The brick-like tile, vintage lighting fixtures and reclaimed wood in this kitchen may indicate an earlier era, but the clean cabinetry and contemporary fixtures stage to its latest design. The owners, newlyweds in Southern California, needed a kitchen which would replace the obsolete old space without appearing blatantly brand-new. After reworking the design and shutting up doors that are unnecessary, designer Lisa Gutow professionally mixed both contemporary and rustic components to create a warm, welcoming and eclectic kitchen.
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A recently married couple
Location: San Clemente, California
Size: 130 square feet
Lisa gutow design
The white planked cabinetry gives the kitchen a low-key feel that is in accord with its coastal location. Gutow set up a reclaimed rough-sawn wood beam over the hood as a rustic accent.
The kitchen size and design didn’t allow for as much storage as the couple would’ve liked, so Gutow place glass shelves in front of one window to maximize space and allow for natural lighting. Since the little window just includes an opinion of a guesthouse next door, the client prioritized storage within the view.
Hardware: Restoration Hardware; range: Electrolux with concealed hood
Lisa gutow design
The rustic brick-style backsplash is really made from cement field tile. Gutow and the clients chose the tile with brick in your mind, so it’d seem similar to that kitchen has always been here. “We wanted it to seem like the drywall had been chiseled away and brick was discovered,” says Gutow.
Hand-painted Italian tile over the stove adds a more contemporary element and stays in accord with the remainder of the house’s Mediterranean undertones.
Backsplash tile: Hacienda San Felipe, Ann Sacks; tile over stove: Haveli, Ann Sacks
Before Photo
Lisa gutow design
The prior kitchen had been neglected for ages. Here is a view of the first distance, looking away in the smaller window at the rear of the kitchen. The big window over the sink was kept in the new design.
The kitchen outdated cabinetry had entire drawers and cabinets overlooking. The white and black pattern on the ground had worn in several areas, so Gutow sanded it down and used Annie Sloan chalk paint to create a low-contrast stripe.
Lisa gutow design
AFTER: Though Gutow kept the original appliance layout to avoid shifting plumbing and gas components, she reworked the traffic patterns.
Before Photo
Lisa gutow design
When looking into the kitchen, in which the little window exists now, there were two additional doors; one led to the courtyard, another to a laundry area. The empty wall is where the stove sits at the kitchen. Gutow closed both doors up, created another entrance to the laundry area and flipped the courtyard door right into a more compact kitchen window. Now foot traffic travels through the living room, rather than the kitchen.
Lisa gutow design
AFTER: Fixing the courtyard door using the smaller window on the left created room for cabinets, such as those below the window and the device which sits on the countertop, holding the coffeemaker and microwave.
The lively blue pendants include some essential colour; the client found these classic pieces on her, and Gutow had them rewired to your kitchen. The butcher block is. The excess surface area close to the refrigerator is the best location for putting together a cheese plate or a appetizer before carrying it in the adjoining dining area.
Blue bracelets: classic; sink: Rohl; faucet: Country Kitchen, Rohl; countertops: honed marble, Botticcino Classico