The Del Ray Project Reveal

Talk about serendipity and you would have to talk about the Del Ray Project. The location, the social connections and overall design process. There was a seamless in flow that was an absolute pleasure to be apart of.

We were first connected to our clients, Andy Mickley and Babs Chase (and their dog Elvis!), back in the fall of 2020, when interior designer Heloise Mitchell of Mintwood Home reached out to us. Having gone to the same high school with Babs, they reconnected years later when Bab’s saw Heloise featured in Southern Living. After reaching out, Heloise then helped the Chase-Mickley family on beginnings of the design of their newly purchased town home. Fast-forward to the fall of 2020, Heloise found her business continuing to grow and herself overwhelmed with projects. After hearing about us through our mutual photographer, We Are Luke & Ashley, Heloise kindly asked if we would be interested in helping with the kitchen renovation of the Chase-Mickley home.

Jumping at the opportunity to work on a project in our hometown of Alexandria, Virginia, we more than gladly took it on. Four months later, we still can’t believe the transformation that occurred during this kitchen renovation! What was once a dark and cramped space is now functional, elegant and flooded with light.

BEFORE:

Before, the kitchen was dark and crowded, to say the least. As with most older homes, space is at a premium so

One of the things that we knew would have to go was the peninsula! Not only did it make the kitchen tight but it blocked any sort of flow.

We knew that we we’re going to keep the T.V. but I suggested taking out the built-in storage unit and centering the TV on the wall.

AFTER:

We have to give a special shout-out to the kitchen designers who designed the lay-out of the space! They did a fabulous job not only creating better flow but incorporating enough storage. You walk into this kitchen now and feel like you can breathe (and move!).

When it came to the styling of the Del Ray Project, we kept the accent pieces light in color but heavy in texture! With such a bright, white kitchen we didn’t want to bring anything jarring, as would take away from the elegance of the space; so we used a lot of materials such as worn wood (i.e. vintage cutting boards), seltzer bottles, heirloom silver trays and European glass jars. We also brought in special pieces that belonged to the client such as this vintage rug!

I have to admit, that I never new how exciting it could be shopping for appliances and fixtures until it came to the Del Ray Project! The pieces that we choose for this kitchen are absolutely beautiful, and are ones that will age well over time.

I’m not going to lie, one of the first decisions that we made when it came to this kitchen renovation was that we HAD to have these Gabby counter-stools! We couldn’t have been happier with this choice as not only are they gorgeous but extremely comfortable. The Circa Lighting pendants tie in beautifully.

Wanting to keep the design of the keeping room fairly simple, we incorporated the existing love-seat while also bringing in matching floor lamps and woven accent tables. This set-up really helped to create a cozy space that was still provided a large enough walk-way for kitchen traffic.

This Gabby accent table was another splurge but one that was well worth-it! The beautiful flower-shaped rim adds a softness and feminine nod to the space.

While it is our desire to create beautiful spaces, it is our goal to create beautiful spaces that will be functional and that will bless our clients. Its been music to our ears to hear from Andy and Babs how much they’ve enjoyed using their kitchen. Due to Covid (and working from home), Babs often finds herself working at the island here. In the evenings, you can bet that Andy is at stove whipping something up. In the months to come, as more people are vaccinated and cases continue to go down, you can bet that there will be friends and family over, eating and laughing around the island. Cheers!

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INTERIOR DESIGN: MAKING ROOM FOR PEACE | PHOTOGRAPHY: WE ARE LUKE & ASHLEY