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Open-plan subdivision kitchen in Novi with a long painted island facing the family room

Oakland County · about 35 min (24 mi)

Kitchen Remodeling in Novi, MI

Subdivision kitchens re-planned by a certified master designer, 35 minutes up I-96.

  • ★ 5.0 on Google (28 reviews)
  • MI Residential Builder #2101209269
  • CMKBD · CAPS · CLIPP designer
  • Serving since 2020

Kitchen remodeling in Novi usually starts with a 1990s or 2000s subdivision kitchen that works on paper and feels tired in person: builder oak or maple cabinets, an island too small to sit at, a desk nook that collects mail. Kitchen NV designs these rooms from our Pinckney studio, about 35 minutes (24 miles) west of Novi by I-96.

That drive shapes how we work. Every visit is booked by appointment and has a job to do — measuring, presenting drawings, reviewing samples at your table — so the time goes to your kitchen rather than the road. Each Novi project is handled by Nick Vanderhovel himself — the NKBA certifies him at its master level for kitchens and baths — and we keep our client list short so that stays true.

Grand River subdivisions and Walled Lake shoreline homes

Most Novi houses went up between the 1990s and the 2010s in planned subdivisions spread north and south of Grand River Avenue. The kitchens follow a recognizable builder script: open to a family room, a dinette with a slider to the deck, an angled corner pantry, and cabinets that stop a foot short of a nine-foot ceiling, leaving a dust shelf on top.

The open plan is the design problem. Because the kitchen is on view from the sofa, cabinet finish, hood placement and lighting carry more weight than they would behind a wall. Owners usually want a bigger island, but the gap between kitchen and family room rarely has room for one without pinching the walkway, so we draw clearances before anyone falls for a size.

Along the Walled Lake shoreline the housing changes: smaller older homes sit beside newer rebuilds, and the lake-facing windows compete with wall cabinets for the same wall. There the question is how much storage you will trade for the view.

Walled Lake is the largest lake in Novi and the headwaters of the Middle Branch of the Rouge River, and its shoreline lots run narrow. Kitchens there are often galley-sized, so tall storage and a sink placed where the lake shows matter most.

Kitchen island sized to keep a clear walkway to the family room in a Novi colonial
An island drawn to the room, leaving a clear path between the range wall and the family room.

Kitchen remodeling in Novi: where each service fits

Custom ClosetsNovi subdivisions from the 1990s onward include many walk-in closets lined with wire shelving, and custom closet cabinetry with drawers, hanging zones and lighting makes that existing space work harder.Kitchen RemodelingA full remodel suits the many Novi kitchens still on their original builder layout, where moving the sink, retiring the desk nook or relocating the angled pantry fixes more than new doors would.Kitchen DesignOpen plans need floor plans and 3D renderings drawn from the family room side, since that is the view you live with every evening, and the cabinet run reads as furniture from the sofa.Kitchen CabinetsTaking cabinets to a nine-foot ceiling removes the dust shelf common in Novi two-stories and adds a full row of storage, usually with glass or open cubbies on the top tier.Kitchen Island Design & InstallationIsland sizing comes up constantly in subdivision kitchens, and the walkways decide it: we draw the path to the family room and the slider before choosing length, depth or seating.Kitchen CountertopsMany Novi kitchens carry a 2000s granite refresh with a short bar overhang; replacing it is the moment to fix seating depth, seams and the cut-out around an undersized sink.Kitchen Lighting DesignIn a kitchen open to the family room, one bank of cans lights everything the same way; a layered plan separates task light at the counters from softer evening light seen from the sofa.Bathroom RemodelingPrimary baths in these homes date from the same builder package, with garden tubs and short vanities, so owners often plan the bath alongside the kitchen to share one design process.

A planned visit from Pinckney to Novi, step by step

  1. Phone call first

    Call (810) 923-8792 and we talk through the house, the budget range you have in mind and what bothers you about the current kitchen.

  2. Interview-style consultation in your kitchen

    Nick comes to Novi by appointment, asks how you cook and host, and measures the room so the design starts from real dimensions.

  3. Design under a retainer

    Layout options, floor plans, elevations and 3D renderings are prepared in Pinckney and presented at a booked meeting, at your home or at the studio.

  4. Selections and ordering

    Countertop, tile, hardware and lighting samples come to you; once the purchase agreement is signed, Kitchen NV orders and manages the cabinetry.

  5. Build with partner contractors

    Trusted trade partners handle construction, and Nick stays involved through install with visits planned around key milestones.

Countertop and cabinet door samples laid out on a Novi dining table for a selections meeting
Door, countertop and tile samples brought to the home so finishes are judged in the room’s own light.

Planning a kitchen in Novi? Call (810) 923-8792

Call Kitchen NV in Pinckney, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Design consultations are by appointment.

  • ★ 5.0 on Google (28 reviews)
  • MI Residential Builder #2101209269
  • CMKBD · CAPS · CLIPP designer
  • Serving since 2020

Permits through the City of Novi and the license behind the work

Novi runs its own building department, so a kitchen remodel that moves plumbing, electrical or walls is permitted through the city rather than the county. Requirements change, so confirm the current process with the City of Novi before work is scheduled; the contractor doing the work normally pulls the permit.

Nick holds Michigan Residential Builder license #2101209269 and is also a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, which matters in Novi homes where the owners plan to stay put for the long term. Industry readers may know his work from KBB’s October 2020 cover.

The permit counter is at the Novi Civic Center on Ten Mile Road, where the Community Development Department’s Building Division reviews residential drawings; its published residential requirements ask for construction drawings with the application. From our side, I-96 runs east from Pinckney into the junction with I-696, I-275 and M-5, so most subdivisions, from Twelve Oaks Mall to the Lakeshore Park side of Twelve Mile, sit minutes off the freeway.

“Nick redesigned my kitchen in a way I never would have imagined. He made use of all available space and made the kitchen look larger. There is more counter space. I love the drawers. The overall design is beautiful. I was also very it impressed by how well all the contractors worked together and did not waste a single day.”
— Leo, Google review ★★★★★
Full-height white cabinets reaching a nine-foot ceiling in a remodeled Novi subdivision kitchen
Wall cabinets carried to the ceiling, replacing the open dust shelf left by the original builder cabinets.

Kitchen NV

10094 Kress Rd, Pinckney, MI 48169

Get directions · View on Google

Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–5 p.m. · Design consultations by appointment

Typical drive from our Pinckney base: ~35 min (24 mi).

Client reviews

What clients near Novi say about working with Nick

★ 5.0 average from 28 Google reviews

★★★★★
“Nick helped us design our complete kitchen remodel. He was wonderful to work with, understanding our design aesthetic right away. He guided us through the process and was patient and constructive, listening and helping us figure out what we really wanted and didn't want and then coming up with the perfect plan. Nick was always quick to respond and help with any question we threw at him. He was great at helping select just the right details to really pull the project together. We really trusted him and felt confident we were in good hands. We absolutely love our new kitchen and could not have been happier with our experience!”
J. D.Google review · 5 years ago (as of Nov 2026)
★★★★★
“Nick helped us redesign our kitchen to make it both more functional and more beautiful. Having lived in this kitchen for nearly a year, his advice for design was spot-on -- it works so well for how we live and cook. He was patient and helpful throughout the process, even when, I'm sure, my indecisiveness and delays were a bit irritating. I truly enjoyed working with him. And even more, I truly enjoy my beautiful kitchen that is a joy to use!”
Maureen L.Google review · 5 years ago (as of Nov 2026)

Kitchen remodeling in Novi: common questions

Can a builder-grade Novi kitchen get a larger island without moving walls?

Often, yes, but not always the island people picture. We measure the walkway between the island and the family room and between the island and the range wall, then draw two or three sizes in 3D. In many Novi subdivision kitchens the fix is a longer, narrower island or removing the angled pantry to reclaim floor space.

Does Nick come to Novi for the first consultation?

Yes. The first consultation happens in your kitchen by appointment, about 35 minutes from our Pinckney studio. Nick interviews you about how you cook, store and entertain, takes measurements and photos, and explains the design retainer. Later presentation meetings can be held at your home or at the studio, whichever suits your schedule.

Who pulls the building permit for a Novi kitchen remodel?

Usually the licensed contractor performing the work files with the City of Novi building department. Cosmetic swaps may not need a permit, while moving plumbing, adding circuits or removing a wall generally does. We put the scope of work in writing early so the permit question is answered before cabinets are ordered; confirm specifics with the city.

More places near Novi we serve

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Planning guides

Start your Novi kitchen with a call to Nick

Call Kitchen NV in Pinckney, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Design consultations are by appointment.

  • ★ 5.0 on Google (28 reviews)
  • MI Residential Builder #2101209269
  • CMKBD · CAPS · CLIPP designer
  • Serving since 2020
Call (810) 923-8792Request design