Before and After - Sneak Peek Kitchen
Good morning fellow design buffs! We have a fun little sneak peek today, into a home that we are slowly transforming! The current owners wanted to update much of their first floor. Today we’re just sharing a glimpse of the kitchen…..
The bones of the kitchen were great. When the owners purchased the home, they were provided with nice, white cabinets (many aren’t as lucky!). Take a look at the before pictures (click on each one to enlarge):
The clients had a strong vision in mind. They were longing for a timeless look, with pops of color!:
The countertops were in the way of executing the client’s vision. They needed to be replaced with something bright and clean. We talked about this step quite a bit, we hate to see money being spent needlessly, not to mention wasting materials. We did give a good bit of thought to leaving the counters and changing out the backsplash but in the end the client opted for something less busy.
The backsplash, hmmm, there was a lot going on, in addition to the busy counters. This is one of the most common mistakes we see in kitchens and bathrooms. Combine too many “busy” solid surfaces and well, the results are less than stunning. Some of this comes down to style, the giant granite block behind the stove just wasn’t cutting it for this family. It had to go! Again, our clients want a classic and timeless look, with a clean and bright palette.
The lighting needed to be swapped out for something more impactful. Talk about wow, the before and after photos speak volumes. Great lighting really does transform a space.
The island, though in good shape, was a wood stain. You know the bees, we were itching to give it a punch with a stunning paint color.
A roman shade over the sink brings in much needed color and pattern, it help to draw the eye upward and adds a nice focal point.
And finally we needed to swap out the counter stools to build upon our new look.
Once we had a handle on the scope, we began creating mood boards for the clients and realized this project was shaping up to be a timeless blue-and-white color scheme with an Asian influence and brass touches, Chinoiserie, our favorite!
We worked with the amazing team at Tiles Plus More who helped remove the granite block from the backsplash! They installed new, clean white subway tile that brightened up the space tremendously, without wreaking havoc on the budget.
We also worked with Discover Marble and Granite and installed a white quartz countertop, to build on brightening the space.
From there, we suggested painting the island. There was no need to replace the existing island but it did make sense to paint it. A word of caution, however: to get a quality paint job you MUST call a professional. We can’t stress this enough! By hiring a professional, you’re ensuring that you get many, many years of life out of the cabinets. We highly recommend John Mulvaney’s company, TLC Painting! They are experts at getting smooth and durable finishes.
For the color of the island, we chose a stunning, vibrant blue by Farrow and Ball called Drawing Room Blue. The client was a bit hesitant at first (as most are!) because it is such a strong color. But after debating for a bit, they bit the bullet and couldn’t be happier, the new color is striking!
To finish off the space we chose Pagoda Lanterns from Visual Comfort and the classic fabric, Pyne Hollyhock, from Schumacher. Both create a focal point within the space; details, details, details!
We can’t wait to add the finishing touches and set up a photo shoot, so excited to share! On the to do list; hardware and styling details, stay tuned!
Till next time! Cheers!
- The Bees