Sailor Project Entry, Dining, and Kitchen Reveal

Ever wonder if an all white kitchen is still in? I'm happy to say that it definitely is! This young couple reached out after doing a few minor cosmetic updates to this house, but the tile countertops with printed seashells in the kitchen were just too much to bear anymore! That's when we came in.

Today we're revealing the entry and kitchen of this lovely home, complete with a built in dining area, and the largest continuous countertop we've seen in awhile. Scroll through to enjoy!

Before we worked with these clients, they had installed a bit of shiplap in a niche in the living room, but it wasn't a big enough space to be making the statement that you would want shiplap to make. We would have extended the shiplap around the entire space, but due to budget constraints, we decided to extend the shiplap across the entry wall to make it more of an intentional choice to add texture and difference in a space that is predominantly white.

This couple also has two little kids, so they wanted the entryway to be functional for everything. We installed brass hooks at adult height and mini height so everyone can be in charge of their own things, and this mirror and console for the last minute, almost-out-the-door checks.

This space used to have a regular dining table and a much smaller kitchen, so it all felt really crammed into a small space. Our challenge was how to rearrange everything to be multi-functional in one space, without being hugely expensive with structural work and adding in new beams or posts.

We used the wall shared by the entry to hide a paneled refrigerator, a pantry cabinet, and an appliance garage with a bifold door that opens up easily for access to the coffee machine, mixer, toaster, etc. This makes the rest of the kitchen and dining area feel really expansive, even within the same footprint as before!

There used to be a side door that led to the yard in the right side corner, and a small floating peninsula to the right of that, which held the range with a stainless steel hood above it. Getting rid of that door allowed us to extend the counter along that entire wall and add overhead cabinets for more storage. That countertop will come in handy when they host for the holidays - no need for an additional dining hutch that becomes the serving surface!

We used the pony walls to frame in a little nook bench for their every day dining table in this corner of the space. They don't host on a regular basis, so this setup was perfect for their family of four.

Fun fact: we modeled the pitch and dimensions of the bench seat based on a restaurant in town that they think is really comfortable! Remember that custom kitchens can really be as custom as you wish, and as your budget allows.

These clients had also installed wood flooring in their initial updates, so keeping existing structural walls was even more important for continuity. For the kitchen flooring, we used a warmer gray tile in a large 12"x 24" offset pattern.

Adding this much storage also gave us an opportunity to cater their storage exactly to their needs. For example, the two taller pull out drawers next to the built-in microwave were specifically made to house the craft beer they receive in shipments every month, and it's easily accessible to try whenever they'd like to!

I love how the light catches these white tiles! In the beginning of the design process, the clients weren't on board with the tile pattern because of the variation in colors and the tile pattern we suggested. We said when we get to the install, we'll put together a bigger pattern to show them before deciding. Even then they weren't completely sold, but I'm so glad they decided to trust us! This gives the entire space a lot more dimension, and you can see that light direction effects how the white tiles can read!

With an all white kitchen, we incorporated a lot of warm tones to balance out the coolness of the white tile, countertop, and cabinetry. You can see that in the woven window shades, the hood, the bases of the sconces, the dining table, and the frames around the artwork!

Matte black cabinet hardware and the faucet gave us a good bit of contrast, and tied in the dining chairs and console in the entry across the way.

We don't get the chance to do a lot of induction cooktops (even though that will soon become the norm), and I'm really glad we took the time to work with the contractor to figure out how to make it truly flush with the countertop. Typically they are only 1/8" thick, but the clients were adamant that they wanted it to be flush, and I wholeheartedly agreed.

Stay tuned next week for a deeper dive into the adjoining living room that you see just over that wall!