Kitchen of the Week: 1920s Renovation in California
An outmoded kitchen for a family gets modern amenities, a fresh teal-accented palette and smart lighting
Teal cabinets, Spanish-inspired tile and a cozy breakfast nook helped take this kitchen in Los Angeles from cramped to charming. The owners, a family of four, wanted their kitchen to fit into the home's 1920s architecture but have all the modern amenities. For the renovation, designer Erica Islas knocked out walls, played with bright accents and integrated smart lighting to open up the space.
BEFORE: The original kitchen was too small for the family to hang out in. Islas took out the wall separating the cooking space from the table to open things up and allow light to flow in. Although the kitchen is right next to the dining room, she wanted to keep a casual eating area for breakfast and lunch.
Roman shades open from the top, rather than the bottom, allowing light in while maintaining privacy.
A kitchen desk becomes the ultimate communication center when outfitted with a custom corkboard, a built-in dry erase board and a chalkboard.
Lighting: Dispela; flooring: San Felipe, Arto; breakfast table: custom by Erica Islas; window seat fabric: Sunbrella
A kitchen desk becomes the ultimate communication center when outfitted with a custom corkboard, a built-in dry erase board and a chalkboard.
Lighting: Dispela; flooring: San Felipe, Arto; breakfast table: custom by Erica Islas; window seat fabric: Sunbrella
Islas carried the soffit around the entire room, making it feel more intimate and giving her the freedom to use down lights for ambience. "With old homes, electrical is always a challenge because you're dealing with having to upgrade wiring and adding in more circuit breakers, which costs money and ends up eating into budgets," she says.
Sink: Kohler; faucet: Rohl; teal cabinet color: Turtle Lake, Dunn Edwards; glass knobs: Anthropologie
Sink: Kohler; faucet: Rohl; teal cabinet color: Turtle Lake, Dunn Edwards; glass knobs: Anthropologie
Islas started off with the San Felipe pattern floor tile and picked a Spanish tile for the backsplash. A palette of terra cottas, whites and teal accents felt like a natural fit. Islas used the teal on the cabinetry, tile and window seat fabric to tie the room together.
"After" photos: David Young-Wolff
"After" photos: David Young-Wolff
Cabinetry: custom by Erica Islas; backsplash: Malecon and White Malecon field tile, Montecarlo Tile; countertop: Blizzard, Caesarstone