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Kitchen of the Week: Airy and Elegant in Gray, White and Black

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With busy jobs and two elementary school kids, Kendra Oxholm and her husband needed a kitchen that could keep up with their hectic lifestyle. Their existing kitchen didn’t come close. It sat closed off behind a wall separating it from the dining room. The space felt cramped. The cabinets lacked storage. And the materials — aging basic white cabinets, laminate countertops, tile flooring and blue wallpaper — felt dated and uninspiring. “I love to cook and knew this kitchen wouldn’t work for me,” Oxholm says.

Wanting more openness, efficiency, color and contemporary materials, the couple hired designer Sean Lewis for help. Lewis got to work knocking down the wall to open the kitchen to the dining room. He added a peninsula with seating that improves connection between the two spaces. Closing off an exterior door to the driveway freed up room to add more cabinetry and improve storage. Gray paint for the cabinets with brass hardware and other brass details creates an elegant style. A graphic black-and-white porcelain tile floor energizes the new kitchen, while a black-painted open pantry brings a dramatic touch.



This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .

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Bathroom of the Week: Bright and Lively With Vintage Details

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A North Carolina couple with two sons knew they disliked most elements in their primary en suite bathroom. They just didn’t know what to do about them. Looking to maximize storage, increase function, improve privacy and infuse new style into the space, they turned to designer Misty Molloy for help. She questioned the couple extensively to tease out how they would prefer to use the space and what colors and details would reflect their personalities.

Molloy removed a cluttered and inefficient linen closet and a bulky built-in tub to create a more streamlined layout with lots of breathing room. A new 12-foot custom vanity spans one side of the room and includes two storage towers. Blue paint adds a punch of color that complements the bright and lively botanical wallpaper wrapping the room. A new low-curb shower has a pony wall that creates some privacy. Blue polished wall tiles in the shower coordinate with the vanity and wallpaper. And a black-bottom cast-iron claw-foot tub and black-and-white basketweave floor tiles add bold vintage touches.



This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .

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Kitchen of the Week: Midcentury Style and Modern Conveniences

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The owners of this Minnesota home — professional musicians and California transplants — were drawn to its midcentury modern architecture. According to local lore, the house was designed by a protege of Frank Lloyd Wright’s in 1954. It’s a fabulous home filled with iconic midcentury details.

The kitchen, however, was not so fabulous. It was closed off from the rest of the house, making it feel dark. The appliances were old, and at some point someone had added red carpeting and a harvest gold range and countertops. While keeping the kitchen’s footprint intact, interior designer Colleen Slack was able to open up the room, provide adequate storage and countertop space, and create a look that jibes with the home’s classic midcentury style.



This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .

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Kitchen of the Week: Green, White and Wood With a Window Seat

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A generous dining space runs parallel to the kitchen. Against the wall is a bench seat containing drawers. The tall cabinet at the far end is one of a pair that bookend the bench. This one houses a boiler, while the other (out of shot) contains a tea and coffee station.

The cushions and artwork, in shades of blue, green and orange, bring dynamic color to the space, adding personality.

Sustainability is always a key consideration in Llogarajah’s projects. “Several existing elements were carefully integrated into the new design,” she says. Along with all the kitchen appliances and the sink, her design also incorporated the owner’s existing dining table and chairs to minimize waste.

“The design is tailored to seamlessly incorporate [all] these pieces, meaning the reused items feel intentional, as though they were always part of the overall scheme,” she says.



This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .

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Porch of the Week: Indoor-Outdoor Living in Coastal New England

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This new Shingle-style home in coastal Rhode Island overlooks Ninigret Pond and Block Island Sound, and the homeowners wanted to make the most of outdoor living for as much of the year as possible. “It’s a really special spot, and they love to host lobster boils,” designer Mitch Votolato of Sweenor Builders says. “We designed the deck and a three-season porch for their family gatherings.”

Originally, the house was envisioned as a vacation destination for a Massachusetts couple and their two teenage daughters. After the home’s completion, however, the family decided to make it their full-time residence. The Charlestown location is filled with memories for one of the homeowners, and other extended family members have homes nearby. Family gatherings and indoor-outdoor living drove the design of the first-floor spaces.



This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .

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Kitchen of the Week: Bright Family Space With a Genius Peninsula

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This home in Northampton, England, had a kitchen with an adjoining dining area and a living room in a conservatory, but it felt gloomy and cramped. The owner, who lives here with her two sons, found interior designer Eleni Fantis on Houzz and asked her to rethink the design. “[The owner] wanted a real family space, with defined areas, but where they could all gather, cook, entertain and enjoy being together,” Fantis says.

Before Photo

Sarah AlcroftSave Photo

Photos by Beth Saunders Photography

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A woman with two sons
Location: Northampton, England
Size: About 120 square feet (11 square meters); 12 by 10 feet
Designers: Eleni Fantis of Omorfia Interior Design (interior design) and Ezra Kerr of Jikoni Interiors (kitchen design)

Before: The original kitchen was put in when the house was built. While there was plenty of storage, the arrangement made the area feel cramped.

Fantis wanted to use a kitchen company that would make the most of the space. Enter kitchen designer Ezra Kerr.

Jikoni InteriorsSave Photo
Fantis’ solution to the dark area was to create a flow of light and space, while Kerr cleverly turned the kitchen into a cozy but high-functioning room.

The kitchen is the heart of the space and it was important that this was somewhere the owner could feel relaxed and enjoy making food, entertaining and teaching her boys to cook.

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The new design removed the bank of cabinets on the right, widening the room, but this meant Kerr needed to find a way to fit plenty of storage into the new layout.

Luckily, there’s a utility room through the door opposite the sink, so he didn’t need to find space for laundry appliances.

He made more use of the short wall with a full-height pantry cabinet — one of the owner’s key requests — a refrigerator and cabinets above and below the combination and standard ovens.

Kerr stopped short of the ceiling for a maximum sense of space. “Having units to the ceiling makes a room look smaller — when you can’t see the wall above, it closes everything in — so we left a gap,” he says.

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Jikoni InteriorsSave Photo
In the corner, Kerr retained the base and wall cabinet arrangement to add some extra countertop space — a spot that serves as a good breakfast station.

The white doors are vinyl-wrapped, making them robust, and the white countertop is durable quartz. Kerr went with a curved ceramic sink to add interest.

Fantis chose pretty pink and blue tiles for the backsplash. “[The owner] didn’t really have any pattern in her home, so I wanted to incorporate some delicate patterns so as not to overwhelm her,” she says.

Kitchen cabinet paint: Satin White and Richmond Denim, Jikoni Interiors

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Jikoni InteriorsSave Photo
As there was now no room on the ovens wall for a cooktop, Kerr came up with a neat solution — an angled peninsula.

“Usually, the [cooktop] would go on the back wall, but because there was no space, that was the only way we could do it. You could have had a [standard] peninsula, but we tried to make it a bit more special. It makes the kitchen feel cozy and works really well in the space.”

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Jikoni InteriorsSave Photo
There was originally a wall cabinet in this corner to the right, but Kerr swapped it for open oak shelves. “We didn’t want to block out any light, so it’s better if the look feels open,” he says.

The wood-look luxury vinyl tile flooring pairs well with the oak shelves, and looks and feels warmer than the original tiles.

Jikoni InteriorsSave Photo
The other side of the peninsula is curved, which not only gives it a softer feel, it also adds countertop space and makes it more sociable.

“[The owner] wanted us to fit in as many seats as we could,” Kerr says. “We created the circular shape so you can have people sitting round being sociable without all sitting in a line.” This section of countertop is oak, giving it the feel of a table.

The induction cooktop has a downdraft ventilation system that vents out through the wall. “An extractor hanging from the ceiling would have blocked the room,” Kerr says.

See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software

Jikoni InteriorsSave Photo

Kerr has tucked a wine fridge and another cabinet into the peninsula unit. Neither is obvious from the living area, but they help maximize the storage.

Jikoni InteriorsSave Photo

An upholstered bench offers an additional seating spot when guests are over.

Before Photo

Omorfia Interior Design LtdSave Photo

Before: Originally, the dining area was in the small room to the left and the living area was in a conservatory to the right.

Jikoni InteriorsSave Photo

After: Fantis had most of the wall between the two spaces removed. She sited the seating area near the French windows and moved the dining area into the conservatory.

Light can now circulate between the spaces, making them feel brighter and bigger.

Jikoni InteriorsSave Photo

The large armchair between the living room and kitchen is key to the color scheme. “The floral fabric was actually the beginning of the whole design, and is a printed velvet,” Fantis says. “[The owner] loved it so much, I persuaded the supplier to sell me additional [fabric], which we then used for some of the blinds.”

The original dark red curtains have been swapped for these pale blue ones, which fit with the fresh, light color scheme and are less dominating.

Before Photo

Sarah AlcroftSave Photo

The conservatory roof had been badly lined in the past, so Fantis had that replaced.



This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .

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Bathroom of the Week: Spa-Like With a Wet-Room Layout

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Oro Coast BuildersSave Photo
After: To make the most of the space, the firm used a partial wet-room layout. This meant placing both the shower and tub within an enclosure. The enclosure has two glass panels with a door in the center. This allows the entire bathroom to enjoy the natural light from the wet room’s window.

“We wanted to elevate the space as much as possible with elements like a freestanding bathtub and a large vanity,” Fishman says. Looking into the shower, a striking marble-covered wall steals the spotlight. The marble also provides an elegant backdrop when the homeowners are looking in the vanity mirror across the room.

“We used this plaster on the walls throughout the house,” Fishman says. “They provided a jumping-off point for the bathroom’s palette.” The plaster honors the Spanish Revival architecture and adds texture, depth and an organic feel to the room. “In the shower, there’s a layer of waterproofing under the cement, then the plaster, then a sealer,” Fishman says. This product is similar to tadelakt, a waterproof Moroccan treatment.

Browse bathtubs in the Houzz Shop

Marble: Stoneland USA; plaster: Tonachino Firenze by Meoded Paint & Plaster



This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .

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Yard of the Week: Resort-Like Feel With Mediterranean Touches

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A\ TYPICAL DESIGN STUDIOSave Photo
“We wanted to give them plantings with a Mediterranean feel, but we are in Utah, after all,” Van Zandt says. “I picked ‘Autumn Brilliance’ serviceberry [Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’, USDA zones 4 to 9; find your zone] here because they have a similar structure to olive trees you’d see in Mediterranean landscapes.” These trees also offer year-round interest, with flowers in the spring, lovely leaves all summer, berries in the fall, and beautiful smooth gray bark and a multistemmed structure to enjoy in the winter.

Like the black-and-white fabrics Bald picked for the furniture, Van Zandt went for contrast among the plantings. The hardscape around the large raised beds is a light pea gravel. The gravel beneath the trees is darker, larger, flatter and more compacted. There is steel edging between the different gravel beds and between the gravel beds and the lawn.

A trio of concrete globe sculptures adds curves to rectilinear beds. Bald “came up with creative ideas like adding these globes, and she picked some of the planters,” Van Zandt says. “She is so creative, and it was really great to be able to see one of the landscapes I worked on completely finished like this.”

Plant These Garden Favorites for a Taste of the Mediterranean



This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .

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Bathroom of the Week: Warm Contemporary Style for Empty Nesters

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Lundin Architects LLCSave Photo
After: Lundin eliminated the main components and updated the electrical and plumbing. “Efforts were made to keep plumbing fixtures relatively close to where they were, to help buffer costs,” Lundin says. “We tried to be clever about that.”

Removing the corner shower allowed Lundin to create a larger double vanity with wood-look laminate slab door and drawer fronts in a walnut finish. A roomier makeup area splits the vanities, adding symmetry. “It’s a floating vanity and we put LEDs under there that make it look attractive and serve as nightlights,” Lundin says.

The backsplash is composed of 12-by-24-inch porcelain tiles, cut to fit, in black, white and gold with a hand-painted look in a vertical pattern. “There are also some bluish-gray tones that pull from the wallcovering we used in the bathroom,” Lundin says.

Four damp-rated 25-inch black LED linear pendant lights hang in front of a custom mirror. “I’m increasingly using pendants in bathrooms to get better lighting on people’s faces,” Lundin says. Luxury vinyl plank wood-look flooring adds warmth and durability.

Pendant lights: Flare, WAC Lighting; tile: Setana, TileBar

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This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .

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Yard of the Week: Elegant New Backyard Maximizes Outdoor Living

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Stucchi Landscape & DesignSave Photo
Stucchi collaborated with architect Karen Howard on the new pool cabana, which measures 14 by 18 feet. It contains a TV and lounge seating, as well as cabinetry and counters that match the outdoor kitchen (just out of view to the left). It also has two refrigerated beverage drawers. Stucchi placed the steel-framed structure where it would create privacy from the neighbor’s yard.

The landscape design includes smart features. “We used a Sonance sound system with two subwoofers and six speakers within the garden spaces, as well as speakers in the cabana that are controlled by a home automation system,” Stucchi says. “The landscape lights, the bistro lights and the lights in the cabana are all controlled by a Lutron system app on the homeowners’ phones.”

Paperbark maples (Acer griseum, USDA zones 4 to 8; find your zone), which are multistemmed trees with beautiful bark, frame the cabana. “About a million resident wild bunnies severely limited our plant palette with their insatiable appetites for herbaceous perennials. No amount of rabbit deterrent would help us there. We tried everything,” Stucchi says.

He used trees, flowering shrubs, evergreens and grasses for structure, color and texture. These include a mix of hydrangeas, ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, zones 4 to 9) and both Blushing Knock Out roses (Rosa ‘Radyod’, zones 5 to 11) and Knock Out roses (Rosa ‘Radrazz’, zones 5 to 11).



This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .

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