Kitchen Tour: Penny's Mermaid-Hued Kitchen with a View

Penny lives in Santa Barbara, atop a tall hill with the most amazing views of both the hills and the ocean. She remodeled the kitchen in 2000, with a vivid color palette inspired by sea glass collected on long beach walks, and now it is the dreamiest room in the house. Airy and light, joyful and creative, Penny cooks in a spectacular location.

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Penny is a renaissance woman — artist, interior designer, and mom to Petra and Sydney as well as a brood of latte–hued chihuahuas. There are always extra friends and dogs hanging around this beautiful home, awaiting one of Penny's Greek salads, dressed in tangy vinaigrette, with blobs of fresh Israeli feta comingling with sweet tomatoes and cucumber; or a hearty slice of freshly-baked fruit pies. She's interested in wholesome, home–cooked meals, easily adaptable for a crowd.

Penny renovated and redesigned her kitchen in 2000, adding special touches that make the space unique. For example, Penny laid sea glass she collected into a concrete countertop and created a Formica color palette in similar pastel shades. The oceanic, coastal mood of the greens, aquas and blues make it a soothing, enchanting place to cook and sip tea. And the views of the open kitchen/sitting room are unparalleled. It's truly a spectacular Santa Barbara spot.

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10 Questions for Penny (and Her Kitchen)

1. What inspires your kitchen and your cooking?
My kitchen is upstairs and faces a spectacular view of the Santa Barbara mountains. I can cook or wash dishes and have an amazing view of the sky.

2. What is your favorite kitchen tool or element?
My Cuisinart, rasp, and electric lemon squeezer.

3. What's the most memorable meal you've ever cooked in this kitchen?
All my Thanksgivings.

4. The biggest challenge in your kitchen:
Its a one–cook kitchen — wish it were bigger

5. Is there anything you wish you had done differently? [if renovated]
I love my Formica but probably would have gone with oak, stained colors of course.

6. Biggest indulgence or splurge in the kitchen:
The custom concrete slab with my beach glass!!!

7. Is there anything you hope to add or improve in your kitchen?
I would upgrade the appliances and add a farm sink.

8. How would you describe your cooking style?
Montana baking, Mexican everything and Santa Maria-style BBQ. VIVA BABY!

9. Best cooking advice or tip you ever received:
Buy the best pans you can afford, and never wash your rolling pin with soap and water.

10. What are you cooking this week?
I'm in the hood this week (Detroit) and my sister is an amazing cook. At this very minute, we have decided to make Parsnip Maple Cake and that's only for breakfast.

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Resources

• Oven: Kenmore
• Fridge: Kenmore
• Limited–edition print: Kate Cahill
• Juicer: Breville
• Trash compactor: KitchenAid

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Thank you so much for letting us peek into your kitchen, Penny!

Want to show us your own kitchen?
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Submit your kitchen here.

(Images: Leela Cyd Ross)

Comments (15)

beautiful! love the sea glass...

this kitchn is so charming! really love the color choices, it doesn't take itself too serious, refreshing design.

Glad to see a kitchen with a few years on it....makes it real.

I could do without the close-up of the filthy trash compactor. Some things are better left unseen.

Other than that, it's a sweet kitchen with a nice vibe.

Love this kitchen & it's arched ceiling/cabinets! I live in Santa Barbara too! Nice to see a local post!

what? why the pictures of dirty appliances and pets being held up? about a third of these photos were totally irrelevant.

colors were cool, though. brave choice.

I want this kitchen! I agree that it's hard to understand what the trash compactor contributes here, but the fabulousness of the color-scheme, glass inlays, and arrangement all make up for it.

Bookmarked for future inspiration.

This is a wonderful kitchen that still looks unique and inviting even 10 years later. I would have no hesitation in putting on an apron and getting busy in this room.

the palette mix is really quite nice. there's some yellow, tan and rose thrown into the mix, but i wish there were a little more of it to add some much needed contrast... or a bit less blue (which coats the walls and ceiling as well).

however, i'm not loving the jumbled drawer shots and vistas of mostly empty soap containers. i love seeing other people's spaces, but just a bit of styling and clean-up is needed for even the nicest space. collections like this transcend "lived in"... and -- with shots like #19 (open compactor) and #25 (dirty juicer) -- head to "um, gross" and "what were you thinking!?"...

I love this kitchen! It is so unique and inviting. I can imagine myself cooking and baking there and feeling completely comfortable. That awesome view and all the windows don't hurt either!

I agree with the opinions on the trash compactor, etc. Not really sure what those shots were for, but whatever.

...the round counter, that's a first for me and I'm totally loving it. Perfect way to use the space.

And what would the counter be made of and how were the sea glass bits added? Would you mind explaining the process? I'd love to do this...

I agree with the comments about the dirty appliances and jumbled "collections." A few minutes of clean up would have made me like this kitchen a whole lot more.

I'm guessing the round countertop with sea glass was cast concrete with sea glass added and then polished after curing.

Love the colors and the sea glass, but really can't get past the dirt. A sponge and some household cleanser would contribute greatly to the design of this kitchen.

Leela...

Thanks again for bringing us another wonderful kitchen. I actually like to see how a kitchen and the rest of the home flows so I like the photos of friends and dogs.

As for the bit of grime... well, I'm not put off. These people open their homes for Leela to show us their real kitchens... flaws and all... like all candid photographs.