A head-to-toe kitchen makeover transformed a typical modern family problem (cue outdated, tiny kitchen) into a bright, spacious kitchen of our dreams.
Here is the original kitchen (may it rest in peace!):
“We were expecting our first child, and figuring out how to have a space that could grow with us was really important,” homeowner Vanessa said.
The small kitchen just didn't function the way Vanessa and her husband wished, and the adjacent formal dining room was collecting dust. The minimal dinette space was challenging to maneuver around, and while it seemed like there were lots of cabinets, countertop space and storage was limited.
In trying to decide what she and her husband wanted to do with this space, Vanessa said they struggled with sorting out the layout and flow on their own.
“Remodeling our kitchen felt very overwhelming,” she said. “Creating a vision for the space, functionality and design with so many choices and important decisions to make along the way was terrifying! It was stressful to think that one wrong selection or choice could throw off such a significant investment.”
The homeowners initially bonded with Monica over a stunning wall wine storage piece for the kitchen [see below], and they soon began collaborating on the transformation they were envisioning.
“Monica was such an important partner throughout the entire project,” Vanessa said. “She guided us through really important decisions, helped us and our design stay focused, and helped us find solutions when challenges arose. “
The transformation included demo-ing walls and implementing a ceiling facelift, new floors, new cabinets, quartz, appliances, lighting, furniture, and rugs.
Vanessa said in working with Amethyst, she appreciated how “the whole space, along with functionality and lifestyle, are all being considered when pieces are recommended.”
In trying to maximize every precious square foot of floorspace in this kitchen, we first tore down the wall that the oven & microwave is currently on -- kept the sink in its original position and opened up the space into the unused dining room to make it more inviting. We made strategic decisions to make the space feel light, fresh, and somewhere they felt like they could stretch out!
“We love the openness and natural light from removing the wall that previously separated the dining room and kitchen,” Vanessa said.
The sink area was updated with a beautiful apron front sink, black faucet, and a beige handmade tile laid in a stacked vertical arrangement. Visually, it added the feeling of height and played up all the natural light from the windows.
No uppers, no problems...but seriously don't fret -- there is soooo much wonderful storage on the other side! All of the essential gizmo gadgets are beautifully concealed in floor to ceiling pantry storage with slide out drawers.
Countertop space is the ultimate luxury -- we made sure that these homeowners had plenty of space to bake, make pizza...This black quartz with dramatic white veining is a breeze to keep clean and requires little to no maintenance.
Since Vanessa and her husband were so used to feeling cramped and confined, we wanted to make sure we focused on kitchen seating.
If anyone asks -- we are 100% team "sofas belong in the kitchen." Life happens in the kitchen! Upholstered in linen, the sofa is petite yet ultra-comfortable for dining. Pairing this with the rounded black cane chairs provides ample seating options. We love the soft but modern vibe of the chairs for this young family.
“We love sitting at our kitchen table with a coffee or glass of wine,” Vanessa said.
Because this isn't an open concept space -- the island serves as a great bridge connecting the kitchen and the living space for entertaining. We found these fabulous stools that visually float against the black island.
“It's the first space in our home that feels like our style and personality,” Vanessa said. “I appreciated a mix of price points and Monica's attitude towards ‘picking our moments’ to stay in budget but still create a space that feels beautiful.”
As for Vanessa’s favorite part of her newly renovated space?
“It's really hard to pick one thing as we really love the entire project,” Vanessa said. “We do love the open shelving and horizontal tile, which came as a result of a design challenge that Monica helped us sort out. The light fixtures are also beautiful statement pieces that we really love. And I can't forget the wine rack!”
We can’t forget that wine rack either...It may be our favorite part, too!
A huge thank you to the wonderful team at Gitt Construction for making these kitchen musings come to life! Lighting, rugs, furniture, and accents were sourced from the shop.
This kitchen is serious #kitchengoals and we loved bringing it together for this young Omaha family!
