Krista Daily
Krista is a Sr. Designer at KSI Kitchen & Bath's Northville Design Center.
Krista is a Sr. Designer at KSI Kitchen & Bath's Northville Design Center.
These clients came to me with a dramatic problem: They had stopped entertaining because they were not happy about their outdated kitchen. They were looking for guidance to make the decision to either do everything they dreamed of to make the space fit for entertaining, or simply perform a minor update with the intent to move in a few years. Could I help these clients get excited about entertaining again?
Opening Up the Space
Our first step was for the clients to come into our showroom for a design consultation, where went over their initial ideas, desired function, and the critical need to make it a more open and inviting space. The biggest priority was to achieve functional improvements by modifying the layout. Creating an open and inviting space was an exciting functional challenge. We moved the fridge so it would be easy to access without blocking the flow of traffic, and we tucked the cabinetry around the stairwell on one side to wrap the space into the living area with a coffee bar. On the other side of the stairwell, we added a wall with butler’s pantry to further wrap the kitchen to the living space and provide more space for staging and entertaining.
With a narrow kitchen, the island could not be deep enough for seating all across the back. This gave me the idea to create a unique island shape that widens in the open area for seating but is narrow at the other end for circulation. I would never start with this idea just walking into the room... it’s in the designing stage when I am laying it out on paper that these good ideas come to me. I love when the client is open and gives me the opportunity to work and play with the design to see what I can come up with - that is when I can do my best work!
Blending Mid Century Modern with Transitional Style
In terms of style, the clients really liked clean lines and contemporary designs. They noted that they usually go for a Mid Century Modern look when purchasing new furniture. They also like natural rustic textures and have a lot of craftsman and Amish furniture in the home currently. These two styles can work really well together, and I enjoyed pulling in Hickory wood (French Roast with Sable glaze) on the base cabinets and flooring for natural elements while mixing in bright white geometric Imola Stile Bianco Gloss tile from Virginia Tile and Painted Sea Salt upper cabinets for some modern elements. The Potter’s Mill door style from Medallion Cabinetry was the perfect canvas for our finish palette!
The Medallion line has great modification ability – check out the custom dishwasher panel we created that continues the strong horizontals of the drawers on the perimeter. Another lovely touch was their Arts and Crafts molding that paired exceptionally with this project!
One of my favorite things to incorporate in design is the use of two to three finishes in a room. It creates a more custom look that brings texture and depth to the project. The balancing of light and dark contrast worked out so well on this project! The quartz countertop in Amber Waves really pops on the hickory lower cabinets, and adding Painted Frappe as a third color on the hood creates an extra dimension and custom feel.
Another nice touch is the floating shelves wrapping around the stairwell space - we wanted to break up some of the upper cabinetry and not have it all be solid white, so the use of open shelves in hickory helps balance the heavy base cabinetry, and bring some color up while wrapping around the corner.
Going All-In
The biggest challenge with this project was the debate over how big of a remodel to pursue and how much to invest. After designing a beautiful and functional space that really resonated with the clients, they ultimately decided to spend more for what they love vs saving money for a remodel they were not passionate about. As a designer it was incredibly rewarding to help create a fully remodeled space that my clients will love entertaining in for years to come!