Designer Insider with Lisa Wilde
As a designer there are so many aspects that make you fall in love with your current projects. BUT very rarely do all the stars a-line, and you love everything about one project. That happened to me this past year when designing this gorgeous rustic, farmhouse kitchen.
Why was this project so special to me? Many reasons… let me list a few:
#1 This kitchen is one of my favorite styles
#2 I developed a friendship with my client
#3 The builder was a dream to work with (Justin K. Meyers Builders LLC)
For starters, every design project touches your heart. Whether that is through the relationship with the client or builder, the design style, the unforeseen challenges, intense timelines, working through changes, etc. Each project, no matter the size, is another opportunity to grow and makes you a better designer. Over my many years of experience, I can honestly say that not one project is ever the same and that is exactly why I am in love with my job. Every finished project becomes your favorite design ever! With that being said, the projects that tend to lean toward your personal design style will tug on your heartstrings a little more with pride and passion. Very rarely do you design a space and think “if this was for my home I wouldn’t change a thing”.
That was the difference with this particular kitchen remodel. Usually, as a designer you are creating a design specifically for that clients lifestyle, design style, colors, layout, etc. This project easily could have been designed for my personal home, which is why it is so special to me. Working with this client was a dream come true!
The Client & Builder
Not only did my client and I have the same design style, we also developed an awesome friendship. She became very dear to my heart! I was sad when our project ended, but I am absolutely obsessed with how it turned out. We were on the same exact page with all the design decisions. She was also open to exploring new ideas and extremely thankful for direction.
Speaking of dreams come true, it’s one thing being on the same page with your client, but being on the same page with your builder makes for a perfect job. Any project where Justin Meyers is involved puts my mind at ease. I know that during the construction and installation phase my design is in the best hands. You could say I was a part of the dream design team for a few months!
The Design Goals
The ultimate goal for this kitchen remodel was to brighten up the space, but the trick was to tie in the wood trim that ran throughout her entire home. We achieved this goal by using an off-white perimeter cabinetry with a graphite (gray/brown color) glaze, which matched the hickory wood cabinetry that made up the island. Choosing hickory was genius! The different color variations in hickory matched perfectly with the glaze in the off-white cabinetry and tones in the wood trim. Not to mention, my favorite wood species is hickory because of the rustic appearance and all the beautiful different tones in one cabinetry door.
The second desired objective to this kitchen remodel was to create a cozy, warm, and inviting feel that represents my clients personality and the rest of her house. This is obviously done by product selection and color scheme decisions. As stated before, the client and I have extremely similar taste so that designing this project was almost like design my own personal kitchen!
We created a cozy, rustic look by first choosing off – white cabinetry with a glaze and an accent wood cabinetry for the island. Nothing screams warm and inviting like wood cabinetry. The next step was finding the perfect quartz countertop. We chose a neutral color palette with movement. Next was introducing a traditional backsplash with a pop of wow-factor. That is why we chose a dark gray subway tile with an accent strip. We then chose a matching tile accent over the stove which created a show stopping detail to this already amazing kitchen design. We went with rustic styling plumbing and light fixtures. The icing on the cake was the flooring. The customer chose Coretec Luxury Vinyl Tile flooring with a variation of grays and tans that did a perfect job of tying in all the color aspects in the kitchen design. It is amazing how the perfect flooring decision can really make or break your design style.
The Island Design
This island design made this kitchen 100% more functional. The new larger island allows for more counter space and more seating. It is now the perfect area to gather with friends and family. PLUS, there is enough room for preparing for holiday meals and making your favorite desserts. This island turned out perfectly. Another area that we created for guests to gather is the breakfast nook. It now offers more storage and the perfect stop to sit for meals, kids doing homework, arts/crafts project, or reading a book with coffee. This kitchen truly has it all!
It was an absolute pleasure and honor to be involved in this kitchen remodel. There is not one thing I would change about this project. It is a kitchen that will be able to withstand the test of time.