How We Transformed A Boring 90's Kitchen Into a Bright and Cheerful Farmhouse Dream

All our kitchen transformations are fun and exciting, but this one was REALLY exciting! Our client was living in England due to work and had this cute little ranch style house rented out. The house was built in the 90’s and had good bones but it was crying for some loving. As she planned her move back to the US, she contacted us to do a complete transformation of the kitchen, living and dining space before her arrival! We worked almost exclusively via email, Zoom and phone. Oh technology!

Her dream was to open up this space and connect the living and dining spaces. We loved the high ceilings and the amount of natural light that poured in from the windows all around. It was a good start. Her wish list included adding rustic wood beams to the ceiling and having a big island with the cooktop taking center stage. We went to work right away and began analyzing the space, time and budget.

Before….

We began exploring all our options. The first thing we did was work on the floorplan. We knew we could take down the wall and remove the soffit to raise the ceiling, this was really going to help open up the space. Adding reclaimed wood beams proved to be a bit of a challenge due to some architectural details that would have been too costly to fix, so the client decided to eliminate that from her wish list.

Next, we worked on putting an island in the space. No problem. Plenty of room. However, relocating the gas line there posed to be another challenge. We would need to break through the foundation and that would eat up a good chunk of change $$$. Something the homeowner did not want to spend money on. So we continued to work on the plan and realized that by relocating the door a few feet to the right it would allow us to fit a 36” range, plus the refrigerator on the back wall and still have adequate cabinet storage. It was starting to take shape!

We created an open floorplan that allowed for plenty of room for this young family of three, plus a dog, to grow into and entertain friends and family for years to come.

Once the layout was solidified, we began to work on the pretty. We began by creating several mood boards to determine the direction the client was envisioning. Based on answers from our client, we determined that she was drawn to soft blues and greens mixed in with some rustic wood elements throughout. A clean and light filled space….

Being a single mother of two twin boys she didn’t want the space to feel too feminine and she loved the idea of a casual, slightly rustic, inviting space that could withstand the traffic of kids and dogs running around and still feel grown up when she wanted to entertain.

We selected materials that were are low maintenance and could take on a lot of heavy traffic, like luxury vinyl flooring, butcher block and quartz countertops. The classic white cabinetry and light wood tones on the floor definitely had a huge impact on creating a light and airy space. We added a much larger window over the sink that actually opens to the outside patio where we installed a countertop and two barstools. This was a fun touch! We sprinkled a few touches of black metal throughout without overdoing. This is what gave us the clean, modern farmhouse look without having too many rustic, chippy paint type elements. We kept all the appliances and plumbing fixtures in stainless steel for a crisp, clean design. And voila! The boring 90’s kitchen was boring no more!

During…

With such a time crunch on our hands, our construction team worked quickly and efficiently to ensure this home was at least 80% ready before their arrival back to the US. The kitchen came together first while our team continued to work on the rest of the space.

After…

The result was an astounding transformation with light pouring in from every angle. The homeowner was delighted with the new space and so were we. The large sink window opens to the beautiful garden and fountain outside which is one of my favorite features.

The client’s favorite feature was this fun and easy “barn wood wall”. We used a cool product called Stikwood that are actually thin planks of peel and stick wood! The contractors loved how easy it was to install!

This large window opens out to the beautiful lush garden with a fountain. We installed left over countertop material on the outside to create a bar with seating for two. How fun!

The addition of the floating shelves serves as functional storage with easy access to everyday cups and dishes plus it’s also aesthetically easy on the eye.

It was such a delight to help this family bring their dreams to life. I’m sure they will all enjoy this space for years to come! To see more pictures of this project click here.

xo,

Claudia

A Unique and Inviting Kitchen Remodel Before and After

This adorable house in nestled among a luscious natural landscape overlooking the rolling hills of the Santa Ynez wine country in California. One of its best features is the warm, natural sunlight that pours in from every direction. Our client wanted an inviting place to entertain guests with a slightly contemporary feel. She asked us to incorporate some casual elements that speak to the easy, breezy lifestyle of Santa Ynez and her own personal life.

Before…

Although the kitchen was outdated, it had a good layout that the client had grown used to which provided adequate storage and since removing walls was not an option, we felt we had some pretty good bones to work with. On the top of the client’s list was modern and clean overhead lighting, black matte plumbing fixtures, new appliances (except for the refrigerator), glass tile backsplash and a charging station for her devices.

We got to work right away by visiting local showrooms to select our tile, plumbing, cabinetry, countertops and appliances which we presented these ideas to the client in a moodboard format along with real samples of our selections, and also drawings, elevations and 3D visuals to help her see it all come together. Of course, she was instantly delighted with the new fresh approach we were proposing!

Although we weren’t changing the layout, we did change the cabinetry configuration to create symmetry around the sink and stove area. We added a lot more drawers and much needed pots and pans storage plus even a cool charging station inside one of the drawers! We selected two cabinetry for two reasons: our client didn’t want an all white kitchen, and we felt that all stained wood cabinetry was going to make it look too dark and small in this already small space. The solution of combining white and stained cabinetry gave us the casual approach of a bright and inviting kitchen that we were after.

After…

The finished result is a bright, sun filled kitchen with a soothing color palette of the soft blue glass tile backsplash, warm cabinetry in a two-tone color combination, contrasted by matte black hardware. We removed the outdate grid lighting which seemed so overwhelming in the small kitchen and added simple recessed lights for a clean look. Since the ceilings are only 8’ high we opted for no chandeliers or pendants. By taking the backsplash all the way to the ceiling it gives the illusion of added height. I specially love the sleek modern lines of the black matte Brizo faucet with a hint of gold and the reflection of the glass tile. It adds such elegance to this space!

Remember what it looked like before? Uninspiring, cramped and cluttered.

Before

Now, it’s a happy and bright kitchen with a small breakfast nook, a perfect place to drink a cup of coffee or sip a glass of Chardonnay with friends. This quickly became the client’s favorite spot where she can also enjoy the beautiful views of the natural landscape that surrounds this home.

I’ll let you in on a little secret…the client isn’t much of a cook. But I hope that this beautiful new cooking area has inspired her to make some yummy dinners.

Thanks for following along. To view more images of this project click here. If you’re thinking about renovating your kitchen, and need advice and guidance, we’re here to help!

xo,

Claudia

A Gloomy Living Space Is Updated to Elegant And Fresh

So as it often happens, you move into a new home and you don’t know where or how to make the old furniture work in the new space. That was the problem in this cozy San Roque home. While we were renovating the kitchen and all the bathrooms in this home, the formal living and dining room didn’t need too much construction work (except for the fireplace wall) so they came together relatively quickly.

Some of the challenges we had were that the windows had wooden shutters throughout and while the wife liked them, the husband absolutely did not. He began to take them down as you can see in one of the ‘before” images below, but after some negotiating between the two spouses, we ultimately decided to leave them in place.

We went back and forth on what to do with this built in system. It provided ample storage and a good place to display pretty little things but the couple couldn’t decide if they wanted to keep the bookshelves or have a clean wall instead where they could display some artwork.

So the design plan was pretty straight forward. Let’s keep it neutral, simple and elegant. Let’s play with the natural light in this room and bring in warm driftwood tones and natural elements like capiz shells and botanicals, sprinkle a little gold here and there and bam! Enjoy a grown up space.

In fact, those were the exact words from my client “I feel so grown up sitting here!”.

We saved a little bit of money by using a sofa they had in another room and using their existing coffee table that they were very fond of.

The capiz shell chandelier was definitely a striking addition in this small dining room but my favorite piece is the cow hide rug! And, notice we decided to put back those wooden shutters because after all they did provide privacy but also because they added an extra layer of texture and dimension to this whole space since we didn’t have too many colors or patterns to work with.

In the end, we decided to keep the beautiful built-in cabinets flanking the fireplace. We eliminated some of the shelves, painted the back wall a light grey, refinished the fireplace facade, and added a wood trim to the cabinet doors to make them a little more interesting. We also added some fun knobs (not seen here).

Doesn’t this space look so much brighter and fresher? It is a cool grown up place to hang out and read a book and enjoy some peace and quite!

XX

Claudia

A Glamorous Bathroom Renovation You Need To See To Believe

How should I begin to tell you the massive transformation this long and plenty-full master bathroom underwent? Well, they do say that a picture says a thousand words, so I will let the pictures speak for themselves and I’ll just tell you the basics.

As with every project, we had a few problems to solve. In this case it was a storage problem. Now, I know what you’re thinking - there’s plenty of storage in that bathroom already. Yes, you’re right. This vanity did have massive amounts of storage, however, it was not all functional, and as you can see by all the stuff on the counters, it was not enough!

So I began by dreaming up a glamorous and elegant master bathroom full of natural light, with all new white cabinetry, brushed nickel plumbing fixtures, a sexy free standing bathtub, and just enough bling from the lighting fixtures, cabinet hardware and glass tile to satisfy the Mrs’ request for femininity and sophistication, while keeping the Mr. from jumping out the window.

The next step was designing the massive custom cabinet and adding in some much needed storage. The 3d rendering below really helped the clients visualize their new space. By adding a tower in the center of the vanity I was able to create ‘his’ and ‘hers’ separate spaces. ‘His’ space was off to the left with ample countertop space and plenty of drawers and storage. ‘Her’ space was, well, everything else - the center tower and all the drawers below for all her jams and jellies, the cute makeup vanity because every girl should have one, and the all the drawers in the right tower for little trinkets and such. We reserved the visible storage behind the glass for pretty little things.

3d rendering of bathroom vanity

It was time to say good-bye to the yellow walls and outdated tile that made this bathroom look dark.

The new color palette was soft and calming like the rest of the house. Every room in this house flows beautifully because of the continuous serene ambiance we created intentionally throughout.

So, what do you think? Is it too feminine? Does it entice you to come and soak in the tub after a long day of work?

xo,

Claudia

How We Created A Fabulous Spa Experience In This Guest Bathroom

Designing an entire home is definitely my favorite type of project. This adorable San Roque home had great bones, with some nice built-ins throughout, a spacious floorplan that had undergone a room addition in the past, good size bathrooms, decent sized bedrooms and plenty of space to reconfigure the kitchen and create a true chef’s kitchen. It was blessed with gorgeous natural light and located in a quite neighborhood so I was eager to turn this cozy home into the beauty queen I knew it could be. The process took over a year. We did a few rooms at a time, leaving the kitchen and master en-suite for last.

Oddly enough, we began by tearing up the guest bathroom! This poor room was in serious need of some lovin’. The homeowners dreamed of a serene, zen-like space where their overnight guests would feel like they had checked into a spa. Ok, no problem! Consider it done!

Before Images

The homeowners wanted a very neutral color palette with no dramatic colors or patterns. So I began by selecting a driftwood finish vanity paired with grey and white tiles, soft silver lighting fixtures, brushed nickel plumbing and elegant glass apothecary jars to hold some bathroom essentials that would double as decor. This simple design was elegant, yet serene and just what they wanted. With a plan in hand we hit the ground running.

Demo day is always fun, exciting and scary all at once. You never know what you’re going to find when you start tearing things up. We discovered that the electrical

The challenge was finding a ready-made vanity that would fit the entire length of the wall - 112” to be exact. Almost impossible. So I designed and drew a custom vanity and took my drawings to a local craftsman to fabricate. The vanity provides a ton of open storage for pretty little things and deep drawers to store the not so pretty things. The over-sized mirror was in perfect condition so we saved money by leaving it in. We did refinished the frame to match though.

By removing the overhead soffit we were able to place the sconces a little higher up which made a huge difference! We painted the walls in a warm taupey/grey, installed all new lighting and plumbing including a new toilet, kept the white wooden shutters and even re-used the existing glass shower surround!

The once colorful and eclectic bathroom, finally found it’s softer and quieter side! Now, tell me. How would you feel being a guest in this house? Relaxed? Peaceful? Pampered? All of the above for me!

Check out these dramatic before and afters.

Hope you enjoyed!

Up next in this San Roque Beauty…The master bedroom.

xo,

Claudia