We recently completed a kitchen and dining room project in the North Bay and are very excited to share the results with you!
This project was another "Covid" project: filled with delays, masking, social distancing, and a myriad of obstacles to overcome. The word that seemed to float around the most during this project was "adapt," but we uttered the word "pivot" a lot too. I felt like Mohammed Ali bobbing and weaving every time another regulation, infection surge, or delay came at me. But in the end, through hard work, a lot of laughs (and a few tears), and overall cooperation from all parties, we got it done. And it is really a beautiful space. It didn't hurt that these clients were the most patient, generous, and delightful people to work with!
The home carries a bit of a mid-century vibe to it, and the clients expressed a love of the Palm Springs architecture, so I knew just what direction we were going to take this project. Given the rest of the home's decor, I figured I could not go all the way in on the Palm Springs look: no bright colors or Jonathan Adler decor, but I could tone that down and get the essence in there. And I was going to have fun doing it!
First order of business? Replacing all the old, traditional windows with a more modern and sleek look. The clients have a beautiful backyard and wanted to capture the Californian inside/outside living we all treasure here. We replaced the sink, windows, and slider doors, added a small deck off the new, larger slider, and created a little oasis for sipping coffee in the mornings while enjoying the garden and views.
Next, it was time to rip out the old kitchen, built-in bench, and, well, everything. Opening things up gave the kitchen a whole new feeling of spaciousness.
Now we were ready to start the real work. We designed a space that gave the clients a baking center for all the treats they loved to create and a wine fridge and cocktail-making station for drinks on the new patio. While we were focused on drinks, we created a coffee station for this house full of gourmet coffee drinkers. To keep the clutter at bay, we designed the coffee and baking stations to be tucked away into the cupboards when not in use. We added electrical outlets inside the cabinets so the appliances would always be at the ready.
Previously, the kitchen had an eat-in nook that stood about four feet away from the dining table, which seemed a bit redundant. We didn't want to eliminate all the casual seating. Still, we found two tables right next to each other a bit, well, odd, so we added in a peninsula and bar stools to accommodate a casual breakfast spot while preserving the dining room's ability to seat more formal dinners. This peninsula space was large enough to allow for loads of baking and a way to create a division between the kitchen and dining rooms.
Speaking of creating a visual division, we added two columns on either side of the kitchen entrance and had the ever-fabulous @arbuluartdesign wrap them in a matte black metal. He also built that incredible custom range hood, which I think is the star of the kitchen. That and the metal panels we installed in the pantry by @modernmetaldesigns. They have the most beautiful patterns and designs, and I could not wait to work with them on this project. What started as a design challenge: the WiFi router needed to stay in the same spot that it already was, which was right where we wanted to add a full-height pantry. The solution? Install metal panels into the doors of the top row of cabinets to allow enough space for the WiFi to pass through while not compromising the design. I think the results are stunning.
Finally, we turned our attention to the dining room. This space needed an update and storage. We created a floating sideboard using the same door style as in the kitchen to store holiday serving ware and selected a round table that better fit the space. New lighting, fresh paint, and that huge, modern slider instantly transformed this space from dated to sleek and modern.
Through all the challenges: the delays, the pivots, the laughs, this project was truly one that we enjoyed. Clients who knew how to roll with the punches, trades who knew how to step up under extreme distress, and Covid puppies who greeted us excitedly every day as we arrived ready to work hard, smile harder, and deliver the dream kitchen these clients deserved.
Until next time,
Heather