One of my favorite design jobs of 2017 was a house that I worked on for a building company in Greenville. They were renovating a home to sell and hired me to work on the kitchen. This was an exceptionally fun project because unlike most jobs, I had free reign to design the kitchen layout, select the lighting, and choose all of the colors, finishes and hardware. The kitchen space was an unusual one; very long and narrow. The builders original plan was to have a small kitchen with a peninsula for a couple of bar stools along with a small breakfast table and chairs. I gave them several space plan options but my favorite, and theirs in the end, was to combine the kitchen and breakfast room into one cooking, entertaining and eat-in space. The concept felt so natural to me as this is how many of us live now; gathered in the kitchen, around the food that is being prepared, everyone enjoying the process and communion of meal time. The kitchen turned out nicely with ample cabinet space and an island that extended into the breakfast area. The island featured a long table-like counter that gave room for plenty to sit or stand and gather. On the far end we incorporated a wet bar to finish out the vision of a true entertaining kitchen. We expanded the opening into the Living Room and touched up a charming exposed brick wall with a little white paint.

The palette in this kitchen was clean and neutral with a mixture of finishes in lighting and hardware, giving it an eclectic feel. It was styled with warm rugs, cutting boards and flowers to bring character and depth to the space. This project was a great example of how thinking outside of the box when designing a room’s layout can transform not only how a space looks, but also how it is used. In this case we made sure that a small kitchen and breakfast room became what it was meant to be, the true heart of the home.