-shaped wall divided the kitchen, dining area, and living room. Embedded in this L-shaped wall were two support columns that they aimed to remove in order to create a more open floor plan.

Their expertise in structural engineering greatly simplified the process, enabling them to tackle tasks such as demolishing walls and incorporating microelements and LVLs. By personally handling all the necessary calculations, they ensured the stability of their roof during the remodel, paving the way for their dream kitchen.

During the kitchen remodelling project, John eagerly incorporated modern features to enhance the functionality and aesthetics of his new kitchen. He opted for four concealed wireless charging areas from Kew Labs on his quartz kitchen island countertop, creating a seamless kitchen charging station. Additionally, he included a docking drawer, LED lights under an overhang, and a Sweepovac in the cabinet.

To accommodate the extensive electrical requirements of the island, the carpenter recommended installing a conduit within the 36-inch cabinet, serving as the central electrical hub. This hub would house two outlets, each capable of powering four devices. They then explored methods to provide power to the wireless chargers on the other end of the island and to the docking drawer.

The solution involved drilling a 2-inch hole through the cabinets, allowing the necessary wires to connect the chargers and docking drawer. A white wire visible in the project photo supplied power to the docking drawer, while a conduit on the opposite side catered to an additional outlet John desired on the waterfall edge of the island.

As part of the kitchen remodelling project, John sought to incorporate an invisible wireless charging countertop, specifically with the Kew Labs UTS-1 invisible wireless chargers – the original invisible wireless charger from Kew Labs.  Since this project, Kew Labs has now released the UTS-2 invisible wireless charger.

To achieve this, he enlisted the help of his fabricator, Lupillo from MJ Granite, an Illinois-based company

Before proceeding with the installation, John had the fabricators create four recessed sections in the quartz countertop to ensure a thickness of 1/2″ (12mm) for each charging area.

This precise measurement was crucial for compatibility with all phone models, including iPhone 12 and newer devices featuring Apple’s MagSafe magnet system. Lupillo provided John with a sample to confirm the functionality of the chargers and his satisfaction before instructing Lupillo to prepare all four sections of the wireless charging countertop for installation during the kitchen assembly process.

John’s dream kitchen finally came together, complete with the innovative wireless charging countertop. He now enjoys using the wireless chargers daily, maintaining a clutter-free countertop and keeping his phone charged without any unsightly cables on his island. The charging countertop becomes even more popular when he entertains guests, who are often amazed by the chargers’ seamless integration and can’t resist trying them out for themselves.