We were wrapping up the latest in a series of renovation projects on a suburban Maryland split-level home when I casually mentioned to the owner that her Thanksgiving family gatherings would be a lot more enjoyable if her small kitchen weren't separated from the dining and living areas by a wall. "Can we get rid of it?" she asked. That brief exchange led to the kitchen renovation described in this article.

The wall was supporting significant roof loads, so removing it would involve some structural work. Our client also wanted a new radiant tile floor to match the one we'd already installed in the adjacent sunroom. But the existing tile was riddled with cracks, so before we installed the electric heat mat and new porcelain tile, we would need to...

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