Beautiful Kitchens and Baths

Sink wall about 5 feet. Ceiling beams were added and hand-distressed with chains by the entire Juergens family-to complement the big chestnut column by the Fireplace (not shown).

        Maria Juergens knew just what she wanted. "A modem kitchen with all the conveniences, but not one that looked new," she says. "I wanted a beautiful kitchen that wouldn't look out of place in our 1919- era house.“ And then she saw it: "In a magazine-it was bright, cheery, and had this old, English charm." Maria describes her home as a "pretty, Southern- type of house," one of many in an older part of Knoxville, Tennessee. Her original kitchen was tiny, so she hoped to expand. But size, she says, was less important than style. "Maintaining the architectural integrity of the house was critical to me," she says. "I didn't want it to look like an addition."

       With that in mind, and with designer Heather Hungeling standing with her at the helm, the renovation began. Before long, they'd bumped out an exterior wall 5 feet and demolished a closet to reveal an aging brick fireplace. “We also widened the opening between the kitchen and the adjacent family room," Hungeling says. "Even with the expansion, the kitchen was going to be small, and we really wanted to include an island. So, the idea was to open the space up as much as possible."

        The new room is "very open and inviting, but not in that big, contemporary way," Maria says. Her new marble countertops are beautiful, and she loves the strikingly old-fashioned look of her European- made range. In the recessed cooking niche-capped with a stately mantel a delft blue-and-white-tile backsplash features pretty, hand-painted scenes of the countryside. Flanking it, delicate mullioned cabinets seem to float above the countertops.

        The fnrcelay apron sink was handmade in England, while to its left, and arm's reach away, a built-in plate rack occupies its own corner in the upper cabinets. "The rack harkens back to an earlier English kitchen," Hungeling says. "You would wash your dishes and place them there to dry."

A storage wall, with a central built-in refrigerator and pantries on either side, keeps the kitchen clutter-free. Floor-to ceiling pilasters add Victorian flavor and texture to the space. 




 

Maria wanted a bright, cheerful kitchen, Antique cream on the walls, white marble countertops. and abundant natural light did the trick. 

With the exposed brick of the fireplace, the distressed wood beams that cross the ceiling, the hardwood flooring salvaged from an old distillery, and the distinctly English color palette- a cream that Hungeling describes as “antique"-the space has become everything Maria hoped it would. “It's sunny," she says. “It's warm and cozy, full of character, and it feels old. It fits the house perfectly." And then there's the island, with its gentle curves, its dark teak top, and its tidy prep sink a spin from the range. “We managed to fit it in," Hungeling says, "but it wasn't easy." Maria, for her part, says her new island-her original kitchen lacked one-is indispensable. “I can make dinner there and watch my kids as they're doing homework in the family room. It may be small, but I use it all the time, and I love it.“

Handmade delft tiles line the niche around the range. 

Materials mingle: white Calacatta gold marble countertops, a fluted fireclay sink. and cream cabinets with brass knobs. 

The renovation unearthed an old fireplace that limited the opening between kitchen and family room, and Maria chose to keep it.

What new high-style kitcheh or beth dcesh’t deserve a bit of the Midas tcuch?

1. THG's newest faucet collection features handles by Daum, a handcrafted crystal firm founded in 1878. The Sun Dragon washbasin faucet boasts a sinuous faucet in polished brass and amber-color handles that remind us of coral.

2. A fresh take on the traditional sunburst design. this mirror is a signature piece with a. distinct presence. we like the effect. wouldn't you like to gaze into this gilded beauty as it gleams on your own dream-bath wall?

3. Comfortable in either a kitchen or bath, the Bijoux sconce is formed from handcrafted iron and finished in silver leaf. Inspired by the drama and dress of a Paris cabaret. the sconce is dripping in crystals. Who doesn’t love a little dignified bling?

4. We often describe hardware as the jewelry of a room, and from that perspective, this knob is a multicarat rock. Add it strategically to bath cabinetry. and your daily ablutions will take on significant sparkle.

How does the size of the kitchen affect the color palette choices?

Most people think a large kitchen can accommodate a lot of color, but I feel that too much color in a large space can be overwhelming, in such a setting, the space itself provides Plenty of drama, so I often use a more delicate palette to keep the overall impression in scale, in smaller kitchens, you can have more Fun with color because the space functions much like a piece of art thats viewed singly and in its totality.

Are there any ether factors that play a part in the color decisions for a kitchen?

The home's architectural style and its location are the most obvious elements we consider as we put together a design and color palette. For instance, in a historic Baton Rouge home, where many of the materials are natural or reclaimed, we're recommending a classic French palette with Mediterranean influences. For a home in the Hamptons, a white kitchen works perfectly. The kitchen's color palette is 100 percent project-specific. Designs and colors are chosen that make sense with what we're trying to achieve.

So the right presentation really makes a difference?

Yes, absolutely, but clients are slowly becoming more accepting of color, too. In the early 'gos. an adventurous client might choose a creamy yellow cabinet instead of white, and thats as far as it would go. Now l'm seeing more combinations of color. The willingness to take that approach began with the trend to give the kitchen island a different color treatment than the perimeter cabinets. Now that's feeling overdone. But as confidence in using color grows, bolder steps are being taken. Homeowners are opera to lacquered cabinets and grayer shades of oak. They're experimenting far more now than in the past.

Are there other ways you help clients become more adventurous with color?

Homeowners hire a designer because they want their kitchen's potential to be fully realized. They're seeking ingenious solutions, thoughtful ideas, and a clear picture of how their kitchen will look and perform. So when we as designers present a comprehensive overview that includes cabinet door, countertop, backsplash, flooring, and paint samples, as well as a detailed color rendering. they see how each element works with others. and they understand how introducing color adds visual interest and variety.

How do you and your clients arrive at the perfect color palette for kitchen?

While few clients have a definitive color palette in mind at the start of the planning process, they are often hesitant about venturing too far afield from a white or otherwise neutral palette. We take that opportunity to quietly encourage them to explore more options. There may be, for instance, a color that appears in other rooms in their home. a color they are clearly comfortable with. That color might serve as inspiration in the kitchen palette. And, too, the palette frequently evolves as the design evolves.

ANTICIPATE LOVING YOUR KITCHEN

The process will be long, rigorous, joyful at times, frustrating at others. Some decisions will be no -brainers, others will be agonizing. But in the end, you'll have a kitchen that suits your personal style in a way that no spec kitchen ever could. Meadors explains it best: "Success? That's when the client says. We're completely in love with the kitchen. We feel like we thought of all this." And as for the team, you cant remember all the hours you put into searching for the best answers because you feel so good about the final results."

PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS

As Merrell explains: "The best kitchens are the ones where clients fully participate in the design process" So never assume you are a silent member of the team, Prestwood says. "You need to understand the implications of the decisions you're making] he says. "Your duty is NOT to make our lives easier or to speed the process along."

MAINTAIN A DIALOGUE WITH A TRUSTED TEAM MEMBER

Your chief point of contact may be the team leader or the pro you know the best. In either scenario, you need to trust this person to keep you fully informed. "He or she needs to show you how the team is meeting your expectation of selections and show you that everything is on schedule," Meadors says. "He or she moods to reinforce your confidence in the team."

COUNT ON INFO BEING SHARED

With something as complex as a kitchen, errors can happen. But the number of mistakes can be reduced with direct lines of communication. Face-to-face conversations and on-site meetings help make sure everyone is on the same page. "We try to do the lion's share of design and refinement with everyone in the room at the same time," says architect Bill Prestwood. "That way we make sure everyone is in agreement." When time is of the essence, however, e—mail and smartphones often make everyone's lives easier. "Send everybody the sketch, get a quick response from every team member, and by the next day, we've solved it," Plowden says. But be careful, Prestwood warns: With e-mail, the opportunity for misinterpretation grows.

Be Aware of Rough Spots

Here's how you know when things are going well: Everyone feels a sense of ownership. Meetings involve frank discussions of budget, Schedule, and problems. Team members respond promptly to action items. And there's a vibe, Fenno says, because everyone is excited by the ideas being discussed. But sometimes things don't go so smoothly. Our panel of experts identified some red Bags that let you know an intervention might be needed.

• The team gives you a plan without asking for your input.

• You're surprised by construction details.

• Contractors don't have the information they need to move forward.

• You make a phone call and it doesn't get returned.

• Team members aren't communicating with you or each other.

• You feel clueless or don't understand the conversations going on around you.

• Every other week you ask, "Why haven't we gotten this done yet?"