Revamped kitchen ready for its close up
Aubie eats, breathes and lives film. He has a job at a television movie network, and he just loves to entertain and screen films at home. He recently bought a great house in which he planned to do just that, but after much renovation he found himself stumped on how to rework his new kitchen.
The angular space was so awkward that he didn’t even like to use it, other than as a sanctuary for his beloved pet parrot, Lola. Aubie’s style is inspired by the Hollywood of the 1920s and the art deco period, and he wanted a dramatic and sophisticated kitchen that would mirror his design sensibilities.
So, I grabbed my crew and got set to renovate this small, underutilized kitchen into a show-stopping space that will be perfect for hosting guests — and housing one glamorous, fine-feathered friend.
I had to make the room bigger so Aubie would have more elbowroom, so, I ripped up the old kitchen and doubled his existing space by blowing out the old exterior wall that led to his backyard. A new hole was cut where the old kitchen window used to be and I installed a wall full of windows and sliding glass doors that lead out to the backyard. This creates a comfortable area for Lola, who can now sun herself by the windows and have a bird’s eye view of the backyard.
In addition, I connected the new space to his adjoining dining room for more of an even flow. Once everything was drywalled and painted in a neutral shade, I installed a new floor with radiant heating.
Since Aubie’s kitchen was to be Hollywood-inspired, I chose a color scheme of black and white to recall the classic black-and-white movies. I put down sheets of small white hexagonal tiles with black detail tiles on the floor. I also used this color scheme in the cabinetry, where I mixed it up with an abundance of white and black cabinets — all with beautiful stainless steel, deco-style handles and knobs.
Once the basics were attended to, I got to work on the glam aspect of things. On one side of the kitchen I installed a wall of new stainless steel appliances, including a fridge, freezer and gigantic double oven. I then put up clean, white subway tiles on the backsplash and installed fresh, white countertops.
On the other side of the kitchen I put in a pantry and a beverage center with cabinetry and a mirrored backsplash, where Aubie can serve food and drinks.
In the middle of everything, I set up a gorgeous island with an 8-by-5-foot honed marble slab that adds an old-world European flavor. On one side of it I put in a dishwasher, sink, microwave oven and warming drawer. On the other side I installed barstools for Aubie’s friends to lounge on. I installed some beautiful large-scale pendant lights over the island.
I then attended to the accents, including some decorative window treatments and a funky slipcover for Lola’s cage (to help her — and Aubie — sleep on those sunny mornings), and this kitchen was complete.
By expanding, updating and beautifying, the once-cramped kitchen it is now a little bit of deco, a little bit of glam — and a whole lot of modern. It’s time for Aubie and Lola to get ready for the lights, the camera and the action! Now that’s divine!
Interior decorator Candice Olson is host of HGTV’s “Divine Design.” For more ideas or information visit www.divinedesign.tv. Her column is syndicated by Scripps Howard News Service.