Creating a Cozy Country Kitchen

This week, we look at what can happen when imagination, courage and commitment combine to transform a dreary country kitchen into a space that is crisp, inviting, and worthy of being considered the heart of the house.

Confined for many years to a small, boxy farmhouse kitchen, these clients were ready for a major makeover.  And, realizing that such a project would dramatically increase the time and enjoyment that they spend there, as well as the resale value of their home, they expressed that they were open to consideration of changing just about everything in the room.

We began, as always, by identifying these clients' functional needs and their decorating tastes.  It was determined that they wanted the kitchen to become more family friendly, able to accommodate casual dining for up to six people, and with plenty of space for everyone to gather and socialize while meal preparation takes place.

Furthermore, we settled on creating a casually elegant atmosphere in a European Country style.  Our clients commented that what they were hoping for a look that would be "very classy, but never stuffy".  Once we had identified the overall look and function that was desired, it became easy to select the elements that this room needed.

The biggest piece of this remodeling puzzle was replacement of all the old cabinets.  Traditional styling, a crisp white finish, and furniture-like detailing, as well as generously scaled crown and surface moldings provided the basis for new cabinetry which really sets the tone for this new kitchen.  As you can see, they absolutely provide a huge 'bang for the buck'.

Note that we also chose to combine painted and stained finishes, by wrapping the new island in a beautifully rich dark cherry finish, and then repeating that finish in the dining table and chairs.  This is a very strong trend in interior decorating today, and when done carefully is extremely effective.

After

Once the cabinets were selected, we focused on the surfaces of the kitchen.  A beautiful granite in tones of warm neutrals was chosen for countertops.  The floor was distressed in ceramic tile, which repeats lighter shades of the mottled tones found in the granite.

Sherwin Williams' Hopsack was the perfect color for the walls, and plays well off of some of the darker tones in the granite and floor tile.  Finally, crisp white tile adorns the backsplash and visually unites the wall and base cabinets.

The new dining furniture is traditionally styled, but not too formal, in keeping with the clients' tastes and lifestyle.  Sage green seat cushions add visual softness and comfort to the space.

In accessorizing this room, we wanted to keep the look uncluttered, but a few key pieces really finish it off.  The island pendants and chandelier over the table exude elegance without appearing too fussy, and the oversized clock above the cooking area is both functional and attractive.  A few fresh flowers, a few cookbooks, and some stainless steel culinary equipment were all that was needed to complete this homey atmosphere.

Before

Although hard to believe when you look at the before and after shots of this room, there were no structural changes required for the remodeling project.  At 13' x 18' the room is not enormous, but with a careful design plan we were able to increase its function and create a much more spacious feeling without moving any walls.

By taking part of the cabinetry all the way to the ceiling and creating varying heights for the eye to rest on, the room takes on a more expansive feeling than it previously had.  In addition, installing the ceramic floor tile on the diagonal makes the room feel less boxy.  And finally, careful planning of the cabinet components enabled us to create very efficient storage in the space we were given, which there white finish also visually opens the room up.