Before and After: Cosmetic Kitchen-Dining Room Renovation

Decorating a small kitchen has many pitfalls. Anyone attempting a renovation must decide how to make the interior bright yet not bland, place furniture conveniently, and incorporate a full dining area into the design. In this project, bulky kitchen cabinets were replaced with open shelves, a heavy chandelier was swapped for several elegant light fixtures, and savings on furniture were made possible by interesting handmade items.

Problematic Space

Initially, the homeowners in New Jersey arranged their kitchen-dining room in a rather unfunctional way: the issue was that the space had an irregular shape. Along most walls, kitchen cabinets were installed, the center of the kitchen was occupied by a marble work surface, and a round dining table and banquette were fitted into a tight niche. As a result, the space became dark and cramped, prompting the owners to undertake a cosmetic renovation with furniture replacement.

Classic Palette

When redesigning the kitchen interior, designer Shannon Tate first lightened the floors and replaced most of the cabinets with open wooden shelves. The homeowners wanted to see elements of classic style and glamour in the interior that would remain timeless, so they chose a palette of white and gold tones.

To avoid buying new furniture, the remaining cabinets were painted in a gray-green color and the hardware was updated. For the wall in the dining area, a light greenish tone matching the kitchen furniture was selected.

Elegant Details

Designer Shannon Tate has a rule: always give each client a piece she made by hand. In this case, that item was a table assembled from parquet pieces and painted in various colors.

To decorate the empty wall in the dining area, several small framed pictures were mounted. The lighting scenario of the interior was also changed: a bulky chandelier was replaced with several elegant ceiling lights with gold shades.