Traci Rauner Design

A recent client referral led me to Winnetka, Illinois, to work on a charming 1930s Tudor home. Our first project was to transform the mudroom into a dual-purpose mudroom and butler’s pantry. The space presented several challenges, including brick walls, low windows, protruding columns, and an uneven floor.
To maximize storage, we installed tall cabinets on one side, one for coats and another for pantry items. A central drop zone provided a convenient space for bags and keys. On the opposite side, a long countertop offered ample space for meal prep and serving. A drawer microwave, along with numerous drawers and cabinets, provided additional storage for dishes and appliances. A bench at the end of the countertop offered a place to sit and remove shoes, while open space below allowed for easy storage. Additional drawers near the bench were perfect for hats and mittens.

After many flips and 2 new homes over the years, these clients have become great friends❤️ Happy to help with their latest new home! We used 3 colors in their kitchen- a soft white, a charcoal gray and a timber brown stain. Tons of storage, a huge island and walk in pantry (more pics to follow on that!) made for a great space to host family and friends!!

Design: 🖊
Photo: 📷
Location: 📍

Latest home with Ganser Construction, Inc.! Love the mix of the poplar colors and the custom hood😍

Challenges? We love a challenge, especially when it comes to maximizing your lake views! This log cabin kitchen remodel is proof.

Fitting cabinets around those beautiful (but oh-so-round) logs? 🪵 No sweat!

The key? Opening up the space between the windows for a stunning picture window. Plus, we strategically placed the cooktop so you can enjoy the panoramic lake view while prepping meals or washing dishes.

The owners wanted to lighten up the space, and get away from all the wood. Soft white cabinets keep the space bright, while the contrasting dark peppercorn island adds a touch of sophistication.

We even repurposed the existing granite on the island and brought in a new, contrasting one for the drop down table. ♻️

And that forgotten corner by the sunroom? Transformed into a delightful ☕️ station, the perfect spot to sip your morning brew while taking in the breathtaking scenery.

This kitchen is the ultimate lake house dream. It’s functional, stylish, and lets you connect with the beauty of your surroundings.

Ready to create your own lake view oasis? Let’s chat!

Design:✍️
Contractor:🏡Heinzman Construction
Photo:📸

This stunning kitchen transformation proves what magic can happen when walls come down. Gone are the barriers, replaced by a seamless flow and an abundance of natural light.

A beautiful island was crafted from warm white oak in a whitewash finish. It sits proudly where the center wall used to be, creating a central gathering spot and extending the kitchen towards the dining room.

To maximize the breathtaking lake view, the original window was lowered, framing the scenery perfectly. Now, even while prepping meals at the sink, you can soak in the beauty of the lake! And speaking of prep, multi-tasking cooks have space! This kitchen boasts not one, but two built-in cutting boards, strategically placed for seamless collaboration.

Storage solutions? This kitchen has them covered! A custom tray divider pull-out keeps cookie sheets and cutting boards organized, eliminating clutter and maximizing cabinet space. A spice pull out to the left of the range organizes all the flavor options!

The result? A kitchen bathed in light, brimming with efficiency, and perfectly primed for creating lasting memories with loved ones. Entertain, cook, relax – this space does it all!

Contractor: 🏡 Sauk Prairie Remodeling
Design: 🖊
Photo: 📷
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Latest house with Ganser Construction, Inc.! Love the finishes in this home❤️

This 1950s ranch in was transformed into a modern chef's paradise and a family-friendly haven! The homeowner wanted more cooking space to indulge his culinary passions and a more open layout to foster connection with the kids.

We removed the wall between the kitchen and dining room, creating a spacious area that seamlessly blends culinary creativity with family bonding. An island serves as the heart of the kitchen, providing ample storage and a versatile prep space. Custom-colored light cabinets line the perimeter, while the island is painted in a soothing shade of SW Rainstorm.
Specialty drawers under the cooktop neatly tuck away pots and pans, while a knife and utensil pull-out keeps all the chef's tools within easy reach.

The kids have found their new favorite spot – a dedicated area at the island where they can watch (and help!) their dad cook, creating cherished memories that will last a lifetime.

Contractor: 🏡
Design: 🖊
Photo: 📷
Location: 📍

Black and white kitchen we did a few years ago with . Bar/buffet serving area has lots of display cabinets and a ton of additional counter space! Can you spot the cooktop under the hood? It’s almost invisible👍

Here is the other side of the we finished this summer:) Cream colored cabinets was paired with a rich brown stain on the island. This side had double ovens and a pot filler to customize this kitchen for the clients!

A stone backsplash was put up at today, and I love how it turned out❤️❤️❤️

Large pantry for the win!! I don’t know if I could ever fill a pantry up this much (too many restaurant dinners!) but it’s great for Costco shopping!!

Contractor: 🏡 Zeman Home Improvements
Design: 🖊
Photo: 📷
Location: 📍

Love these fireplace built ins and shelves❤️ Oak slab doors with black stain for the win!

Contractor: 🏡
Design: 🖊
Photo: 📷
Location: 📍

Another way to store pots and pans!

I started another page on instagram to share the progress on our aframe projects. Give it a follow!

instagram.com

The guest bath was transformed a few years ago. We took some space from the hall to make the room bigger, which allowed us to add a 5’ vanity. The cabinets are hickory with a dark gray stain, and I reversed the sink base to allow for a functional drawer on the bottom. Marble herringbone mosaic was added to the area behind the sink for a great focal point! For the tub/shower area, I added gray wood grain tile on the back wall and a larger subway on the sides. The shower curtain is a non standard 84” high to make the space look even taller, and the curved shower curtain also makes the interior shower space seem much larger! Designer tips😉

Love the colors in this modern bathroom with The tile splash they did was 😍

This is the kitchen of one of the last projects I posted with the painted bookshelves:) We started by painting the walls in both rooms SW Egret White (one of my favs!) For the perimeter cabinets we chose SW Alabaster, a nice creamy white, which really transformed the space:)
The big change was with the islands! The main cooking island was changed to a one level island, with new cabinets painted Succulent Green. The tall second island was turned into a serving bar, complete with an undercounter refrigerator and wine bottle storage. New pendant lighting was added from along with quartz counters in New Quay and a fresh tile backsplash. Stools were from . The completed space is much brighter and more functional for cooking, serving and entertaining👩‍🍳🥘🍜🍷

Contractor: 🏡 Heinzman Construction
Design: 🖊
Photo: 📷
Paint: 🎨 Prairie Painting
Location: 📍

This was the first project I had worked on! For the kitchen, the owners wanted rustic touches for the island and hood, so I had these areas custom made from my carpenter. We did a rustic maple that was heavily distressed, including knife marks, glazing and pitting. A copper farm sink and X end details completed the look! The perimeter was finished in a light ivory cabinet that was glazed and distressed from . The oven was placed at the end of the cabinets and raised 6” for easier access. A cabinet with a lift up door was designed to house the microwave and keep it out of sight👍 The wood floors made everything come together!

Design: 🖊
Photo: 📷
Location: 📍

We used the power of paint for this transformation! The homeowners wanted to modernize their great room, so we picked SW7069 Iron Ore from for the cabinets, and left the shelves and wood top natural oak. The walls were transformed from the dark burgundy to SW7570 Egret White, and I think the change is amazing❤️ 🎨
Design: 🖊
Photo: 📷
Paint: Prairie Painting Services
Location: 📍

This new construction home with was a nice mix of Agreeable gray cabinets on the perimeter, and an Indigo stain on the island. We did a 2 step crown detail and added a custom hood to make the space unique!

Contractor: 🏡
Design: 🖊
Photo: 📷
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In this lower level remodel the fireplace was updated using lots of texture and soft colors. Tongue and groove was added as a backdrop, and walnut shelves, wood tops and the mantel warmed up the space. Added cabinets for more storage. Much better;)

Contractor: 🏡 Zeman Home Improvements
Design: 🖊
Photo: 📷
Location: 📍

This is a great shot of the granite we put on the island at ! The color is called Taupe White, but actually has veining in a soft sage green besides the taupe and white;) The cabinets are a black stain on hickory and house tray storage, drawers and an opening for a microwave drawer.

Contractor: 🏡
Design: 🖊
Photo: 📷
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The owners of this new construction home picked a beautiful quarter sawn oak cabinet that we installed up to the ceiling. Glass and open shelves were added for interest, as well as lots of drawers for storage. They chose to put a small dining table in the center of the room, which gave them more flexibility if they decided to remove it for large parties, or when multiple cooks wanted to use the space. We ran the quartz counters up behind the range, and added a beautiful tile splash to complement it.

Contractor: 🏡 Zeman Home Improvements
Design: 🖊
Photo: 📷
Location: 📍

This remodel really opened up this 1950’s ranch 🏡 ! The owner is an avid cook and needed more space to prep and spread out. We removed the wall between the kitchen and dining, and added a good sized island. A beverage refrigerator and lots of drawers were incorporated for storing all of the owner’s cookware. There was enough room to add 2 pantry units which really increased the amount of cabinet space. The island was painted Rainstorm, and the perimeter was a custom color we made up to create the perfect “greige” color.

Contractor: 🏡
Design: 🖊
Photo: 📷
Location: 📍