If the kitchen is the heart of every home, the Lipscombs’ is pumping like it’s had a great workout. From the attractive, warm look of it, you’d never know all it has been through. Although its maple cabinets, hardwood floors, granite countertops, tumbled marble backsplash and stainless-steel appliances are not exactly unusual, the extraordinary transformation from what it once was to the now open and inviting room was a master feat of vision and skill.

“I think it’s about as dramatic a before-and-after as I’ve done in the past 12 years,” says Norman Clapp of Normandy Homes. The Lipscombs used the remodeling company for several areas of their home. Not only is their kitchen a dramatic improvement, but it also has emerged as the focal point of the 3,600-square-foot home.

When Melanie and Matt Lipscomb purchased the 1960s ranch-style home in the Brittany subdivision of Brookhaven six years ago, they knew they would eventually renovate much of it. Unnecessary walls closed in the space and created more rooms rather than flow. Yet they were attracted to the house because of its potential and ideal location. The area across from the house boasts a community clubhouse, pool and park, where Melanie often runs around the trail and the couple’s three young children, Robert, Annie and Mary Hathaway, ages 4, 6 and 8, play.

The Lipscombs, who are planning to adopt a baby from Russia, think of the home as a permanent investment. Even though a fourth child might make the house a little tight (the girls already share a room, and Robert will most likely gain a roommate, too), Melanie says, “I think we’ll stay here forever, honestly.”

Two years after moving in, the Lipscombs added a garage and breezeway, also with the help of Normandy Homes. Then two years ago, when their budget allowed, they redid the kitchen. Until then, the room was a white sea of cabinets, fake wooden counters and faux brass knobs that eventually turned black.

Melanie describes the horror of the former kitchen with lighthearted humor. “The dishwasher, I swear to you, was duct-taped up,” she says. “It was so old and heavy, it would kill a small child if it fell out; it really would.” When appliances first started to fall apart, Melanie thought she would try to replace them before the larger project took hold, but then scrapped that plan when she realized it would be costly; she and Matt decided they were better off saving their money to put into the complete renovation. “It got to be a joke,” she says. “I’m like, ‘OK, let’s see what [else] can fall apart.’ The icemaker didn’t work. Nothing worked.”

Perhaps even worse, when the couple and their kids first moved into the brick home, the kitchen had (gasp) indoor/outdoor green carpeting—the kind that ineffectually mimics grass. The first thing the couple did was rip that up and replace it with hardwood flooring, but that and painting the walls was all their budget allowed when they initially moved in.

So what does a family of five do while their kitchen is being worked on for more than three months? The tight-knit unit set up a makeshift kitchen in the family room and tried to have fun with it. The kids enjoyed being able to eat in the den (mostly cereal because Melanie didn’t want to have to wash dishes in the bathroom), but the ordeal took a toll on them after a while. “Poor Mary Hathaway,” recounts Melanie. “One day we’re coming home and I said, ‘What are we having for supper?’ And bless her heart, her lip started quivering. She’s like, ‘Mama, I cannot have any more cereal. Please don’t make me have cereal again!’”

Now, the family is back to eating full meals in an ideal space. The beautiful and functional 475-square-foot kitchen, complete with a spacious island, opens up to a table where the family eats most dinners together and another seating area around a fireplace. All new appliances include a KitchenAid refrigerator, a Dacor stove, a GE oven and warming drawer, and a Bosch dishwasher. The kid-friendly room boasts a low-to-the-ground microwave, pullout pantry drawers and stools that line up along the tall part of the island. It makes things easier for Melanie, too, since the kids can help themselves much of the time, which will become increasingly important when Melanie and Matt adopt their baby. The whole family is looking forward to the tiny addition.

The cozy kitchen is perfect for creating memories with family and friends. “She’s got all those kids,” Clapp says, “and the gathering place for the kids in the neighborhood is her house. And so her mission was to make it functional for her to cook, also watch the kids and be able to have the kids come eat in the kitchen.” The island is also the ideal spot for the kids to tackle their homework after school.

The fact that the Lipscombs were able to overhaul the kitchen completely without changing its square footage or the basic structure of the house was one of the most encouraging parts of the process, giving hope to future projects. So what’s next on the agenda? A master suite, down the line. Although construction and renovation are undoubtedly difficult, especially with young children to keep track of, Melanie wouldn’t think twice about it. “I would do it again in a heartbeat,” she says.