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Lindsey Borchard

Reveal: Palos Verdes Project, part II

Today we are back with the second part of the Palos Verdes project reveal! Our clients had a pretty strong vision for the traditional Spanish-style home, and since the house was in good shape with a layout that worked, we did mostly cosmetic changes and added furnishings and accessories. If you recall from the first part of the reveal, the homeowners were really inspired by the book Patina Farm by Brooke and Steve Giannetti and wanted to evoke an old-world European feeling through warm, neutral colors, traditional shapes, and lots of texture.


neutral old-world kitchen by Lindsey Brooke Design

Photography by Public 311 Design


The Kitchen

The existing kitchen had good bones -- the inset cabinetry was in good shape and had a nice profile and the high-end appliances were in working order. The layout and flow really worked for our clients, but it needed some cosmetic updates to match the direction we were going with the rest of the home. We painted the cabinets a taupey-beige that compliments the warm stone floor and changed the counter tops and backsplash. The island was originally rounded on one side, so we straightened it out and extended it for added storage and seating, and we swapped the hardware and lighting for pretty brass pieces.


neutral old-world kitchen by Lindsey Brooke Design

The range wall is the main eye candy in the room and we really wanted this spot to reinforce the European country house look of the home. Our client knew she wanted something neutral but really textural, so she found a stone that she liked at a local stone yard and we did a really heavy over grout so soften it. Then, to give the range hood a little more movement, she applied plaster herself! We then carried that look into the adjoining family room so the spaces would feel cohesive.

neutral old-world kitchen by Lindsey Brooke Design

Our clients love the look of marble (who doesn't?!) and wanted something that wasn't super white but had some movement. We landed on a Quartz with subtle veining that will be more durable and easy to live with and the polished finish really bounces light around the space.

neutral old-world kitchen by Lindsey Brooke Design

neutral old-world kitchen by Lindsey Brooke Design

On the fridge wall, we added a handmade tile backsplash that ties in some of the gray tones of the countertops and we updated the hardware and lighting to an unlacquered brass finish throughout. The hardware will darken and patina over time, which reinforces the old-world vibe of the space.


Keeping this many existing elements in a kitchen can be challenging, but by just updating paint, materials, and accessories, we were able to completely update the room and change the way it feels.

 

neutral family room by Lindsey Brooke Design

The Family Room

Just off the kitchen is a family room and casual dining space with access to the outdoors. It's a pretty long and narrow room, so making sense of the two different areas was important. Our client had already purchased a custom sofa in a neutral fabric that worked well, so we kept that and added more seating and a rug with green and blue tones for some color and subtle pattern. Since this is the primary spot for lounging and TV-watching, we prioritized comfort with a custom leather ottoman that has a floating wood top.

neutral family room by Lindsey Brooke Design

The art over the sofa depicts the area where our clients got engaged, and it was made by a local artist. There is a lot of affordable art out there that can bring color and interest into a room, but I always love to choose something meaningful that helps tell the story of the homeowners and supports local artists.

neutral family room by Lindsey Brooke Design

We carried the plastered stone from the kitchen into this room by adding it around the fireplace, and then we added built-ins with open shelves and cabinets on either side. They provide both great storage and a place display books and accessories.

neutral family room by Lindsey Brooke Design

The other end of the room is a casual dining space that can be used for games and puzzles, small meals, or overflow while entertaining. We chose a round pedestal table with four upholstered chairs for good flow around it, and an oversized basket pendant. The ceilings aren't especially tall in here, so we added full-length curtains to the window to draw the eye up, and help differentiate the space from the rest of the room.


While the home is more traditional and neutral than our usual aesthetic, it was fun to collaborate with the homeowners to bring their vision to life and create a home that is not only beautiful, but functional for their family. If you'd like to bring us alone on your own journey, please get in touch by filling out our design inquiry.




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