Home Tour - French Toast or Pancakes?

INTRODUCTION

Everyone knows, the kitchen is the heart of the home. With that, the kitchen needs to be a space that everyone wants to be in and enjoy, and it needs to be as functional as possible for it’s users. In this Hinsdale renovation, we updated the kitchen make the space more modern, and opened it up to the adjacent breakfast room, which we enhanced with a fireplace and built-ins to make the space extra inviting and cozy.

THE PROCESS

The first thing we did for this project was study some layout adjustments. We wanted to open up the entryway more to the family room and kitchen, and make the space feel cohesive, fresh and inviting.

We changed the circulation path to the family room by incorporating some custom, open shelves separating the family room and foyer.

In the kitchen, we removed the arched opening, and got rid of the traditional cabinets and heavy brick backsplash, opting instead for clean, modern profiles and warm wood tones.

In the kitchen, we incorporated a contrast of light wood tones and warm chocolate woods. To break things up and add some texture, we designed custom chevron panels for the refrigerator.

In the breakfast room, we took advantage of the tall ceilings and added some drama with a deep, steel blue paint color and custom built-ins surrounding the window and fireplace.

THE REVEAL

We absolutely love how this design came to life. The new foyer, kitchen and breakfast room feel warm, inviting and fresh, and are this family’s new favorite places to spend their time together.

In the front foyer, we created a focal point, visible right when you walk in the front door, with a custom, open shelving design that gives an opportunity for styling, while also offering a peek into the adjacent family room.

Between the dining room and foyer, we added a little bit of separation with black framed glass panels, keeping things light and open while also giving the room a feeling a slight separation.

Accessories on the open shelves add depth and personality to the space while still maintaining an open, inviting aesthetic.

In the kitchen, we ended up going with a bar-height counter at the island, to help block views of the prep space on the other side, maintaining a clean, organized aesthetic.

The dark and light wood tones add contrast and depth to the room. The tones are strategically placed to help the room feel open and airy while also grounded and with a strong presence and texture.

Quartz countertops add lightness and durability and continue up the backsplash to keep a clean, minimal aesthetic.

The custom chevron panels on the refrigerator add texture and warmth to the room, and create a focal point in the space.

Beside the refrigerator, a cabinet panel opens up to reveal a hidden walk-in pantry and additional storage.

Simple curves cut out of the backsplash provide a clean detail linking the upper cabinets with the window sill above the sink.

We removed the cased opening between the kitchen and breakfast room in order to make the rooms feel more unified and to emphasize the high ceiling heights in the room.

Custom metal built-ins wrap the double-height windows and fireplace. Antique mirror panels and sconces break up the vertical distance, along with split birch-wood logs, adding natural texture to the space.

A built-in bar area provides room for dish storage and beverages.

Natural materials, and sculptural forms add texture and interest to the space, and make it even more inviting.

We hope you enjoyed this home tour as much as we enjoyed working on it!

-dgw