Custom Contemporary Craftsman-Kitchen
We recently did a project with Sara Luigs and Melanie Christoff with CURE Design Group, featuring a craftsman style, with barn doors and stained glass accents.
Custom Contemporary Craftsman-Kitchen
DESIGNER:
Melanie Christoff
PHOTOGRAPHER:
CURE Design Group
We recently did a project with Sara Luigs and Melanie Christoff with CURE Design Group.
The Article Below is by Melanie Christoff at Cure Design Group
This client started off just being curious about our services – what we could do, and if we could even help her update her kitchen. She and her husband with their two teenage kids have lived in their home for several years without updating anything since the house was originally built. They didn’t quite have a budget in mind yet. They didn’t know their style, or even if they had one. Their timeline was simple, “as fast as you can so we’re not without a kitchen for very long” (usually what we hear for kitchen updates).
After a very productive consultation: determining the scope of work and zeroing in on a budget, I was very excited to update this underwhelming space to something that is modern but timeless, something that is theirs. And, it was easy to see what type of design style they gravitated toward looking at the pieces they already own: Craftsman/Prairie Style. I left the meeting so excited to weave in yet another genre of design to my CDG portfolio! We circled in our contractor design-build expert LU Design Build to discuss the changes they were looking to make and the scope of work that would be theirs. Then I was off to get designing:
Because the kitchen’s footprint and the defined breakfast space delineated by the bay, we kept the perimeter cabinetry as it was originally laid out. We updated these cabinets to a beautiful soft Alabaster White with a Barn Wood Glaze to highlight the simplicity of the shaker style doors. We added transom cabinets above the uppers, with only the back wall having seeded glass inserts to highlight some of their collectibles.
The original shaped island was counter-productive (See what I did there?) in functionality and design. We squared this off to reduce some of the angles and gain more storage. We highlighted the new island with a contrasting oak cabinet in a dark finish, to pay our respects to the craftsman style, and topped with a concrete-like countertop as a nod to the Prairie Style, allowing the homeowners to gain two extra seats and a massive -uninterrupted- work surface.
The small section of cabinetry between the garage entry and fridge now is the perfect dump-station for mail, electronics, whatever is in their hands when they come into the house; and completely hidden by the refrigerator.
The disconnected cabinetry in the breakfast area makes for a great place to have a working office. Accessible from the kitchen or the adjacent great room, this is the perfect place for the kids to do their homework while mom and dad are putting together dinner. The base cabinets are built out for office-type storage: paper and pencil drawers, filing systems, and cord management. Additionally, the long counter provides a ton of worksurface to spread out.
The largest transformation was the pantry. We raised the height of the doorway and added huge custom designed bypass sliding barndoors. Finished with a dark stain to compliment the island and cut to inset 4 stained glass windows, typical of this style of design, and driving home the concept for the whole space.
They were desperate to replace their flooring with something extremely durable to flow throughout the kitchen and the whole main level. This beautiful new flooring is actually a textured LVT(!) Which allowed them to save on overall cost and extend the life of their new flooring purchase.
They loved their copper table, so we kept it and added new simple, mid-century modern chairs around it and a shiny new craftsman-style chandelier above. We added bright barstools in a burnt orange-red accent, and a bright woven rug to tie it all together.
As every designer knows, a room isn’t finished until there’s something on the windows. Now that the new flooring was installed and every other room on the main level ‘seemed’ to be updated, we needed to update the window treatments in the dining, and great rooms to reflect their new design concept.
Traditional Modern Kitchen
The homeowner's could no longer live with their 1980's tile and its pinkish hue and the only way to replace it was to replace the whole kitchen.
Traditional Modern Kitchen
Chesterfield, Missouri, 2018
DESIGNER:
Jennifer Chapman
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Karen Palmer Photography
This project was all about the floor! The homeowner's could no longer live with their 1980's tile and its pinkish hue and the only way to replace it was to replace the whole kitchen. The kitchen felt small before- there were soffits above the upper cabinets and the placement of the refrigerator restricted counter space. My clients wanted more storage, more work space, and for it to feel bright and fresh. We removed the soffits and took the cabinets to the ceiling, which instantly makes the room feel larger and allows for more storage. We moved the refrigerator to the other side of the mudroom door to free up space for more cabinets and countertop space and paired it with a pantry cabinet for even more added storage. We wanted to keep the traditional feel of the rest of their home, but incorporate cleaner, more modern lines, so we chose a shaker style cabinet, but in a warmer white, and paired it with a rich taupe subway tile that has a handmade look to it. The clients are now in love with their floor! We chose a porcelain tile that has a more traditional texture and pattern, but in a light color so that it still feels light and updated. Our clients can now love entertaining family in friends even more in their new updated kitchen!
