Design Post | Kitchen Refresh
I reach for the maple cutting board that leans against the wall, set it on the counter, and draw a scoopful of flour from the bin in the cabinet below. The bread dough in the crockery bowl has doubled in size and is ready for shaping. I sprinkle flour across the board, turn the dough out, and begin to knead.
It’s a working kitchen, this one, just as graciously turning out tea (or toast) for one as it is a feast for twenty. It’s the place where nourishment begins, and where it ends. There’s contentment here, a knowing that it functions beautifully and holds everything we need, made possible by the synergy of careful planning and considered design.
As with all my kitchen designs, this one began, not with the space, not with the style, but with a considered list of the inventory that would be housed here, down to the number of spoons (plus a little to spare). Having a good measurement (quite literally) of what needs to be kept, along with an understanding of kitchen lifestyle (are you a warm-the-take-out-in-the-microwave type, or a scratch cook/baker?) are key in using the square footage, the dollars, and the future time spent in the kitchen, wisely. This knowledge then easily informs the placement, flow, and ultimate efficiency of the design. Wrap all that in the appropriate style, and there you go.
Then?
When the structure of the kitchen design is right from the beginning, eight (fifteen? twenty?) years on, a small refresh is easily doable - and exciting! For ours, a fresh coat of paint on the custom cabinets (Sherwin Williams Pure White), new solid walnut countertops (I wanted them to read black, yet still be able to see the beautiful grain, so specified Osmo Wood Wax in ebony as the finish), a white porcelain undermount double bowl sink, an unlacquered brass faucet and side spray, new artwork (original from our youngest son when he was 3, enlarged on canvas), and a Swedish linen shade at the window (custom made), brought a fresh, elevated feel to the space.
The result is an evolved aesthetic that’s still grounded in my philosophy of simple, useful, beautiful.
It’s so lovely to finally share it with you!
