est.
2006
Welcome to the Mind your Materials project, Our clients for this job have a keen eye for quality and their love for high-end wood materials was a major driving force behind this design. They wanted a space that not only looked stunning but also elevated their daily routines.
The house was built in the late 90’s and is a 2nd generation home to my client. Having grown up here, she always wondered why the kitchen was so little compared to the home. All I can say is that Kitchens had a different purpose back then. Now Kitchens are very much a part of our every day lifestyle and the main place we entertain. We need our Kitchens to be functional for our unique way of living.
In the plan we knew that the Kitchen would expand and we would bring in a new dining area where the den was. We wanted to open up the doorway between the living room and the new Kitchen and Dining area, so they would feel more connected. We also raised the casing since the ceiling height allowed. We moved the Laundry Room to another part of the home and turned it into a great pantry. We also freshened up the powder room right next to the Kitchen with some new fixtures and materials.
In the Design we divided the two spaces and gave each one a main focal point. For the Dining area we created a double fireplace pulling from the other side and anchoring that space. For the Kitchen portion, we used the vent hood and kept one of the windows in it’s location while making sure to put a new on in on the other side, flanking floating shelves to the hood to provide symmetry. We did have to use a slightly smaller window for the one we kept so it could accommodate a kitchen counter underneath. But overall, this made the room work!
Since our client has a lot of experience with wood materials, We incorporated all new hardwood floors throughout the home that were hand picked for the best color and quality. We made sure that any other natural wood were the perfect stain compliment to the floors. For the overall design, this client loves a clean, Scandinavian palette, so we washed the rooms (along with the whole house) using soft whites and gave the island a warm gray to break it up and add definition.
We are so excited about this transformation and cannot wait to work with our client’s on phase two! But don’t take our word for it! Here is what they had to say.
Contractor: RSU Contractors
Photographer: Allison Elefante
"We have had SUCH a great experience working with Rebecca and her team at Monarch Lane. We recently completed phase one of a multi-phase home renovation Rebecca designed for us, and I have no idea how we could have done it without them (because we couldn't have!). They made everything so easy and fun. From coming up with a beautiful design for our kitchen, to handling all scheduling of appointments to select appliances and finishes, to making perfect recommendations when we had major decision fatigue...it was clear throughout the entire process they are true experts at what they do. Hiring Monarch Lane was a decision that was SO worth it, and we look forward to working with them on any/all future home design projects."