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Before & After: A Typical Dated Suburban Kitchen is Now “To Die For”

Arlyn Hernandez
Arlyn Hernandez
Arlyn is a rarified born-and-bred Florida girl who can never turn her back on a sad chair in need of rehab or a jewel-tone velvet sofa.
published Mar 12, 2017
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(Image credit: Courtesy Jessica McClendon)

Project by: Jessica McClendon of Glamour Nest
Project location: Los Angeles, California

The “before” of this Sherman Oaks kitchen is your typical suburban kitchen: oak cabinets, tile flooring, Corian countertops…all the result of a renovation from decades prior that now felt dated and ignored the home’s mid-century roots. The family of four that resides here decided to completely overhaul the space and worked with architect Graham Ferrier to rethink the floor plan and designer Jessica McClendon of L.A. interiors firm Glamour Nest to add some serious style.

AFTER

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Aqua bar stools from Blu Dot punctuate the remodeled kitchen with a sense of fun. (Image credit: Mary Costa Photography)

From Jessica:

The style of the home was my biggest influence with this kitchen renovation. It’s a mid-century residence built in 1955, and it was my goal to honor the original architecture while also ensuring that the 250-square-foot space felt fresh and current. I was hired to select all finishes, fixtures and furnishings. My client worked with an architect to create the new layout for the kitchen, and once it was approved, I got to work choosing the cabinet style, cabinet finish/color, cabinet pulls, fixtures, backsplash, countertop material and style (waterfall), flooring (new wood throughout the house), lighting, bar stools, and accessories (rug, pottery and more!).

I love the concept of mixing clean modern with an organic, open-air vibe. And as my client loves color, we needed to make sure we added an element of fun. I chose neutrals for the cabinetry, floor, counter and backsplash so as to keep the look clean, and then added in fun pops of color to liven up the look.

Often times, modern design can feel cold and stark, but I think that this kitchen feels modern and clean, but also laid-back and inviting. I credit that to a few of my favorite design elements: The casual, soft white-washed floor, modern cabinetry and finishes (those stools!). When we started this project, my client was set on walnut flooring, which would have been gorgeous, but would have felt more serious and expected. Something about this floor choice felt right to me, and not to mention that it’s super durable! I was lucky that my clients trusted my vision and agreed to go with me in this unexpected direction. I truly think that it softens the look, making the space so much more casual and approachable.

In addition to being obsessed with the flooring, I can’t get enough of the pops of color throughout, which adds a playful, inviting element. It tells the world “I don’t take myself too seriously,” while helping to serve as a daily reminder to ourselves.

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Thank you for sharing this beautiful kitchen remodel, Jessica of Glamour Nest!

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Before & After
Kitchen