I love when I walk into a home + it’s still living in the 90s mediterranean era. I can’t even be mad… it was so in to make your house look like Olive Garden. You know what I’m talking about: Roman columns skillfully painted to resemble marble, yellow paisley drapes + wrought iron lamps. Now let’s fast-forward to 2022: my clients’ style transformed, their family grew [hey grandkids!] + their needs changed. They decided it was time for an upgrade!

During our first meeting, my client pulled out the original blueprints to the home, circa 1987. It was obvious this home was thoughtfully + masterfully designed. I did, however, have one problem with the architect. He completely boxed-off the kitchen: no windows at all + forbidden from the ocean view. [Insert horror movie scream here.] By the time I was called in, my clients had already converted one of these walls into a half-wall. I liked where they were going with this, but I wanted to take it a step further.

I had two main goals in this space: 1. totally open up the kitchen + 2. better connect the style of the home to the surrounding landscape. The existing kitchen felt dark + isolated from the main living area. Ripping down the walls gave us the light we needed + greatly improved the traffic pattern throughout the space. To further improve flow, I proposed a single large island [the largest I’ve ever designed]. As anyone with an island knows, it is the natural gathering place in a home. With four comfortable stools + over 56 ft.² of counter space, I’m confident this island will serve the family well + be the backdrop of many happy memories over the years.

I didn’t feel the existing space really connected with the landscape. In homes with several large windows + glass doors, I heavily consider the exterior because it’s truly part of the interior. To better blend the two, I selected colors that were reminiscent of the view: blues, sandy browns + whites. The final product feels bright, inviting + consistent with the property.