Page 37 - Allison's Magazine ~ Issue #99
P. 37

that incorporate a lot of height, but the   really work—there was no circular flow.
        ceilings aren’t high enough, so I had to   We designed the kitchen with the idea
        get creative.                       that multiple hands, including little
                                            ones, are often preparing meals these
        The original space had wood         days. The modern island design with
        paneling in the family room and     multizone cooking suits us much better
        bedroom. Why did you decide to      and is more welcoming when we are
        keep it? How do you feel about the   entertaining. We did salvage the white
        trend of painting over it?          dishwasher. And we put in pine floors to
        Originally, I thought I was going to   make the room match with the others
 space that purposely doesn’t include a   paint over it, but I realized that reversing   and not appear disjointed from the rest
 We designed the   television. I wanted to encourage the art   it would be timely and costly. On top of   of the house.
 of conversation in this tech-obsessed age.  that, the paneling is old heart pine—you
 kitchen with the idea
 that multiple hands,   can’t get that particular grain anymore,   Is it easier or harder to design your
 Where did the inspiration for your   so I felt like there was no going back.   own space versus someone else’s?
 including little ones,
 color palette originate?  I’ve found that stains are more forgiving   Harder! When I work on someone else’s
 are often preparing   The whole house incorporates a lot of   than paint and are lower maintenance.   space, I am setting aside the time and
 meals these days.   blue, white, and neutral colors so that   The paneling is warm and inviting, plus   really devoting myself to the design
 The modern   the design flows from one room to the   it’s brown, so it acts as a neutral.  process because it’s my job. For my
 island design with   next. I was inspired by the Texas sky:   own space, it’s more of an experimental
 big, blue, light, airy, and sunny.  What wasn’t working for you in the   playground. I’m grabbing fifteen
 multizone cooking
        kitchen, and what were you able     minutes here or there and trying to
 suits us much
 What was the biggest challenge?  to salvage?  make the design come together.
 better and is more   Light is really important to me, so the   We ended up gutting the kitchen: we
 welcoming when we   low ceiling height, boxy architecture,   ripped out all the cabinets, took down   What is your biggest design pet
 are entertaining.  and small windows were a challenge.   walls, and completely changed the   peeve that you see out in the world
 We opened up walls to get more light   layout. The original kitchen had an   or in other people’s houses?
 in. I often tend toward light fixtures   old, peninsula-style counter and didn’t   Overscale furniture, because it messes




 34 | AMERICAN LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE                                                               americanlifestylemag.com | 35
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