While You're At Home Needing Inspiration

*This post was originally published on March 28, 2020.

I think we're all going through the same thing right now and circling through the same quarantine phases. I'm not going to lie, the few couple of weeks were amazing. I welcomed the break and I had NO problem walking past all of the messes I'd been ignoring for months.

Now I'm in full project mode: cleaning out closets, organizing cabinets, and of course dreaming up renovations and how I'll design my next house (this is a constant in my brain). Naturally, I started looking through some of my favorite design jobs to date and I came across this amazing kitchen.

This season of our life is well... just really "off" for everyone to put it lightly, however looking at this kitchen brought a smile to my face. So, I wanted to share it so you too could have something beautiful to cast your eyes upon.

This project was one of the most fun and equally challenging projects I've had the pleasure of completing. In a way, it gives me hope during this time as well. This client came to me with her hands in the air- she'd practically given up on having the home she dreamed she'd have. She and her family had lived here for six years and she and her husband struggled with the functionality of the space and all of the obstacles prevented it from feeling like home.

The house was built in the early 2000s, but had all the flair of 1991. We're talking weird custom niches and extras... and columns galore... they were everywhere. I'll admit, this home was tough. It was strange and it was hard to see the potential end result. The homeowners were convinced that there was no way to salvage the space. BUT- thanks to a little optimism, a little prayer, very careful and creative planning, and Landmark Homes for their patience and expert contracting skills... We Made It Through.

The first step was to make the kitchen both breathtaking, but functional. Most families spend a lot of time in their kitchen, so it needs to be a destination that feels both peaceful and energizing. We removed a peninsula and had enough space to create two islands- one for cooking, and one for enjoying the cooking.

Now that we have plenty of seating and eating space, we were able to get rid of the kitchen table. The kitchen nook was crammed into this corner. We put in a beam and got rid of one of the millions of columns and we were able to create this gorgeous wet bar.

We then transformed a formal sitting room into a formal dining room- one that's still casual enough to use on more than just the holidays.

It was a truly positive domino effect. Once the table wasn't crammed into an odd space we had extra square footage to expand the living room and now it's big enough for THE WHOLE FAM DAMILY.

So, when you're feeling off or even flat out discouraged during this pandemic- take a look at this renovation and remember we'll get through this too. With a little prayer, a little optimism, creative thinking, and a wonderful community.