Newport Beach Kitchen Remodel

The last kitchen that I posted about was also in Newport and this one is in the same neighborhood, actually just around the corner (super convenient). The rest of this client's home has a coastal country feel and we wanted a kitchen that would blend well with her already adorable and comfortable aesthetic, so we completely gutted the old kitchen and started anew.

Kitchen designs are becoming my favorite type of projects. I really love the challenge of designing something completely custom to suite the clients' functional requirements of a kitchen, but also something that's beautiful. Below are some photos of the work in progress along with some of my design drawings. The design process began in August, construction started in late September, and despite a little hiccup with the back splash tile, it looks like we'll be all wrapped up just in time to enjoy a home cooked Thanksgiving feast.



Beautiful marble countertop with what will be the backsplash material; handmade taupey grey brick.


Design Drawings.






Before Photos.


Things left on the to do list:

*install wine racks and TV
*install a couple more cabinet doors
*back splash installation
*range and hood installation
*install hanging fixture over the sink and the rest of the recessed lighting
*finish the bar peninsula with counter top and turned legs

I decided to wait to photograph the other Newport kitchen until this one is done and just do them in the same day. Hopefully some time in December. I can't wait to see the finished product! It's the most fulfilling part of my job.

If you would like to meet or email to discuss your kitchen face-lift or complete remodel, visit my interior design website or give me a call, I'd love to help!

www.BrittanyStiles.com

Newport Beach Kitchen Progress 3

When I was younger, if someone would have told me that some day I would obsess and fall in love with things like back splash tile and crown molding, I would have first asked what a back splash and crown molding were, and then I never would have believed them. And yet...here I am, quite obsessed with this marble back splash, in all of its honed and beveled glory. This will be my last kitchen update until it's completely finished, and even though my iPhone photos hardly do it justice, I couldn't help posting up this back splash. I'm in love, and ready for my client to move out so that I can move in. Kidding. (Sort of.)




Designer tip: Take your back splash from wall to wall and up as high as it can go. Here we took it around the window and up to the crown. It makes a huge difference.

See the finished project here.

Newport Beach Kitchen Progress 2

I swung by the Newport Beach kitchen (see previous post here) to check progress before I headed to Redondo Beach to drop off the wedding flowers. Things are coming along...




www.BrittanyStiles.com

Newport Beach Kitchen Progress

My contractor is really cookin' on my client's kitchen in Newport, pardon the pun. I gave him the design plans about two weeks ago and the cabinets are already installed! We're just waiting for the doors, counter top, back splash, appliance install, and then the finishing touches on paint and milwork. I know it probably won't look like much in its current state, but I was so excited about the progress so I wanted to share...

Before photos:





CAD plans (same basic layout, but traded the peninsula in for an island):

Where we're at now:

Wonderful Waterworks

Some beautiful new things are going on at Waterworks...

New Fittings: The Henry Collection




Inspiration board for Henry fittings:



New lighting: Navigator Sconce, Henry Pendant, Hamilton Sconce





New Tile: Grove Brickworks



I'm still mourning the loss of our Newport Beach showroom, but I still count myself lucky that their LA location is not too far away.

Los Angeles
8580 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Phone: (310) 289-5211
www.waterworks.com

Also, I highly recommend checking out Waterworks' and Barbara Sallick's design blog here. Not only does she keep you up to date on new products and promotions, but she gives design advice (functional & aesthetic) for kitchens and bathrooms. Who doesn't love that?!

Clever Cabinetry

I'm starting on a remodel of a kitchen in Newport and as I was perusing through my design magazines for inspiration I came across this clever cabinetry design. It's sometimes a quandary to decide what's more important in a kitchen; cabinetry space, or windows that provide beautiful natural night. In the kitchen shown above (found in May's issue of Traditional Home) you get the best of both worlds. It's functional, classy, and beautiful all at the same time.

Cabinetry designed by architect Greg Johnson.

Photo Shoot 1 of 2

Today was a good day, I got the disc of my photo shoot in the mail! Here is one of the two projects photographed by Stacey Sutherland, a kitchen remodel and family room face-lift. Enjoy!






Before photos:

Sarah's House

Move over Candice Olson, there's a new Canadian designer in town by the name of Sarah Richardson, and she's pretty fabulous. No offence to Candice, in fact, I kind of love her and am convinced that if we ever met we'd become best friends. But alas, that does not stop me from giving rave reviews to the series "Sarah's House", which plays sporadically on HGTV.

"Sarah's House" follows interior designer Sarah Richardson and her side kick Tommy Smythe as they remodel a 4 story 2,200 sqft home near Toronto. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not always the hugest fan of HGTV for their sometimes questionable taste (Design on a Dime) and the unrealistic expectations that the network sometimes gives my clients in terms of budget and time frame. (If you can re-do an entire room for $500 in less than 24 hours it either: a) does not look that great up close, or b) could only be possible with an entire crew of people offering their services for free in your driveway.)

Sarah is a real designer and has realistic budgets for her projects. Sarah and Tommy have a contemporary style and renovate each room from floor to ceiling, explaining where they spend their money, where they save, and why. On the "Sarah's House" HGTV website, she even lists her sources, which is super helpful when wanting to create the same look. Here's a look at Sarah's living room make over:

{Before}

{After}


On the episode I watched today, Sarah took Ikea cabinetry and turned her shabby existing space into a stunning kitchen. That's right, I said Ikea. The photos I found on the Internet don't quite do the kitchen remodel justice, but trust me, it was beautiful, especially considering the tight budget and prefab cabinets. She added her own personal touches to make the kitchen feel and look as custom as possible. These touches included counter to cabinet back splash made of penny round marble mosaic, granite counter tops, and repainting the doors of the upper cabinets a creamy white to contrast with the rest of the taupe cabinet color.

{Before}


{After}