The Remodel - Kitchen and Living Room

I know I've been promising this for a long time, and today I had time to dig out the camera and take some photos in the house.  Buying this condo in Kansas City was all about the space, the high ceilings, the angles, the light.  Everything else was tacky, low quality or didn't work at all.  The kitchen was a dark cave with black countertops and backsplash and weird brown paneling on the walls and ceiling, not to mention a wall of cabinets that opened up in the living room.  There was no functionality or storage.  The entry and living room were filled with potential, but had buckling laminate bamboo floors and brown, painted metal mesh railings that looked like they were stolen from an office building.  Walls were painted a dull beige with a few accent walls randomly painted in murky green and gold.  Just about everything in the place has been touched by the remodel and I can't thank Jerad and Ryan from Studio Build in Kansas City for their vision, their patience and their awesome taste, quality work and design sense.

My vision was modern Jacquie, minimal with clean lines and bold color.  I was willing to take risks in this place that I wasn't brave enough to do in decorating all the other homes I've lived in.  I listened to my voice this time with only a little moderation from the design team and my husband.  I didn't think about resale.  I tried to stay true to how I wanted to live and how I wanted to feel in my home.  I agonized over every choice, floor, lighting, tile, paint color, cabinet color, cabinet layout, etc, etc.  It's not easy making all those choices without being able to see everything together.

Let's start with the entry, living room and kitchen.  Here are a couple of photos of what the place looked like before.  There were two giant frosted glass doors that went into a bedroom from the kitchen.  That is now the back wall of the kitchen.  You can get a glimpse of the mesh railings in the second photo.

This is what it looks like today.  I hope you enjoy.  I'm loving living in my place.  It was a six month adventure, but now that it's over, I don't remember any of the hassles.

You'll enter our place on the ground floor and come up the stairs to get to the main level.  The orange door and railing set the tone for the place.

The stairway wall goes up about 40 feet and so it needed a burst of color and interest.  I think the art does it for me.  I love coming up and going down those stairs.

The stairs come up right between the kitchen and living room.

At the top of the stairs the living room is to the left, kitchen to the right, but it's all one big room.

The end of the living room has a giant window that lets in loads of light.  My two mid century chairs are there.  It's where I sit to do handwork and where we'll sit in the chillier weather to enjoy the fireplace.

I had the chairs reupholstered and went bold this time.  No more safe beiges for me.

I have so much wall space that art is very important in this house.  Quilts move around the house as my mood changes.

The living area isn't big, but its totally functional for chilling out watching a movie or sitting and having conversation.  I found the vintage couch and chair at a local retro store.  I traded in my old orange sofa for a beautiful green one.  The color makes me so happy, though my boys thought I had taken it over the top.  They admitted they were wrong.  The coffee table I picked up years ago at a vintage shop. Steve finally got his recliner, but it's modern and Jacquie approved.

The credenza was a Chicago find.  It set the tone for the whole place.  In my mind it's an art piece.

I love the minimalist grandfather clock.  It's one member of my clock collection (obsession).

The fireplace is modern and sparkly.  I can't wait to enjoy it this winter.

I didn't go safe for my rug either.  I'm still pondering additional rugs for the house.  Again, all choices are hard.

The other end of the room is the dining room/kitchen.  The table was designed and built by the Studio Build guys.  My metal chairs work so well with it.  The metal hanger for the light over the table was fabricated by a nearby motorcycle shop.  

Everything in the kitchen is simple and functional.  I've been wanting to use the semi pendant lights since I first saw them in Chicago.  I knew they would be in this kitchen.

The upper cabinets lift up so I can reach everything.  No more cabinets above.  I don't need them and I couldn't reach them anyway.

We eat at the table and snack or chat at the counter bar.  Everyone gathers in the kitchen and there's room for loads.

Almost all the storage in the kitchen is in drawers.  I have all my dishes except glassware in drawers.  Makes setting the table and emptying the dishwasher a breeze.

The cabinet color was a challenge.  They're rift sawn oak with a blue/gray stain.  Took weeks and weeks to finally achieve the color I was going for.  It's so unique.  I adore it.  It's set off by the white counters and white upper cabinets.

The sink is a simple rectangle with an easy to use faucet.

Most everything in the kitchen is hidden including the coffee maker and microwave which are squirreled away in a cabinet next to the fridge.  I only have out things I use.

The kitchen connects seamlessly with the living room.

It's fun to be able to have a quilt hanging in the kitchen.  Have you noticed the position of this quilt has changed multiple times!

The tile backsplash was a quandry for me.  I'm so happy I chose this clear glass tile.  It's so calm and pulls everything together for me.

The rest of the main level is my husband's office and the guest bath.  They're next to show you.