Lately we’ve addressed how a tidy closet and refreshing your bedding can create a sense of well-being. Yes, having a neat and orderly home can make us feel better but, I for one, have had enough purging and Kon-mari-ing these past few months. The truth is, not every home is camera ready at any given moment. Not even mine. Real life is messy; appliances break, baseboards get dinged and walls get covered in schmutzy fingerprints. That is living, after all.

As a designer, it’s hard to admit that my home isn’t always ready for its close-up, and I get caught up in the fantasy of wanting everything to look just how I imagine. But the reality is, few people actually live this way. Most of us do not have the time or means to organize, remodel or decorate our entire house in one go ‘round. Creating our dream home is a process, a process that takes time and resources and evolves as our lifestyles change.

Recently, some former clients reached out for a kitchen remodel. We revamped their living room a few years ago, and now the kitchen was due for some love. The challenge was to design an updated kitchen that would successfully marry with the existing design of the home. The pieces we added to the living room were mid century and ethnic in feel, so we had already laid the groundwork for the direction the kitchen would take.

The clients, a busy family of five, headed by writer/theater producer parents, were deep in the trenches of the bustle of modern day life with three kids under 12. The existing galley kitchen had gotten a LOT of use over the prior several years and featured peeling, pale wood cabinetry and outdated appliances. Of course the chunky, black granite countertops had to go too.

In our initial meeting, the client showed us inspiration images of popular kitchens with navy blue cabinetry and brass hardware. Lovely, but not quite right for this post and beam with flagstone and slate. Their vision of the crisp navy and uptown brass needed to be considered alongside the existing surfaces. Bottom line: we needed to keep it earthy.

We discussed their needs and desires for the kitchen and, at the last minute, made the decision to open up the wall that connected to the dining space, allowing for more light and creating a brighter, open feel. Smokey green cabinets, barely gray countertops along with some timeless lighting choices made the space really come together.

While the overall footprint of the kitchen remained, the reinvented space now feels fresh and features custom details such as a power strip cleverly hidden inside a drawer. Pull-outs inside cabinets were incorporated to corral serving pieces and larger cookware, all with an eye towards improved functionality.  Respect for the intended original vibe of this home was a critical part of our design choices and now this young family is one step closer to having their dream home. All everyone needed was a little time.