How to Make a Kitchen Feel Larger, Look Beautiful and Function Like a Dream

This July we are designing and remodeling a kitchen in Manhattan Beach. The kitchen currently looks as many kitchens do which were designed and built in the 80s. It may or may not be apparent in this BEFORE photo, but the existing cupboard door and drawer openings were not cut to max-out the use of space in the cabinets, drawer glides are loud and rusty and the entire kitchen is operating with no pullouts and old appliances which take up physical space in this not so big kitchen.

“Goal: Make it feel larger, update the look to new, and make it function like a dream–all within the existing footprint of the kitchen’s base cabinets!”

In the initial consultations we discussed the options. 1. Gut the entire kitchen for all new, or 2. Reface existing configuration with option of beautiful new sitting island, and all new materials and appliances. The family went for option 2 and that is fantastic for two reasons. It allowed us to repurpose the strong solid oak base cabinets in the main portion of the kitchen and opened up the budget a bit for some gorgeous high-end materials and fixtures.

A couple weeks into the design phase, we made all main material choices and created our beautiful concept.  I couldn’t have been more happy with the direction we decided to go. Classic and clean white cupboards with sleek black Via Lactea granite contrasted by sandy stone backsplash and rustic hickory floors. Plus, our color pop! A soft blue glazed sitting island and stainless appliances for a little metallic glimmer. The design is both contemporary and beachy feeling to suite both his and her tastes.

Approximately ten days into the job we completed demo and took the cabinets down to their studs–the dated oak cabinets were scheduled to have their grain filled so that they can receive a beautiful white laquer paint job. Our cabinet artisan has verified all the specs for new high-end stainless steel appliances in the field and made the modifications needed to house them. In the meantime we installed the new floor. Pictured is the gorgeous Provenza Old World Desert Haze hickory floor. The floor finish has a contemporary matte look and is smooth to the touch but underneath there are beautiful grooves, burnished marks, knotholes and wire brushed striations that make the floor appear to be a lived in, antique floor. It is going to provide the perfect background for all of our beautiful materials and selections!

We have chosen a traditional palate of colors with fun accent fabrics for the neighboring room upholstery pieces and gorgeous gray hued woven window shades to create a beachy yet contemporary feel.

And, the lovely color palette of black and white combined with the warmth of wood tones is timeless and sophisticated but the pewter and blue will provide a fun, contemporary lived in feel. Cannot wait to see it when it’s all finished.

And, for the grand finally! Only about 1 month later, here is our “After” photo. I’m so please with the outcome of this kitchen! It is bright and cheerful as well as elegant and refined. The materials of black granite and white laquer are a classic choice for a kitchen and with the addition of a matte finish, rustic floor and earthy travertine backsplash, we added just the right amount of casual beachiness to make the homeowners very happy! All the guts of the old kitchen have been removed and replaced with quiet soft closing undermount glides and soft closing hinges on all the new cupboard doors.

The cooking island has a new Dacor cook top with a powerful centrally located burner and right below we took away the old design which featured two small drawers beneath the cooker and modified the space to fit one wide, expansive drawer to house many more utensils in a much more organized and presentable fashion.