The Roanoke: A Kitchen Revived
A big goal of this project was to eradicate the golden, buttery hue of almost every surface of main level living areas and kitchen. Walls, cabinets, tile, everything was tone-on-tone butter! Now that you are nice and hungry for some popcorn, take a peek at the before and after photos for this lakeside project. This Georgian style home was refreshed with a kitchen remodel and overall update of the main level. Using natural materials like Calacatta Gold marble, handmade fluted white oak, and minimalist lighting, we were able to provide a modern mix of both traditional and funky elements to the home. We wanted to embrace the homeowners’ love of color, but also recognize the need to let the lovely lake views and natural surroundings shine in the background. The design challenge was being able to blend many styles and artwork together in a way that could transition as items changed in the home through the seasons. The homeowner, a sculpture artist themselves, had an eclectic mix of art that needed display but also restraint within the home’s overall color palette. While this project was relatively small in scope when compared to a full home remodel or custom home build, this project was a wonderful testament to how materials, colors, and the right styling can create a very dramatic change to a home.
About the cabinets:
The existing cabinets of this kitchen were good quality and in good condition. Cabinet can easily be the single biggest budget line item in a kitchen remodel, so in this case, it made sense to keep them. We patched any damaged or worn areas and gave them a new coat of enamel with a lighter, fresher color. New hardware was also added. The existing island cabinets were also reused, but completely reclad on the side facing out toward the counter stools. Every single piece of fluted oak that you see was hand-routered, hand-sanded, and individually placed to show the natural variation of the oak wood. Oak is a very hard, dense wood, so special tooling is needed to create the curved cuts into the grain. The oak gets very hot during the process of shaping, so tools have to be switched out frequently to prevent the surface of the wood from burning. It is then waxed and sealed for cleanability and longevity.
About the metal upper cabinet:
The metal cabinet was designed by The Pavilion Company. The metal was then hand cut, welded and finished by Mayer Designs. We are so happy with the way that the dark metal upper cabinet contrasts with the light wood surrounding pieces. It was a fun way to display more of the homeowners’ glassware and art pieces. We also think that the days of the kitchen built-in desk area are behind us, so this is a much better way to reuse the existing storage space available.
Contact us if you think your home needs a similar level of full refresh!
