We are always curious to see how interior designers decorate and design their own houses, and these days, we're getting to see more of them (thanks, Internet!). Erika Powell of Urban Grace Interiors has a traditional style that feels young and fresh. And she recently upgraded her (refreshingly modest) kitchen without spending a fortune. That cool, grey-green paint color? Actually named Rosemary.
Let's start with the antique table-as-breakfast bar. As you can see from the floorplan below, there's a door that made a counter overhand impossible. But Erika explains that the door isn't essential (they never use it), so she wasn't opposed to blocking it. Instead of re-doing her countertops or buying a big slab of granite, she simply searched for a tall table that fit the space and threw some bar stools under it, creating an infinitely usable space out of an awkward one.
The other changes were mostly cosmetic. She replaced the cabinets on one wall with open shelving, tore off a granite backsplash and put up wood paneling, and had the fronts of her cabinet doors professionally repainted. The color is Rosemary by Sherwin Williams. So pretty.
We also want to note how much we love the roman shades. We sometimes forget about window treatments in a kitchen; it seems such a utilitarian room compared to the rest of the house. But the colorful fabric makes the whole room feel pulled together—decorated, but not fussy.
This is just a fresh, approachable kitchen we'd love to cook in. And by the way, Erika was just named one of the 20 New Traditional Designers by Trad Home, the new online magazine from Traditional Home and Lonny.
Visit Erika's blog to see (LOTS) more pictures (like the antique locker in the pantry, which is awesome):
• Kitchen Intervention, Before & During
• Kitchen Intervention, After
• Kitchen Intervention, all the DETAILS
And here's a link to her professional site: Urban Grace Interiors, based in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.
Related: Kitchen Gallery: Green Like Spring Peas
(Images: Erika Powell, used with permission)
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Very nice. Can you provide a source for the fabric on the windows?
Love the Rosemary paint color! Such a nice departure from the gray that's been so popular in homes.
I love the look of open shelving, but we did that in our small kitchen when we re-made it and it created a new hassle which is DUST & GREASE!! Anytime I use a saute pan on high heat, I feel as if I need to wash everything (yes, we do have an extractor fan, but it still happens). We're buying another house now & it'll need a new kitchen too, but this is not an option I'll go for again.
Look=Love
Practicality=dislike :(
I read Erika's blog frequently and love this kitchen redo ---& check out her other work--it is fabulous!!!! I love the color and agree that those fabric shades really make the space.
Love that Rosemary color. Am tempted to test that on my dining room walls!
Love the open shelving instead of the upper cabinets. Great job on color, too.
This color looks custom, and so many people forget about painting their existing cabinets when considering redesigning their kitchen. Love the Rosemary color, the open shelving, and the updated farmhouse style.
Beautiful! Where can you get swinging doors like those used for the pantry?