Before and After: This New Kitchen Can Only Be Described As Classic
This St. Paul, Minnesota, kitchen was large, sunny, and full of storage, but its owners wanted something new and bold. With the help of a thoughtful designer, they now have the kitchen of their dreams.
Kassina Falstad of OlliePop Design is responsible for this renovation; here she describes the company’s approach and this project in particular:
Our motto is love your house for less, as we believe everyone can afford great design. That couldn’t have been more applicable than in this kitchen remodel where we took every opportunity to make things look custom and beautiful, but without the hefty price tag.
The wood chairs and the gold faucet, hardware, and pendant work so well with the warm tones of the trellis-like floor. And while we’re seeing a lot of marble countertops these days, veining this bold is a rare treat, as is a marble backsplash. I love how the organic marble veins juxtaposes with the rigid grid of the tiles. Plus, the light in this kitchen is absolutely dreamy.
Kassina explains the process of making this dreaminess a reality:
In order to give a high-end look for less, our biggest trick is to focus on a few key wow-factors so that you’re telling people where to focus their attention, which then lets you save money in other areas. We did that in two major ways on this project. First, we splurged on the floor tile and marble countertops but then saved by using affordable cabinets and fixtures.
On [one] side of the kitchen we have white cabinets topped with the marble countertops. We did a marble slab backsplash behind the stove combined with a simple four-inch tall white trim piece backsplash everywhere else. We brought their love for gold in through the accents in hardware, the faucet, lights and the shelving supports. Just that small amount of gold was all it took to make an impact.
We were excited about this remodel because our clients have bold taste, which is always fun as a designer! They loved the combination of navy and gold so we ran with it by creating a bold contrast between white and navy cabinets, large-veined marble, a patterned cement floor tile and gold fixtures and accessories.
I adore that deep, deep blue, which pairs perfectly with gold. The unusual shelves, also done up in navy and gold, are intriguing. The decision to tie this area to the rest of the kitchen with that strip of marble was so smart. The wood countertop likewise coordinates well with the wooden chairs and the brown floor. Also, we’ve been seeing a lot of two-tone cabinetry with one color on the lower cupboards and another on the upper ones, and this two-tone zone approach is fresh and fun.
Here’s a little more information about this nook:
[W]e did a small navy prep area where we did custom cabinetry and shelving. This brought in that bold contrast our client loves, but by focusing it just to that small area we were able to use more affordable white cabinetry everywhere else in the kitchen to save big on budget.
Speaking of that navy prep area, that’s also our favorite space in the kitchen. Going with a bold color in just one area gives the space an eclectic and custom look. To warm up that side of the kitchen we used a butcher block countertop, which is also practical since it’s the prep station. We used a five-inch tall marble slab for the backsplash, which helped carry the marble around the room.
We loved pulling this kitchen together for our client and were actually quite impressed with how everything came together!
Thank you, Kassina Falstad and OlliePop Design!