Before & After: A Blah Brown Kitchen and Family Room Get a Total Makeover

Project by: Stephanie Hatten of SH interiors
Location: Stevenson Ranch, California

Stephanie’s client wanted the nexus of their home, the kitchen and family room, to flow nicely, have special touches for the children and still feel like an adult space. She created a stunning space that is kid friendly (and encourages toy clean up!) and is also sophisticated enough for date night.

From Stephanie Hatten: We completely gutted and remodeled this kitchen and family room space for a family of seven. The original style was a dated ’90s tract home, lacking in character. My client “wanted her dream kitchen” since the kitchen and family room are the two rooms where her family spends the most time. She wanted a timeless kitchen with classic lines, but also wanted it to be fun and whimsical for the kids. She also had a few antiques that she wanted incorporated into the space.

No detail was spared in this kitchen: moldings, hood detail, lovely polished nickel hardware, detailed ceiling with bead board and beams. My client also had a unique request. Because she has five small children she wanted a place to display “pretty things” on a daily basis because this is not her usual reality. On that request, we designed the glass display, so that she could do just that. We also incorporated custom items such as the paper towel dispenser, this is an item that is used every day-all day, so she wanted it handy, but out of sight if possible. A custom “drop zone” for her kids backpacks, lunch boxes and school supplies, a custom unit to house the TV equipment.

Space was also a concern in this remodel. Although the two rooms are fairly large, they are somewhat small for a big family. We had a challenge as to where to put a table and chairs, so we incorporated the custom island seating. We purchased a table at a local showroom and designed the size of the island around that piece.

Another major priority for the space was durability. Keeping that in mind, the material for the seating at the banquette is printed vinyl, which is easy to wipe down. But it’s more interesting than a typical solid vinyl because it has a pretty embossed print we added to make it a bit more elegant. The counters were another consideration. My client loves all of the white and gray marble that is available, but it really isn’t that practical for a busy kitchen and family of seven. So we settled on the Fantasy Brown marble which is much harder White Carrara than some of the other white and gray marbles. This gave her the peace of mind that she wouldn’t have maintenance and possible stains.

Because the room is tight for such a large family we were limited in our layout for the family room. However, we updated the look by removing a very large wrap around hearth and that enabled us to pick up additional space on two sides. We update the fireplace by moving the box down to the floor and putting the TV above it. We added stone and a custom surround. A custom TV unit was also created to house the many games and equipment the family owns. It also serves as extra toy storage. The sliding barn doors make it very efficient and easy to use. And we added some attractive display boxes to add additional storage possibilities and simply so it would look attractive when it was in use, as it always is with some many kids.

The sofa, which was custom made locally, is 13′ x 13′, so a regular coffee table just wouldn’t do. I found these hex tables that come in two sizes and we thought it would be very fun and also very flexible on movie night. Everyone can have a table for their beverages, etc as they are easily moveable and can be arranged in many configurations.

We incorporated a beverage center on the far end of the main kitchen wall. This is stocked with kid friendly snacks on one side and adult friendly on the other. The snacks are easy access for the kids and it keeps them out of the main kitchen fridge and out from under foot.

The overall finished look is classic, but fun and whimsical for a family with small children. In a few years they can update the space with more mature accessories and completely refresh the look.

RESOURCES:

• Counter top stone: Fantasy Brown by Arizona tile
• Glass liner on backsplash:by Arizona Tile Star
• Sconces: Astro by Crystorama
• Lanterns: Wood and Iron: Entwined Oval Driftwood by Shades of Light
• Integrated fridge and freezer: Sub Zero
• Hood: Sub Zero
• Range: Wolf Farm
• Sink: Kohler
• Faucet: Kohler
• Cabinet hardware: Top Knobs Latch and Reeded pulls
• White throw pillows: Target
• Multi colored throw pillows: Calico Corners
• Mosaic stone backsplash: Arabescato by Rio Tile and Marble
• TV unit: Sliding door hardware by Artisan Hardware
• Art over sofa: Urban Outfitters (Kimberly Dhollander- Dreamy Art Houses Print)
• Hex Wood Modern Geo Coffee tables: Hammers & Heels
• Floor tile: MSI Stone
• Art near dining table: Calendar of cities around the world from Rifle Paper Company (We cut them out and framed/matted them)
• Frames: Aaron Bros
• Baskets in backpack area: Target
• Vinyl on the banquette seat: Top Fabrics

Thanks, Stephanie and SH interiors!

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