In a stunning Los Angeles home by sfa design, we're especially struck by the transformations in the kitchen and dining room—particularly how the rooms look significantly larger...despite the fact that the house didn't grow into the back- or front-yard in the process.
We spoke to the firm's president, Kara Smith, about how they worked that magic that turned the kitchen above into what you see here:
Key Moves
• Painting the walls, molding, and trim the same white to eliminate the sense that anything's being cut-off.
• Removing glass upper cabinets and replacing with white ones to help them disappear into the wall (plus it eliminates the clutter you see in the "before.")
• Adding faces to appliances to help them blend in.
• Swapping black countertops for clean, crisp white marble.
• Instead of two sinks against the wall with windows, bringing in a larger farmhouse sink.
Next up: The dining room. In the "before," we see a drab wallpaper and over-the-top (not in a good way) chandelier, walled mirrors and an extra-large (again, not in a good way) dining table. Feels a little cramped, right?
Key Moves
• Applying paneling on the walls to add texture and visual interest, then painting the walls white.
• Replacing the dining table with a smaller, more narrow, custom-made table.
• Swapping out one large chandelier for two smaller ones, to be more proportioned to the room.
• Removing the two sideboards against the wall and bringing in just one—again, a more narrow model.
• Enlarging the opening to the living room—yes, we said "no square footage added" but in truth this move simply made the most of the square footage available in the home!
We love the way the rooms look in the "after"—especially how spacious and clean they feel.
Of course, the unifying theme in all these key moves? Plenty of white paint. We know what we'll be shopping for this weekend....What about you?
