Kitchen with a Full Modern Makeover
The kitchen in this Medina house was not only outdated, filled with tan wood and dark wallpaper, but it was also too cramped to comfortably fit the homeowners’ family. The Architectural Justice design team had sleek solutions to turn it into an updated, open black-and-white space — including covering a window and relocating the pantry.
“The biggest obstacle was the amount of space that she had,” says James Justice, the owner of Architectural Justice based in Medina.
“She wanted it more open,” creative director Darlene Justice adds. “She wanted it more conducive for entertaining because she has a great family.”
The team hit her goals by rearranging the layout of the 520-square-foot kitchen and dining area, incorporating metallic and wooden details that fit what she describes as the homeowners’ eclectic farmhouse aesthetic. Darlene and James explain how they created the airy contemporary kitchen that maximizes space and gives the family lots of room to gather in style.
New View: The homeowner wanted a convenient spot to cook and not have to face away from her family while doing dishes. “She really wanted to … be looking over the family room, backyard,” James says.
Designers flipped the sink to face the other way and covered the window, putting in its place a dark zinc range hood that reaches the ceiling. It was custom made by Architectural Justice artisans with a finish that matches other metallic details in the room. “It just makes the space even feel so much bigger,” Darlene says.
Countertops: After walking through Architectural Justice’s stone yard, designers picked a white quartzite with dark veining for the counter, the attached breakfast bar and the nearby buffet. The stone complements the white vertical-laid picket-style tile backsplash and stands out among dark elements.
“It really makes the whole thing pop when you have a little bit of a contrast,” Darlene says. “There’s warm tones in [the quartzite] too, which picks up the flooring.”
Buffet: Designers used the space that was previously the pantry to make room for a piece that’s great for entertaining — a buffet. While matching the cabinets, the custom buffet is brought forward and has a different base, designed to look more like furniture.
“When she entertains, she could put all of the things that she might need for setting a table [there],” Darlene says. “We gave her this additional case of something really beautiful to look at.”
Woods: The white oak floor, which extends to the living room and foyer, draws out the lighter pieces in the room. It’s also durable, a perfect fit for the four-legged member of the family.
“She wanted something that would hold up with the dog,” Darlene says. “It has a rustic sort of finish, which worked out well.”
The team designed the floating wooden shelves flanking the sink and those with black decorative metal brackets over the buffet to fit the elevated farmhouse aesthetic and pull together the wooden and metal aspects of the kitchen, she says.
“It’s functional. It’s really beautiful,” Darlene says. “It really reflects her style.”