The transformation of this gorgeous Irvine home shows that working with a monochromatic palette can be just as bold, fresh, and exciting as redecorating with a rainbow of colors.
New cabinets were built with a Euro & Face Frame construction out of beautiful paint grade maple wood, and given 3” Shaker style doors. We painted the main cabinets and the newly built bench at the end of the expanded room in a Swiss Coffee finish, and went with an Espresso finish for the island. The hard rock melamine interiors of all the cabinets were painted to match exteriors, and light rails were installed behind the cabinet doors, maintaining a polished look down to the smallest of details. In select cabinets, elegant frosted glass panels were set in the doors as well.
Just as with the cabinets, the client decided on duo colors for the countertops as well. 1 ½” straight edge Pental Quartz countertops were chosen, in a black Grigio finish for the main surfaces, and a white Lattice finish for the island. The same countertops were also used in the newly renovated bathrooms.
The bathrooms take on the same style as the kitchen, with a monochromatic color palette and minimalistic design. Each of the showers have Metal Wood Argento and Metal Wood Platino tiles, with matching tiles for bathroom floors. The Downstairs guest bathroom is the exception, having Eleganza’s gray Eramosa Grigio tile floors.
For the final touch in this home, we revamped the staircases and railings with fresh paint and thick, high-contrast moldings. The result is a bold, crisp look that pulls the entire decorative theme of the house together.
Spruce up your home with a remodel by Orange County professional contractors, APlus Interior Design and Remodeling. You’ll enjoy results just as striking as that of this stylish Santa Ana home renovation.
Before
Originally, this home was the wrong type of neutral: the plain, lackluster kind. Our client desired to switch to the other end of the neutral spectrum, opting for a sleek, can’t go wrong style with a few unexpected touches.
Restructuring
We started by ripping out the tacky white linoleum flooring and replacing it with Johnson Hardwood’s English Pub Series hand-scraped flooring in a dark and rustic Hickory Rye finish. Then, we knocked down the dividing wall between the kitchen and dining space, opening up the U-shaped layout to create a free and airy flow. In this demo process, we also took out the old windows and replaced them with high-end sliding windows.
New cabinets were built with a Euro & Face Frame construction out of beautiful paint grade maple wood, and given 3” Shaker style doors. We painted the main cabinets and the newly built bench at the end of the expanded room in a Swiss Coffee finish, and went with an Espresso finish for the island. The hard rock melamine interiors of all the cabinets were painted to match exteriors, and light rails were installed behind the cabinet doors, maintaining a polished look down to the smallest of details. In select cabinets, elegant frosted glass panels were set in the doors as well.
Just as with the cabinets, the client decided on duo colors for the countertops as well. 1 ½” straight edge Pental Quartz countertops were chosen, in a black Grigio finish for the main surfaces, and a white Lattice finish for the island. The same countertops were also used in the newly renovated bathrooms.
The bathrooms take on the same style as the kitchen, with a monochromatic color palette and minimalistic design. Each of the showers have Metal Wood Argento and Metal Wood Platino tiles, with matching tiles for bathroom floors. The Downstairs guest bathroom is the exception, having Eleganza’s gray Eramosa Grigio tile floors.
For the final touch in this home, we revamped the staircases and railings with fresh paint and thick, high-contrast moldings. The result is a bold, crisp look that pulls the entire decorative theme of the house together.
Appliances
In the kitchen, the client chose to go with all new stainless steel appliances from Bosch. Beneath the 36” Under Cabinet Range Hood is a Bosch 800 Series 36” Gas Cook-top with 5 burners, and to the right, a Bosch 800 Series 24” Bar Handle Dishwasher. From the same series is a 4.7 cu. ft. Single Oven, which is embedded flush with the cabinetry beneath the Bosch 15 Amp Microwave Oven.
Spruce up your home with a remodel by Orange County professional contractors, APlus Interior Design and Remodeling. You’ll enjoy results just as striking as that of this stylish Santa Ana home renovation.
The choices of singles or career couples are likely to differ from those of a family with children and pets. If a member of the family has a physical limitation, their needs have to be taken into account too. Casual entertaining at the kitchen table, where the sounds and smells provide a friendly, relaxed atmosphere for guests, may be a priority. Hobbies and homework also frequently take place in kitchens, enabling parents to cook at the same time as supervising children in a safe environment. If space permits, a couch or armchair may provide a "soft area" for play or watching television. If pets share your home, you will need an area where they can eat that is out of the way and will not obstruct access to equipment or storage.
How suitable is your kitchen?
The quickest and simplest option is to remodel an existing kitchen. However, often the shape is restrictive, and architectural features such as windows, doors, or steps are badly positioned for the ideas you have in mind. Look carefully at the room to assess how it functions with other rooms in the home. Do you have to pass through other rooms or walk up and down steps with heavy groceries to reach the present kitchen? Is the kitchen separated from the eating area, necessitating walks between the two and inefficient use of the space between? Is there sufficient floor area within the room for all the standard appliances and cabinets you wish to incorporate? Before embarking on remodeling an existing kitchen, consider various other options: an adjacent room may provide the ideal solution; as an alternative, knocking through an adjoining wall to make one large kitchen room may present a host of new and exciting options.
What could you change?
Start by noting any problems you encounter regularly in the existing kitchen that could be improved or replaced. In addition to the cabinets, countertops, flooring, and general color scheme, look at less obvious details: does the window provide enough natural daylight, and is the artificial lighting adaptable enough? Is the sink large enough, and is it comfortable to stand at for long periods? Are there sufficient electrical and plumbing outlets? Could repositioning items such as the heater or window free up enough wall space to create an alternative kitchen layout?
Maximizing efficiency
Space is a key element when planning any kitchen, and maximizing the efficiency of the room - whatever its size - will make it a pleasure to use. Consider the main functions of preparing and cooking food, as well as the other activities that take place in the kitchen: look at how these main activity areas operate in relation to others in the room, and how the space can be organized to link a range of activities successfully. To achieve a good work flow, think about the time spent moving between each activity area and plan how to avoid cramped areas or long walks around widely spaced zones.
All kitchen fittings and equipment need to be functional and easily maintained.
When planning a kitchen, you will need to research all of the options available - cabinets, fittings, surfaces, and appliances - to help you choose the designs that will suit you best.
