Photos by NATALIE CAUDILL/DMN; styling by KATIE KIEFFER/Special Contributor

Amateur chef Gary Scott and his wife, Eliza Solender, entertain frequently. Their makeover goal included commercial-kitchen efficiencies and custom details.

Gary Scott wears many hats. By day, he's a commercial real estate attorney. In his spare time, he's an amateur chef, throwing dinner parties and studying techniques of local chefs.

And for a good stretch this past year, he was general contractor and do-it-yourself remodeler during the gut renovation of his kitchen.

The new workspace offers the performance of a restaurant kitchen, allowing Mr. Scott and his wife, Eliza Solender, to eat and entertain in the way that works for them. Here's how they did it.

CREATED A LAYOUT TO SUIT THEIR STYLE. Many homeowners who remodel kitchens in midcentury ranch-style houses opt to open the space to adjacent living areas. This couple went a different direction, choosing to keep the kitchen separate from the rest of the house. Their focus is on food preparation.

They converted the eat-in dinette area into kitchen square footage but otherwise did not change the overall footprint of the kitchen.

"We had people tell us to open up the space, but this is what works for us," Ms. Solender says.

COMPLETED OR MANAGED ALL THE WORK THEMSELVES. Because Mr. Scott had such a clear idea of what he wanted and because he enjoys such projects, he took on much of the work himself. What he didn't do, he managed closely.

"There are big advantages to being more involved," he says. "You have more knowledge and control of the overall project and understand problems better."

And there were very few problems – or challenges – that Mr. Scott couldn't figure out, including how to move really heavy appliances.

"I bought a pallet jack. It's still out in the garage," he says. "The oven is so heavy we even reinforced the floor."

And that slick-looking stainless-steel refrigerator, Mr. Scott says, weighs 500 pounds.

CHOSE UNUSUAL FINISHES. Both the countertops and the cabinets are made from gray laminate, giving the space a modern, high-tech look. Instead of enclosing the pantry space with cabinetry, the couple chose restaurant-style stainless-steel rack shelving that extends the full length of one kitchen wall.

They instructed their cabinetmaker to create matching laminate platform shelves to fit on top of the steel shelving in several places for a solid shelf surface, unifying the look of the open and closed storage areas.

"We love the open baker's shelves," Ms. Solender says. "It's amazing what you forget you have when you can't see it."

WENT THE RESTAURANT ROUTE FOR SEVERAL KEY ITEMS. To accompany his stove, Mr. Scott installed a restaurant-quality ventilation hood that required modifications that extended through the attic and the roof. He also had the electrical wiring updated, providing eight dedicated lines for whatever appliances he may choose to use.

"I will never blow a fuse in here," he says.

That includes when they run one or all of the kitchen's three dishwashers.

Restaurant inspiration also came in handy for one unlikely element: the kitchen doors. Each of the two single doors at either end of the space was a custom size. The couple wanted both to open from either direction, much like restaurant kitchen doors, and they were having a tough time finding models that would work.

At the suggestion of chef and friend Abraham Salum they found a pair of lightweight, stainless-steel double-swing doors through a commercial food-service door manufacturer.

The couple started out with a ballpark figure of $100,000 for the renovation but didn't have a firm budget. They figure they spent between $80,000 and $85,000 to finish the kitchen.

Erin Covert is a Dallas freelance writer.

Power: "The electrical strip on the island has dedicated lines. I'll never blow a fuse or run out of outlets."

Large fridge: "It's wide enough to hold cookie sheets."

Lower cabinet drawers: "Keeps all the knives organized."