Maeve and Phillip wanted their kitchen to be a family-friendly hub where everyone could relax and enjoy meals together. The kitchen suffered from an awkward layout, a cramped feel and an outdated look.
The kitchen, which was a classic case of form following function, needed to function better. Candice Olson’s radical rethinking of the entire space helped in creating several, well-contained areas that can blend seamlessly together, without any unwanted projections.
Olson has altered the floor plan entirely by switching the eating and kitchen areas. A large island between the two areas has been created to make it more functional. She also designed a small work area equipped with a computer station, storage area and access to the outside via a new, modern sliding door.
In order to give a modern look to the outdated kitchen, Olson scraped the flowery paper off the walls and the ceiling, pulled out the old-fashioned cabinets and counters, changed the dull lighting, and ripped up the unsightly flooring.
In an attempt to give a bright and lively look to the kitchen, creams and blues as the main colours with a little Irish green has been selected. The walls got a new coat of paint in shades of antique cream. Cream-colored cabinets, new baseboards and crown moulding have enhanced the look of the space. A kitchen backsplash in a blue handmade tile tops the maple finished island in spotted denim blue. The vinyl flooring has been replaced with a diagonal pattern of large cream-and-blue tiles.
In order to make kitchen brighter, recessed lighting has been installed around the space with under-cabinet lighting to accentuate the backsplash, suspending stainless-steel lighting pendants over the island and hanging a contemporary chandelier over the kitchen table.
A modern, built-in coffeemaker, a blackboard-coated cupboard for grocery lists and memos, and several storage baskets and shelves are also added. A dishwasher, and voila has also been fitted to the new de-cluttered kitchen.
The kitchen has been renovated for the Divine Design programme. Candice Olson is the host and designer of HGTV’s Divine Design, which tackles challenging home design dilemmas. US-based HGTV cable network features programming on home and yard improvements, new home building, interior design, and home crafts, among other topics.
