Connie's ideas
Kitchen window design
Dining room
Patio
Chairs
Kitchen
Kitchen
Renovation of current kitchen
Colour of wood for kitchen
Rug. Under the sink, Nepacena added a small rug, which increases the comfort level for those standing at the sink doing dishes. It’s durable and washable, she says, for the inevitable spills in this area of the house.Laundry. Behind the two doors painted with gray chalkboard paint, you’ll find the family’s laundry machines. The client thought of the idea to paint the doors with chalkboard paint, Nepacena says. That detail makes use of the space and will give their child a place to play in the future when the parents are in the kitchen.Rug: West Elm
“After” photos by John ShumKitchen at a GlanceWho lives here: A young couple who recently had their first babyLocation: San Leandro, CaliforniaSize: 300 square feet (27.8 square meters)Designer: Karen Nepacena of Destination EichlerAfter the recent arrival of their first child, this fun-loving couple bought a 1940s ranch-style house. They wasted no time making it their own by starting a renovation of the whole house.Kitchen goals. The couple loves to host cooking contests and game nights with friends, so it made sense to tear down a few walls to create an open space. They also wanted to build in hosting features such as a minibar and island seating.The home had been updated within the last 10 years but was dark and closed off, with individual small spaces for laundry, living and cooking. They opened up the wall that was between the kitchen, seen here, and the dining room. It took five months for them to complete the remodel.
After. A sleek minibar, complete with a 24-inch-high wine fridge and a sink, allows the couple to easily make drinks for guests — or let them mix their own. Its placement over to the far side of the room also ensures that no one is in the way of the cook when preparing a cocktail before dinner.Pro tip: Before ordering cabinets, Nepacena measured the couple’s liquor bottles to make sure they would fit inside the new cabinetry.Browse wine fridges
Backsplash. To keep the focus on the fun tile over in the minibar area, Nepacena chose a plain white tile to use for the rest of the kitchen’s backsplash.Island. Zooming out from the minibar, you can see the large island with barstool seating on one side. By knocking down the walls and making the space open, the couple could install this large island and move the range over to it. To accomplish that, the design team had to run new gas lines and venting. But all the changes were worth it because they allow the couple to be in the center of the kitchen during events, and others can help with meal prep if they want. Pro tip: If you think a hood coming out of the middle of the ceiling obstructs the view or is visually unappealing, Nepacena wouldn’t suggest a stove on the island. Cabinets. To add airiness to the kitchen, Nepacena put translucent glass fronts on a few upper cabinets. The material allows you to somewhat hide what’s behind the doors while still visually breaking up all the cabinetry. The rest of the cabinets are made of walnut.Pro tip: The cabinets don’t reach all the way to the ceiling to give a little breathing room and add a sense of height.Cabinets: Semihandmade
After. During the remodel, Nepacena moved the sink out of the corner and reduced the amount of upper cabinetry by the sink.
Renovations
Patio
Renovations
Pool side
Bar/ living room
Renovations
Pool
Mika chair
Q