How exciting!  An investment was made to upgrade kitchen cabinets from white to wood.  But one piece of the puzzle was missing.  The doors to the pantry and  entry to the garage remained white.  This abruptly interrupted the visual flow of the richness of the new wood cabinetry.  A  gap of white remained as a daunting reminder of the past.

The Design Process:

When remodeling a kitchen it is important to recognize that doors are visually a part of the cabinetry.  One obvious solution is to have them painted to appear as if they are a part of the new wood in the space.  This can be tricky.  They are usually right next to the other cabinets.  It requires a perfect match of both color as well as the grain.  Even if actual wood doors are purchased, it may be a different wood species.  The grain will be different and may not accept the stain the same as the cabinets. An additional challenge is that one of these doors is a simulated wood texture and the other is metal.  Unless it is done well, the end result will be a “near miss”.

A faux finish of  precise graining on doors is an added detail that completes the beautiful and seamless line of exquisite wood cabinetry.  Guests walk right by these doors never noticing that they are a painted finish rather than real wood!  This is yet another example of attending to ALL of the details when upgrading or remodeling.   Do you have plain white doors in your kitchen?   Filling in the blanks is essential to an end result that adds value to your home.

Special thanks to designer, Michelle Nettles , 770 356 5814,  www.mjninteriors.com

For more ideas on how to enhance your home, be sure to visit www.kasswilson.com.

Call me for help with your next project:  770 777 7020

Start by selecting the items that have the most limited options for color, size and/or price.  This is often the main focal point or “grounding” element of a space.  In a large room, it can be an area rug or piece of art.  But, in a kitchen it is usually the granite.  This is your initial inspiration that will drive all decisions about colors, style and where you want your attention to travel.   Next is the tile back splash and the cabinetry.  They will follow  as a backdrop that surrounds these important features.  But, don’t stop there . . .  now comes the challenge!   The basic selections can be wonderful and “go together”.   But it is the added attention to details that will give you an opportunity to enhance all of the beautiful features within a space for a “WOW”.  This is where you can “go the extra mile”.

Faux finishing offers infinite technique and color solutions that will work to unify all of the  elements within a space.  Ideally, this is explored early in the design process.  Teaming up with a talented designer is a great way to create and utilize innovative ideas that you may have never thought about.  Together, we work to identify unique ways to make all of these features come to life.  Developing a complete plan from the beginning allows the freedom to incorporate many great ideas BEFORE construction starts.  Trying to add them later can be very costly, time consuming or even impossible.

The Design Process:

In this scenario, we focused our attention upward.  Imagine how this kitchen would appear if the large ceiling was allowed to remain flat.   Since it is not very high, there is a tendency to believe that leaving it a light color will make it appear taller.  Instead, notice how the addition of  bold trim in the center works to define the space.  It adds balance and interest, draws your eye upward and eliminates the appearance of vast emptiness.  The frame was painted with a faux wood grain technique that matches the cabinets to perfection.   The inset is a softened metallic finish that compliments both the custom tile on the back splash and the light fixtures.

In large kitchens, even the beauty of wood can become overly repetitious.  Adding distressed black on select door fronts and the back of the display cabinets offers an unpredictable but subtle detail.   Notice how it draws attention to the dimension of the doors, outlines the accessories and emphasizes the curved arches in the cabinets.

This kitchen remodel is candy to the eye.   Using multiple but subtle faux finishes allows all of the features to stand out.  There is a delicate and unique balance of details that encourages your eye to glide across the room to appreciate the architecture and accessories.   Going that extra mile gives an unmistakable statement of quality and  design sophistication.

Please take a moment to send us a comment.  OR, call 770 777 7020 for information about where to begin on YOUR next project.

Special thanks to designer, Christine Barnes for this wonderful kitchen remodel  .  .  .   770 241 2302

Visit www.kasswilson.com for more transformations.

He wants the richness of wood.  She wants an updated color.  How do you keep everyone happy?  Creating a kitchen that accommodates both personalities requires creative planning.  One solution is to look at how you can incorporate more than one finish in a single space.  During our first meeting, we looked through a large portfolio of cabinet finishes.  Two options were identified as possibilities.  A soft stria glazing in a complementary tone of gold offers a casual yet tailored elegance.  The beauty of wood grain is rich in tradition, but the concern was that it would appear too dark if applied to every surface.  Careful studying of the lines within the cabinetry revealed the answers.  The division became obvious.  Both finishes could be used and a unique kitchen was born!

The Design Process:

In a kitchen, the cabinetry usually covers more than 60% of the wall space.  It can be very repetitious.   We often create drama in a room by adding an accent wall of color.  This same concept can be used on your cabinets.  Utilizing two complementary finishes will add character and give your kitchen a personality all its own.

Look closely at the original kitchen.  The cabinets are perfectly uniform and symmetrical.  They were painted the same color as the walls and lightly glazed.  This offers a quiet sophistication to surround the new focal points. . . the two large towers.  A wood grain technique was applied to give them the illusion of freestanding furniture.  Designing with an odd number of elements is more pleasing to the eye.  So, the island was number three.  The pantry doors were then treated the same as the surrounding cabinets.  This allows your eye to gently float around the room without interruption.

The custom tile on the backsplashes and the front of the counter introduces a dramatic pattern into this space.  Painting the trim around the bar in the same wood grain technique provides an outline of this feature.  It is a finishing detail that helps to emphasize the importance of this design.

This kitchen now offers versatility.  It provides an invitation for warm family gatherings.  But with a few fancy accessories, it is easily dressed up for formal entertaining.  It readily adapts as a pleasing environment that will fit any personality.

To view more cabinetry transformations, visit my website at www.kasswilson.com.

This kitchen renovation was near completion.  To “wake it up”, the vent hood was embellished with a textured design and highlighted to enhance the details.  Applying a black finish to the bottom drawers creates a more substantial focal point in the center.

The wall colors were chosen to blend with the window treatments.  An elegant reflective faux finish now surrounds the new cabinetry and compliments the luxurious sheen of the fabric.  Squares of a bronze damask design adds an unexpected element.  This detail is a departure from the ordinary and predictable.  It is a unique blend of a timeless pattern with an updated contemporary twist.  The result is a sophisticated renovation that combines modern flair with a respect for traditional style.

The Design Process:

Getting new cabinets is not necessarily a guarantee that you will have the designer kitchen that you have always dreamed of.  This homeowner recognized early in the renovation process that something was missing.  It was the absence of a strong point of interest . . . something that will break up the repetition of the standard cabinet finish.  The larger the kitchen, the more important this becomes.  Sometimes this can be achieved by merely having the island a different color.  But, if your ceilings are tall, you need to stretch that focal point higher than waist level.  In this case, the vent hood was the obvious choice.

A contrast of black is always dramatic.  To add more interest, a raised texture was applied to the inset on the vent hood.  Outlining the raised areas in bronze further highlighted the details that are incorporated into the cabinetry  This adds a touch of elegance and intrigue.  Finishing the lower drawers in black creates the appearance of a tower and accentuates the height of the ceilings.  There is no longer any question about where your eye travels when you enter this kitchen.  Simple faux finishes in unexpected places provide the dramatic “wake up call” that was needed to make this space spectacular.

For more examples be sure to visit my website at www.kasswilson.com.