Lighting. “We wanted some feature lighting, so we hung shallow chandeliers in the open space overhead and reduced the size of the trim around the kitchen windows so we could add sconces there,” Nelson says. “We wanted to get a little jewelry up there,” she says, referring to the brass and glass sconces.Materials palette. To forge connections between spaces within an open floor plan, Nelson recommends repeating textures. Here the wood beams over the sitting area and family room tie into the wood countertop on the island. She used the same wall and trim paint colors in both spaces. And she kept the focus on the vent hood and tile wall by choosing a low-profile chandelier, forgoing pendant lights over the island and selecting low-profile counter stools that allow a view clear across the island.Lighting: Visual Comfort; wall paint: Aesthetic White; trim paint: Pure White, both Sherwin-WilliamsSee more photos of wood and white kitchens | Browse candle-style chandeliers
Solutions. Nelson transformed the space into a stunner that doesn’t look so “kitchen-y,” as it’s seen from the adjacent rooms and front entry. She removed the awkward narrow cabinets and the stainless steel vent hood. She reused the remaining cabinets and most of the appliances. One exception was a new stainless steel range, which replaced the existing black one. She had the cabinetry painted, reduced the millwork around the windows to make room for feature lighting above them and changed out the legs on the island to reflect the cabinet door style.This is the view when you walk in through the front entry. The space to the right is a sitting area; to the left is the family room, which Nelson and the homeowners are planning to upgrade.How to Reface Your Old Kitchen Cabinets
Problems (before). The design of the existing kitchen was functional but seemed dark to the family. The narrow cabinets around the vent hood were awkward. And with such an open floor plan, it wasn’t the star the family wished it to be. But the upside was that there was plenty of great quality parts of it that could be reused in the new design. Keep list. Cabinets, island (including its countertop), most appliances, sink, windows, flooring.Replace list. Perimeter countertops, island countertop finish, back wall tile, island legs, range, feature lighting, vent hood, cabinet hardware.
“After” photos by Lisa Konz PhotographyKitchen at a GlanceWho uses it: A busy family that loves to entertainLocation: Cumming, GeorgiaSize: 170 square feet (16 square meters); 10 by 17 feetDesigner: Kat NelsonThe redesign of this home started in the kitchen. “My clients wanted a wow factor when you walk in the front door and see this kitchen,” says interior designer Kat Nelson. “Their extended families live nearby, and they wanted a fabulous entertaining space,” she says. Wide open to the family room, the new kitchen set the tone for other remodeling and decorating projects in the house.
Cabinets. The company that made the existing cabinets was Keystone Millworks, which Nelson already loved working with. They painted all of the existing the cabinets, provided the new oil-rubbed bronze hardware, added the columns to the island and custom-made the vent hood.Vent hood. The new wood hood and surround ties in with the cabinet profiles. “It really softens the space,” Nelson says. Countertops. The countertops are a light-colored quartz, which is durable and practical and complements the tile.Cabinet paint: Edgecomb Gray, Benjamin Moore; hardware: Keystone MillworksSee why a designer chose white quartz for her kitchen counters
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