Luxury Living Room

Aug 12, 2019 | Posted in Before & After |

In high-end residential projects, quality fabrics and furnishings, attention to detail, and partnering with artisan workrooms are what elevates a luxury interior from an average run-of-the-mill interior. Read on to see how we took an outdated, run-down space, and turned it into a timeless, high-end traditional living room.

Light and bright luxury living room showing fireplace with artwork hung above, built-in bookcases, green velvet armchairs across from a periwinkle blue sofa covered in overstuffed high-quality patterned pillows. This sits behind a brown wooden coffee table and beside a gold side lamp, with gold window dressings at either end of wooden window frames, covered by roman shades allowing filtered light into the room. — *AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

In this project, the homeowner is nearing retirement, and wanted a quality luxury interior that complemented the traditional architecture in his “forever” home.

Creating a beautiful foundation for the room starts with the rug. This hand-knotted, hand-dyed Tibetan wool rug from Tufenkian places an heirloom-quality rug center stage.

It’s worth investing in a handmade rug, as the weaving quality and superior hand-dyed subtleties are unattainable in a machine-made rug. I also encourage clients to purchase original artwork you love, or that reminds you of a special time or destination. Here, the artwork coordinates with the rug. Compare the difference between this and the “before” image.

In love with the comfort of the oversize sofa, the homeowner didn’t want to give it up. So we had an expert upholsterer make a slipcover that is such an exact fit, you’d think it was upholstered, while still allowing for ease of cleaning.

Close-up view of the periwinkle blue sofa covered in a tight-fitting upholstered slipcover, finished with overstuffed high-quality patterned pillows, sitting behind a brown wooden coffee table dressed with fresh flowers and books. — *AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Velvets and silks are luxurious fabrics chosen for the handmade accent sofa pillows, filled with sink-in goose down for an incredibly soft feel.

Detail of the window dressings, featuring gold dot-patterned fabric finished with a square green edge pattern and a matching tieback at either end of medium-toned wooden window frames. The windows are covered by textural grass Roman shades, allowing filtered light into the room. — *AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Opulence and luxury are also expressed through layers of custom window treatments, starting with the practical, woven grass shades that cover the windows in two layers. An operable lining provides privacy behind the grass shades, or a single layer brings in lovely filtered light through the natural grass.

For the decorative portion, the stationary draperies soften the bay windows with a playful polka-dot cut velvet on one side, and an outdoor fabric that is fade-resistant on the backside. When viewed from outside, the sage green lining complements the exterior house color. Linings of your draperies don’t have to be white! We finished off the draperies with a custom designed tieback, accented with raffia to complement the grass shades.

Dark wooden blinds visually block a portion of this room’s windows, and when combined with the dark wood flooring, make it feel heavy. — *BEFORE*

You can see the previous wood shutters visually cut off the windows, made the room too dark, and were impractical to use on a daily basis.

Detail photo of a periwinkle blue sofa with navy contrasting welt and multi-colored luxurious patterned pillows. The window dressings feature gold dot-patterned fabric finished with a square green pattern and a matching tieback. An heirloom-quality glossy wooden three-legged side table supports a golden glass lamp, a vase containing a small fern, and a glass fascinator. Peachy wall color and light-colored wood flooring bounce the filtered light back into the room. — *AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

After, quality accessories such as the Italian blown glass lamp topped with a green silk shade and scalloped-edge cherry side table are bespoke, timeless design pieces.

When it comes to luxury, details matter! Taking time to get it right is absolutely worth the attention, an investment you’ll enjoy for years to come.

Do YOU have a luxury interior design project that requires special care? Kimball Starr will ensure a perfect finish – contact her today for a consultation!

Labels: art, color, custom furniture, custom window, fabric, living room, luxury, rug, slipcover, window treatments

California Coastal Living

Jul 29, 2019 | Posted in Inspirations |

View of a living room with a single exposed beam at the ceiling, off-white wall color, curtains, and ceilings, grey and tan toned furniture, with just a few pops of turquoise color brought in with throw pillows. A black fireplace and TV screen above it are the darkest elements in the room, with everything else being soothing shades of neutral colors. — *Image courtesy Freshome.com*

Drop a pin on a map anywhere in Northern California and you’re already close to water – an important element in luxury home design. Today I’m sharing a few aspects of California coastal style that will make your spirit soar!

View of an open-plan living/dining area with off-white wall paint and unadorned white windows on all sides. Dining chairs are medium-toned wood paired with a lighter wood dining table, under a glass and dark metal chandelier. In the living area, loveseats are a pale tan, with a glass-topped rectangular coffee table on dark metal legs. Light-colored hardwood flooring is topped by a white rug to define the living area, while a herringbone brick fireplace interior calls out that element against the back left white wall, under a natural wood lintel. — *Image courtesy Coastal Farmhouse.com*

Neutral Color & Texture Palette

The coastal color palette is simple, light and breezy. Create a foundation with neutrals, then layer in some pops of color, such as the traditional navy blue and white, or a fun turquoise. Texture is also considered a key neutral element here, with use of wood, bamboo, rattan and other natural materials adding to the textural feeling.

A floor-to-ceiling window frames the view next to a round, light-colored dining table surrounded by white wooden chairs with geometric wood carved back detail. Head chairs are a darker, textured tan with clear Perspex arms. The chandelier is made from glass balls and floats tangled in nets. — *Image courtesy CoastalLiving.com*

Sun, Sand, Surf, and Outdoor Dining

Use all your senses to recall those magic moments, by bringing in the basics of water, sand, wind, and sun to your design. Indoor-outdoor dining is a key element here, year-round. If you don’t always have the best weather, pull that breezy feeling indoors, as in this Cape Cod-inspired kitchen.

East Coast meets West Coast in this Cape Cod-inspired kitchen, mostly in white finishes, with black metal accents as seen on the three pendant lights. Wooden counter seating spans the kitchen island, which is a major design element. — *Photo courtesy OneKindDesign.com*

Let Light In

Coastal designs blur the line between indoors and out – plenty of windows, glass doors and skylights, all essential elements that allow light and the sunshine to flood in. To fake it, add lamps and sconces, place a glass-topped table in a sunny breakfast nook or mount a mirror opposite a window. Trade in heavy draperies for light fabrics, or take down the curtains altogether and replace with simple shades. The hallmark color of a coastal home is white, because it allows light to bounce and dazzle.

A mostly-white living room interior with some shades of grey, tan, and off-white. A herringbone-patterned rug sits comfortably under a white sofa and white wooden coffee table with heavy crossed wood design elements. A white octopus artwork stands out because of the warm grey background against the white wall, above a dark grey sideboard. Window finishes are crisp and clean shades, designed as boxed elements rather than flowing curtains. — *Image courtesy CoastalFarmhouse.com*

If YOU want to refresh your home in the coastal style, contact Kimball Starr to make your ocean retreat a reality.

Labels: coastal, coastal design, color, lighting, outdoor, sand, sun, surf, texture, window treatments

Get The Mediterranean Interior Style

Jul 15, 2019 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

Now that the summer months are here, my thoughts turn to travel, especially to those countries near water. One of my personal favorite interior design styles was popularized overseas, and is just as relevant along the Northern California coastline: The Mediterranean style originated in countries north of the Mediterranean Sea, such as Spain, Italy, and Greece. Let’s take a look at what makes this style so enduring.

View over the romantic whitewashed buildings and blue roofs matching the deep blue water of Santorini, Greece, lapping around the coastline in jewelled greens. — *Image courtesy DiscoverGreece.com*

When we talk about Mediterranean style, you may think of whitewashed buildings high atop steep cliffs above Santorini, the city lights of Monaco, or fields of Tuscan wineries. I imagine white sand beaches and bright blue waters along the Turkish coast, and colorful tapestries hung in a Moroccan market.

Image of arched doorways into a Moroccan market, with patterned walls, a hanging lantern overhead, and boxes of colorful wares alongside the walkway. — *Image courtesy Mercari.com*

Furniture in the Mediterranean style ranges from formal to functional, with ornately turned legs and feet. Furniture hardware can often be heavy and include burnished metal details.

Furniture in a hallway, with a dark wood sideboard dressed with a lamp, family photos and white coral in a vase. The sideboard displays delicately turned feet and legs, while the drawers have keys hanging from the locks. Curved metal seats flank the sideboard, with leather seats. — *Image courtesy Decoist.com via Pinterest*

Mediterranean colors echo those of the sea and sky, and, depending on the region, can also include terra cotta, lavender and yellow. Mosaic tile designs embody the colors of the Med, and blend easily with many design styles. Bring tiling designs into your home on flooring, a kitchen backsplash, or on something you can take with you if you move, like a mirror frame or a tabletop.

Three types of Mediterranean tiling by Artistic Tile, side by side. On the left is a red brick background color, with tan field and black and gray geometric shapes, in a pattern that repeats, so you can join the tiles next to each other. The center tile is also a repeating pattern, this time a tan field with dark green patterning. The third example is a lighter color off-white field, with two shades of blue forming geometric patterns and plant or floral shapes. — *Images courtesy Artistic Tile’s Mediterranean collection*

Another popular Mediterranean style accent is exposed wood beams, often paired with gleaming white marble floors or white walls.

View of a mostly white living room with high ceilings painted white around exposed wood beams, a tall white chimney coming down to a brick fireplace flanked by built-in bookcases, chairs and a loveseat in white fabric on white tiled flooring, and open arched glass doors leading to an outdoor patio space. — *Image courtesy Decoist.com via Pinterest*

People of the Med adore their outdoor spaces, so make sure your interiors flow easily into an exterior dining area or patio, and you can’t go wrong. Arranging your outdoor seating around a water feature is also a popular approach.

An outdoor courtyard surrounded by white walls with dark metal decorative railings over doors and windows. To the right is a long rectangular swimming pool, flanked by large potted plants. Long low seating offers multi-colored throw pillows to relax in front of the tall white outdoor fireplace on the left. — *Image courtesy Decoist.com*

The outdoor lifestyle of the Med often includes a veranda or an open interior courtyard, to optimize for the warm, sunny weather. This is another place you’ll see colorful geometric tiling, or sometimes even pure white, and plenty of healthy plantings, so that’s an easy way to get the look, by layering in plants and tiling.

A private interior courtyard in this Folsom Street San Francisco home looks like you’re actually somewhere in the Mediterranean or Morocco, with an intricately tiled water feature in front of a high wooden privacy fence, hung with multiple planters. The ground is covered in a coppery oversized tile, and a round table and blue chairs sits next to a plain grey wall, topped with a vase of flowers. In the foreground, an orange seat peaks through, while to the left we can just see a lime green, turquoise blue and brown geometric patterned indoor-outdoor rug. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Here’s a Med-inspired courtyard deck I designed for a San Francisco SOMA loft. The stunning water fountain imported from Morocco features an uplight for dramatic nighttime scenes. It’s surrounded by large-scale textural floor tiles in multiple colorations, and a stylized patterned outdoor polypropylene rug that resists fading, which can be hosed off for easy maintenance. The entire space is dotted with easy-care live plants, including the succulent wall hangings on the trellis behind the water feature. An LED sconce will light the space for 50,000 hours before it needs changing. Durable outdoor furniture withstands the weather and remains welcoming, making this truly an outdoor living room.

Do YOU have a Mediterranean-style project that wants to be realized? Kimball Starr Interior Design can help with a consultation. Contact her today!

Labels: Mediterranean style, patio furniture, plants, tiling, travel

Renovate for Christmas in July

Jul 01, 2019 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

View of a conversation corner on a blue rug, with a contemporary sofa and matching chair in grey with multi-patterned throw pillows. To the front right is a midcentury modern chair and Noguchi glass table, both with wooden frames. At the back corner is a large plant with wide fronds, and a set of French doors with light streaming in. — *Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Eric Rorer*

If you plan to re-do your home for the winter holidays, NOW is the time to start planning! I know it seems like winter is a long way off, but July is the perfect time to consider your options for a bathroom renovation or just replacing your furniture for a fresh look. Here are some valuable tips to ensure your project finishes on schedule.

Kimball Starr redesigns this San Francisco powder room with classic white marble and blue subway tiles, plus a round mirror over the white sink basin with storage drawers underneath. — *Design by Kimball Starr / photo by David Duncan Livingston*

Scope of the Project

Think about the scale of what you want to accomplish. If you want to re-do your kitchen, bathroom or living room, is this a complete remodel, or is it only new furniture? Does this involve a contractor and structural changes? Are we changing windows, tile and other finishes, or are we just replacing furniture? If it’s furniture, is this a full-house refurnish or just a couple of rooms?

A lot of folks think the project with the contractor will take longer, but you’d be surprised to learn that a whole house of furniture can often take far longer than a small remodel, due to furniture ordering, production, and delivery lead times.

If you’re replacing furniture without major construction for holiday hosting, plan for 3 months minimum from when you order to when you get it in house, so this is important to start early. 10-12 weeks for furniture is a good rule of thumb: 8-10 weeks to order plus 2 weeks to ship. But not if you’re doing an entire house!

If you’re doing living, dining and master or guest bedroom, plan for 3 months to receive the furniture, plus another 2-4 months for furniture plan, meetings, review and the order process, depending on scope and how quickly the decisions are made.

Looking into a bedroom with brightly-colored and bold-patterns in tangerine and white. The Brazilian cherry floors and dark wood furniture balance and temper the orange glow, and multiple patterns mix easily due to variations in scale. Handmade raw linen curtains with a hand-painted pattern filter the morning east-facing sunlight that imbues the tangerine walls with a gentle glow. — *Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Eric Rorer*

Steps of a Renovation

What if you want to fully renovate your powder room? Here are the steps:

1. Hire a contractor, who leads the timeline and drives the schedule.

2. Come up with a design plan – permit drawings will be required.

3. Execute the plan, managing deliveries and services from professional installers.

4. With construction, you need time to fix errors, which is called a “punch list”, and complete the final details. This part often takes longer than expected.

In our furniture example, finishing details such as art and mirrors come last but do take time, so don’t forget to plan for what I think is the best part!

A modern glass shower with curb-less door opens onto multi-toned tan porcelain tiling on the floor, pure white railroad tiles on the bottom half of shower walls, and hexagonal grey and white tiles on the upper half. Dark wood cabinetry contrasts with the white marbled countertop, and a pair of mirrors over his-n-her sinks provides plenty of space for getting ready together. — *Design by Kimball Starr / photo by David Duncan Livingston*

Account for Delays

Definitely account for potential delays in your plan. If any of the furniture or finishes you’re ordering is European, everyone goes on vacation in August, so that’s an entire month you can’t get anything done if you’re buying from anywhere in Europe. Same thing with Thanksgiving and Christmas here in the United States: Warehouses, production facilities and even showrooms may close for two weeks or more, so plan for these delays.

Then there’s delivery. Should things become damaged in shipping, you’ll need some extra time to either repair or replace. Shipping companies are often understaffed and people get a little careless when they’re rushed, so mistakes can happen. Aim for November BEFORE Thanksgiving, rather than December. Then if there are unexpected delays, you’ve bought yourself some time to work with.

San Francisco Belmont kitchen renovated in white, wood and farmhouse blue, showing a new skylight, dual windows, and multiple blue glass pendant lights. — *Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Paul Dyer*

Renovation Timelines

In my experience, a bathroom remodel will take about 2-3 months from demolition to conclusion. This is realistic to finish before the holiday season, especially if it’s a small bathroom, and client decisions can be made quickly. I suggest 1-3 months for the design planning process, including designing the floor plan and selecting finishes. This can vary based on the scope and level of detail, plus how quickly decisions are made.

Now, a full kitchen renovation will take at least 3-5 months, from demolition to completion of all details. For the design process, again, it can take anywhere from 2-4 months for planning, layout, selection of fixtures and finishes, and final decisions. Plus, then you might decide you need to change recessed lighting, or re-do the attached/related areas of the space, so it feels complete. If you start now, you could potentially finish your kitchen in time to be cooking Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner for your guests.

Angled view of the bed, showing a dark wood chest of drawers, topped by flowers in front of a pair of window-frame mirrors. Long dark purple draperies are accented by yellow fabric line 1/3 of the way from the floor. — *Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Eric Rorer*

Hiring Professionals

While some people do manage renovation projects themselves, it’s good to hire professionals, especially if you have a very tight schedule. Drawing up a floor plan seems like it should be quick, but if you don’t know about things like clearances or required circulation space for fire codes, you could find yourself in hot water quickly. That’s why hiring a designer is a great idea. Plus, a designer can help you select a trustworthy local contractor, a very important decision in any home renovation project. The designer can communicate with and manage the contractor and installation professionals, which can keep your project on schedule and on budget. This is a must for a project that needs to finish in time for your holiday guests to arrive!

A glamorous transitional dining room view, through the living room, showing hints of bright pinky-red recliners at the far right and left of the image. Between we see a glamorous dining room with heavy, dark brown chairs with nailheads and a ring detail on the back. The head chairs are a different fabric, textured in purple. Coppery grasscloth wallpaper complements a triptych artwork on the rear wall showing real lotus leaves finished in copper. A rectilinear glass chandelier lights the space, adding to the sunlight filtered through brightly-colored sheers that match the living room chairs. — Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Eric Rorer

If YOU want to renovate your bathroom, kitchen or bedroom in time for the winter holidays, call or email now! Kimball Starr offers complimentary consultations to explore your ideas.

Labels: bathroom, bedroom, contractor, custom furniture, dining room, guest bedroom, how to work with a designer, kitchen, living room, tips

Midcentury-Moroccan Makeover

Jun 20, 2019 | Posted in Before & After |

View into a Francisco loft contemporary living room, which mixes a midcentury modern sofa with Moroccan influences in a patterned ottoman used as a coffee table, and teardrop-shaped brass pendant lamps. Full height gold curtains filter sunlight into the space and a yellow and green patterned rug anchors the living area in front of a wall-mounted TV over a midcentury sideboard used as media storage. — *AFTER Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Joe Fletcher*

Ever been to a mid-century Moroccan bazaar? That’s the feeling we created for an underutilized San Francisco loft. To see how we transformed an empty space into a sumptuous home by mixing global style with midcentury modern flair, read on!

Folding chairs sit on empty floor space in front of long metal vertical blinds and dated windows over a door to the outside in a tall loft space. — *BEFORE – living room and doorway to patio*

When you compare the after at top with this before photo, the change is quite dramatic. We removed the clunky metal vertical blinds and replaced them with light-filtering soft draperies, and got rid of the loud air conditioner, unnecessary in San Francisco’s temperate climate.

Looking under the edge of the loft into the guest bedroom on left, with opaque walls opened up and a Murphy bed closed on the wall. In front, you see a pair of patterned slipper chairs and a Moroccan metal table. Between is an opaque wall of the guest bedroom, which separates the dining space, featuring midcentury modern dining table and chairs in coordinating colors of wood and blue-green fabric. — *AFTER Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Joe Fletcher*

After our redesign, we lightened the space by replacing a solid wall with retracting opaque ones. You can just see a convertible bed closed on the left wall, allowing for more living space. In front, a Moroccan metal table and a pair of patterned slipper chairs provide additional seating. The guest bedroom wall now separates the open-plan dining space, featuring midcentury modern dining table and chairs in coordinating colors. Combining the Moroccan influence with midcentury style creates a fun atmosphere!

*BEFORE – living room and guest bedroom wall*

In this before image, you’re seeing a temporary wall used to create a storage area tucked underneath the loft’s upstairs master bedroom, which we opened up by replacing them with the opaque retracting walls, and creating an open plan dining space. The entire area was veiled in shadow, before that change.

View from the loft above, looking down onto the living room, combining a midcentury modern sofa with globally-patterned ottoman used as a coffee table, and teardrop-shaped brass pendant lamps. — AFTER Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Joe Fletcher

In this after view from above, authentic Moroccan brass teardrop pendants fill the high space above the custom-designed curved fireplace, and dramatic 18-foot-high golden draperies emphasize the room height and capture sunlight with a backlit glow. Hanging the hand-pierced brass pendants down to the top of the fireplace lowers the visual focus and adds a stunning design element.

To create a more intimate space in the living area, long white glass pendants visually lower the ceiling directly over the seating. The global-patterned living room rug was custom-cut at an angle to echo the lines of the sofa, creating room for the adjacent pivoting bookcase on floor casters. By customizing the shape and size of the rug, we’ve defined the living area zone and created an inviting and intimate space. We juxtaposed the midcentury elements with stylish global pieces like the Chinese-inspired red lacquer sideboard, used as a media unit below the TV.

View from above into the living room, with a dated fireplace in the corner and blank white walls. Folding furniture gives the space an air of the temporary. — *BEFORE – overlooking the living area from the loft*

Before, overlooking the living area from the loft, showing the fireplace and bare bones of the space. You can really see what a difference zoning makes!

San Francisco loft contemporary circular staircase and custom bookcase wraps around in high-gloss orange paint inside the shelving, with white reflective patterned decorated surface facing the living area. An orange display niche on the left white wall matches the orange on the bookcase behind silver stair railings. — *AFTER Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Joe Fletcher*

With a change in color for the modern staircase rails and a high-gloss shelving interior, the addition of global textures and patterns, and coordination with a pop of color in the nearby wall niche, now the stairs are a fascinating journey to a higher plane of relaxation. The authentic teardrop pendant lamps display our Moroccan influence, while the modern lines and finishes neatly tie in with midcentury style.

BEFORE - loft bedroom circular staircase — *BEFORE – loft bedroom circular staircase*

To get up to the loft’s master bedroom, you navigate a circular staircase. It already had this cool pivoting bookcase wall that curls neatly around the stairs, but it was stark and office-y looking.

Blue wall paint color tones with vintage mid-century modern bed and side table lamps in blue glass. Dark striated wood flooring draws the eye towards the bed, stopping at a hand-knotted East Asian rug. To the left of the photo is the yellow-seated vintage chair, and to the bottom right is a white built-in storage unit. — *AFTER Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Joe Fletcher*

After, built-in storage leads you toward a sumptuous, relaxing bedroom. The lines of the built-in follow the stranded bamboo flooring into the sleeping area, featuring a beloved vintage rug I can picture arriving on the back of a camel. Pairing a vintage rug with midcentury modern tables and lamps gives this bedroom a cool aesthetic.

BEFORE - loft bedroom area with two-toned wall, the left in cream, the right in sage green, with a blue folding cot on top of red shag carpeting. — *BEFORE – loft bedroom red shag carpet*

In this before photo of the loft master bedroom, you’ll agree the wall colors and red shag carpet weren’t doing it any favors.

A blank corner with cream wall on left, sage green on right, with white baseboards and red shag carpet. A wooden folding chair sits in the foreground. — *BEFORE – loft bedroom wall color*

Here’s the corner that became a lovely secretaire and home office desk, as you can see in the After photo below. What a difference the right shade of paint makes, along with a beautiful piece of furniture, paired with a vintage chair in coordinating color. I love it, and the owner loves it too!

Gold wall paint color sets off a vintage mid-century modern secretary desk in a warm brown wood, with a yellow-seated vintage chair, also in the same warm wood tones. A piece of bamboo sits atop the desk, next to art hung on the wall. A hint of blue and white bedding at the bottom right corner indicates a bed. — *AFTER Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Joe Fletcher*

If YOU want to transform your living space, get in touch! Kimball Starr offers complimentary consultations to explore your horizons.

Labels: colorful ottomans, dining room, guest bedroom, living room, loft, loft design, mid-century, mid-century modern, Moroccan tile, pendant lights, window treatments

Delicious Kitchen Before & After

Jun 03, 2019 | Posted in Before & After |

Close-up of a contemporary kitchen, featuring grey upper cabinetry with small, square silver knobs. You get a partial view of a silver microwave above and a range and oven unit below. Subway tiles in varied shades of green and grey counterpoint the bowl of yellow lemons that adorns the counter, alongside a green glass bottle of water, with a glass of water containing sliced lemon. The lower cabinetry is a darker shade of grey, with larger rectangular horizontal silver drawer pulls. — AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr, photo by Eric Rorer

You just cannot beat the WOW of a great before-and-after story. My client wanted a modern kitchen with a cool masculine aesthetic for his San Francisco condo that would remain in style for years to come. Looking at the photo above, do you agree we delivered the “wow”?

Looking into kitchen through a dining pass-through with personal items piled up on the pass-through counter, but nothing on the counters inside the kitchen itself. The orangey wood upper cabinets don’t tone well with the pink-flecked countertops. — BEFORE

Here’s what the space looked like before: Almost office-y with its basic cabinetry, standard handles, plenty of electrical outlets but nothing dressing the counters.

Looking into a kitchen through a dining room pass-through space. At the far left is a large silver-finish fridge and freezer unit, with grey cabinetry above, that continues around the rest of that wall and the right wall, where you see a microwave above and a range and oven unit below. Subway tiles in varied shades of green and grey counterpoint the green plant and fresh fruit displays. Light white-colored worktops are continued in color on the passthrough, which doubles as a dining counter surface. White walls and ceiling continue throughout the rest of the space. — AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr, photo by Eric Rorer

After, what a difference! I brought in off-white quartz countertops to brighten up the space, two-toned gray cabinetry for some color dimension, and handmade stained glass subway tiles in soft, watered-down tones of grays, blues, and greens. Now it’s contemporary, smart, and welcoming, and will be a kitchen that feels timeless, the heart of the home.

State of the kitchen before Kimball worked her magic. The shades of orangey finishes on the cabinets and flooring don’t tone with each other, and the undercabinet lighting gives off a sickening greenish effect. — BEFORE

Previously, the old finishes were dated and discolored, and the lighting gave off this eerie cast.

Contemporary kitchen featuring a white ceiling with recessed center square, grey cabinetry at eye level. Subway tiles in varied shades of green and grey counterpoint the green plant and fresh fruit displays. A bowl of yellow lemons adorns the counter, alongside a green glass bottle of water. The bottom cabinetry is a darker shade of grey, and the clean lines of the sink are reinforced by a modern single tap and basin. — AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr, photo by Eric Rorer

After our makeover, you’d actually want to spend time doing the washing up in this lovely, calming kitchen! I love that the owner’s artwork and sculpture are given space to breathe, and natural light pours in from the dining area.

In this homeowner’s own before photo, shades of orangey finishes on the cabinets and flooring don’t tone with each other, and the undercabinet lighting gives off a sickening greenish effect on the countertops. — BEFORE

Contemporary kitchen featuring a white ceiling with recessed center square, grey cabinetry at eye level that continues around the other wall. You see a silver microwave above and a 4-burner range and oven unit below. Subway tiles in varied shades of green and grey counterpoint the green plant and fresh fruit displays. A bowl of yellow lemons adorns the counter, alongside a green glass bottle of water. The bottom cabinetry is a darker shade of grey, and the floor is a horizontal multi-colored pattern that tones with the greys and tans. — AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr, photo by Eric Rorer

Now the kitchen is light, fresh, and ready to welcome chefs and guests alike!

Need a kitchen that sizzles while looking cool? Kimball Starr Interior specializes in contemporary residential kitchens loved by cooks! Contact us today for a complimentary consultation.

Labels: appliances, before and after, countertops, fixtures & finishes, kitchen

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