Hastings

Open Design Kitchen Styles for a More Connected Home

We had a client in Hastings who really wanted to open their first floor. There were several techniques we could have deployed to give the client a connected feeling in their home so we whittled it down to a couple basics. Widen the layout while keeping everything tied together. If you walk in from the front door or turn around to face the living room from the kitchen, everything is in front of you and you feel associated with every room.

Open kitchen plans have been all the rage over the last few years. Not only do they make your space look bigger, but they also give your house a better sense of connectedness, compared to a boxy, closed-off traditional kitchen style.

There are many design features that make a contemporary kitchen remodel. Think top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances, crisp white cabinetry, cohesive, luxury countertops and plenty of natural light.

For our client in Hastings who wanted to open up their first floor and do a contemporary kitchen remodel, we also designed details like floating decorative shelves and an open staircase that both contributed to an airy, contemporary feel for their first floor.

Opening up the Staircase

• Creates an open feel as you enter the front door all the way through the kitchen and family room space
• New risers, treads and balusters
• A wider overall feel to the family room

Mixing Lights and Darks for a Contemporary Feel

One more design detail to note is the light hardwood floor throughout the first level. Having consistent flooring on the first floor creates flow, especially with the warmth of the light brown wood. When designing the contemporary kitchen remodel, we decided to intentionally go for a much darker wood for the cabinetry. The contrast is a more modern look than having everything completely the same, but it all still has a cohesive, contemporary look. What’s more, we used white for the upper cabinets in the kitchen that match the countertops and brighten up the room.