A Bright Kitchen Nook in Toano, Virginia

When moving from California to Williamsburg several years ago, our client did an excellent job of decluttering their home in order to make room for peace! In the years since then, they’ve invested in beautiful pieces of furniture that fit their home and style; however, they found the overall design of their home lacking. We see this a lot when it comes to our interior styling clients; that while they may have a beautiful home, it doesn’t quite feel finished. Maybe they just moved in or maybe they moved in five years ago - our job is to come in and turn their “house” into a “home”.

This was the certainly the case with our Toano client, who asked us to help them style their kitchen nook, family room and living room. All of these spaces had great bones and lots of natural light; what was missing was the subtle layers that told the story of who they are, what they like, and what they value as a family. It is always such an honor to work on projects such as these, as they require actively listening to our client’s, using our intuition and trained eye to create spaces that will be enjoyed for years to come. Today, we’re walking you through the design of their bright kitchen nook!

BEFORE:

• Before, the kitchen nook was simply not finished. The client had done a beautiful job of reclaiming and repainting a dining table and buffet using Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan; however the room was lacking.

• When walking through during our Consultation, I mentioned turning the table horizontally to the wall - to just see how it would look. We went ahead and did it and what a difference that made! “I never even thought of doing that?!” that client exclaimed.

AFTER:

• During that initial visit, I could already see the potential of this space. The large window in this space provides tons of natural light, as well as a picturesque view of the Toano countryside. While we didn’t want to go “farm house” with our design, we did want to create something bright, fresh and slightly rustic. As this is a more casual space compared to the rest of the home, we thought to have a little fun by adding in some white wall shelves and some indoor plants.

By centering the painted buffet on the wall and by switching the position of the table, we really helped to ground the space.

As noted, when it came to the styling, we wanted to design something that felt “fresh” and “happy”. Taking note of the colors in the painted buffet, we went with a blue and white color scheme, with pops of green from the plants. One of my favorite things about space are the milk glass pieces that we turned into planters! Found at a local antiques store, these pieces really make a statement. The blue glass jugs along with the greenery, add the perfect amount of color to the space.

DESIGNER TIP: when it comes to greenery, don’t be afraid to mix and match! In this kitchen nook, we used a combination of faux and living plants. While the greenery in the milk glass planters are real, the long stems are from Target.

When it came to the wall art, we went back and forth on what we should do. While initially I thought of centering a round mirror on the wall with artwork or plates on either side, I thought that it might be too much with the TV (PLUS we were already placing round mirrors in the other two rooms). Having recently bought these floating wall shelves, the client was eager to use them. Out of the three spaces that we were designing, this seemed like the one to put them in, as it was the most casual. I’m SO glad we did because they really make this space! By off-setting them, they help to distract from the TV. Being the southern home that we made sure to incorporate some family photos; selecting some really sweet, personal ones and then putting them in a variety of silver frames. The plates that they sit next too, help to add a little interest while also tying it in with the adjacent kitchen.

Interior Styling: Making Room for Peace | Photography: We Are Luke & Ashley