The European cafe. Bring in a cafe table. You’d be surprised — with chairs that tuck in underneath, a cafe table takes up very little floor space. How else do you think the coffee shop crams in so much seating? All it takes is one empty corner and it’s in. You won’t be able to set places for more than two people with the smallest versions, but it’s a great way to eke out an eat-in spot when space is limited.
From copper and iron to brass and bronze, it’s hard to resist the luster of a metal range hood. Better yet, there’s more than one way to rock metal cooker hoods. This Mediterranean kitchen uses its romantic red copper hood to fire up the cabinetry’s relaxed color palette. PLAIN WALLS AS BACKSPLASH WITH TILE INSERT BEHIND STOVE.
Blur the lines between kitchen and living area. This French country kitchen has a warm, library-like atmosphere that disguises its utilitarian purpose. The designer seamlessly carried over the kitchen's dark green details and elegant lighting fixtures to the hearth's lounging side — or maybe it's vice versa. This is an example of a traditional open concept kitchen in Columbus with glass-front cabinets, wood countertops, green cabinets and green backsplash. — Houzz
Heydt’s colleague Benjamin Dhong chose the furniture and reupholstered the homeowners’ existing comfortable sofa, ottoman and armchairs to fit in with the new color palette. The flow is much easier without the built-in bench on the right. A large wood-framed mirror reflects the light from the windows while adding a rustic touch. DO I HAVE THE FURNITURE PLACED IN THE RIGHT ORDER AND USAGE?
AFTER: Heydt redesigned the fireplace surround with beautiful honed Bardiglio marble, giving it a cleaner look. After removing the built-in cabinet underneath the window to the right of the fireplace, she extended a new window lower to match those along the adjacent wall. These kinds of architectural moves help the room feel more cohesive.
BEFORE: Prior to the remodel, the rooms were simply not relaxing and had an unfinished and dated look. The built-in cabinetry around the hearth and the bench at right clunked up the space, and the raised hearth was awkward. The placement of the dining table against the wall left a large wasted space between the kitchen and the family room.
The elegant marble tile backsplash extends up the wall to the vent hood. Glass cabinets maintain the open feeling and allow the homeowners to display their growing collection of white china and ceramics. The fact that Heydt painted the back of the cabinets the same gray color as the fronts is worth noting. It helps the white collection stand out while creating a cohesive look throughout the room. She used the same color on the walls in the dining area and family room.
The frosted glass door leads to a new office, part of the scope of this project. This room was formerly a laundry room, which was moved upstairs. Heydt added the new door and the transom to help share the light and contribute to the open feeling. To the right of the doors is a bar, complete with a sink and cabinet storage for glassware. The area resembles a traditional butler’s pantry, and the formal dining room is just beyond it. PANTRY IS A GREAT ADDITION. CAN I FIND A SPOT?
Here you can see the placement of the pantry to the right of the range, which is not seen in the photographs. “We moved the microwave into the pantry because the family doesn’t use it much and we wanted to keep it out of sight,” Heydt says. “I seem to be doing a lot of this lately — there seems to be a move away from built-in microwaves.” The wine refrigerator is also in the pantry.
One of Heydt’s main objectives was to create a more open feeling in the kitchen without the heavy cabinets that had previously surrounded the window. The new open shelves help keep the kitchen feeling lighter and not so closed-in. Heydt took the opportunity to extend the countertops’ Calacatta d’Oro marble upward with 3-by-12-inch tiles. “It was a great opportunity to add more texture,” she says. Wanting to avoid the typical three pendant lights over the island, Heydt opted for a smashing globe chandelier. It creates a focal point and can be enjoyed from the entire open space. Paint by Benjamin Moore: Gray Owl (cabinets) and Whale Gray (island); Mr. Brown Galaxy Chandelier: Chairish; Pro 48 refrigerator-freezer with glass door: Sub-Zero; backsplash tile: Calacatta d’Oro, custom 3-by-12-inch size;
AFTER: The kitchen is wide open to the informal dining area and the family room, so the look of the three spaces needed to be cohesive. “We went for classic, timeless style because it fit their Shingle-style home and so it wouldn’t go out of style,” Heydt says. “The family has a very hectic schedule, so they really needed the space to feel calm.” Light gray walls continue from the cabinets to the walls throughout the space, with a darker paint on the island adding a grounding accent. The dining area seats the whole family, who enjoy most of their meals together here every day. A mix of woven French cafe chairs and slipcovered host and hostess chairs adds comfort, texture and color.
WHITE TOWELS, GRAY CABINET
Q