The Challenge
This Chandler family had a kitchen that mostly worked — the perimeter cabinets were in great shape, the layout fit how the family cooks, and the footprint was right. What didn’t work was the island. The original was undersized for how the family actually used the space, the laminate countertops were tired, and the perimeter walls had no tile at all. The ask was targeted: a bigger, smarter island that doubled as a prep surface and a gathering spot, and a backsplash and counters around the perimeter that would make the whole kitchen feel finished without a full gut.
Our Solution
We tore the old island out down to the subfloor — electrical, plumbing, and framing all had to be rerouted for the new 10-foot run — and built a new island in Sollid Cabinetry’s Custom Series Revere Door in Midnight Sun Matte grey. The matte finish is the detail that makes this island read premium from across the room: it’s a true matte, not a satin or semi-gloss faux-matte that catches glare and shows fingerprints after a week of real cooking.
The island is double-sided — usable drawer banks run on both long sides, which more than doubles the accessible storage you’d get from a one-sided island with filler panels on the back. The far short end carries bar seating for two without needing a separate breakfast nook. A honed quartz countertop runs the full 10-foot length — matte finish quartz that reads like honed stone from a distance but handles like quartz up close (no sealing, no acid-etching, no fuss).
Function details: a black undermount sink with a matte black Delta pulldown faucet and a dedicated hot-water tap, a KitchenAid dishwasher integrated into the island side, and black cup pulls on every drawer for a cohesive handle set.
Around the perimeter, we kept the existing white uppers and lowers — they were still in great shape and the family liked them — and focused the perimeter update on the two things that actually read as outdated: the laminate countertops and the untiled walls. New darker perimeter countertops let the island counter be the lighter surface, which is the inverse of the usual white-counter-dark-base relationship and reads intentional with a two-tone cabinet palette. A new Arizona Tile Spark Matte White backsplash in a brick-staggered pattern runs the perimeter — matte-white porcelain that catches light softly without the gloss that dates a kitchen fast.
The Results
In 2 weeks, this Chandler kitchen went from a working-but-dated space to a two-tone showpiece anchored by the 10-foot Midnight Sun Matte island. The family didn’t need a gut remodel — they needed a smart update that respected what was already working (the perimeter cabinets, the layout) and transformed what wasn’t (the undersized island, the laminate counters, the missing backsplash).
The new island is both the visual centerpiece of the room and the functional heart of how the family now cooks and gathers. The Arizona Tile Spark Matte White backsplash and the new perimeter counters finish the perimeter so the whole kitchen reads intentional end-to-end instead of half-updated.
Alpha Remodelers is a veteran-owned, husband-and-wife remodeling team serving Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Queen Creek, and Scottsdale. Licensed CR-48, R-60, R-62. A+ BBB. 2-year workmanship warranty. Call or text 480-993-4000 for a free estimate.
