FARMHOUSE FACELIFT

A dark and outdated 1970s kitchen in North Carolina gets a colorful makeover.

A dark and outdated 1970s kitchen in North Carolina gets

a colorful makeover.

If you want to add more light into your kitchen without installing new windows, use bright colors like white and cream that will allow the light to bounce

around the room.

Renovating a kitchen is one of the more challenging rooms in a home to update. It presents obstacles you wouldn’t encounter when touching up most other areas of the home, such as working around wiring and plumbing. Designer and owner of Grayhawk Design, Abigail Jackson, was aware of these barriers when she stepped inside a family friend’s home in Apex, North Carolina, that was built in 1974. But with a budget of $18,000, Abigail successfully flipped the space to give it a charming farmhouse look.

FARMHOUSE CHIC

“It’s definitely a farmhouse style, but it also has a bit of a cottage feel,” Abigail says. “We took all of the paneling out and made it a nice open concept and added the simplicity of a classic white cabinet door design.” Abigail also made the daring and spontaneous decision to remove a couple of the walls that were blocking significant amounts of sunlight from entering the kitchen. “Now, the light floods from both sides of the house, from north to south,” she explains. “Especially during the winter, it’s really warm and cheery inside.”

FUNCTIONAL SPACES

For this particular project, it was essential to design an accessible space that could host the homeowner’s large family gatherings while keeping the budget as minimal as possible. “I paid attention to cabinet requirements, her space requirements and ensuring enough drawer and cupboard space,” she says. Abigail was also able to wall up one of the windows and move the electric stove there to create more space. “We basically shifted the kitchen layout around completely,” she says.

PERSONALIZED TOUCHES

As a finishing touch, Abigail was sure to incorporate a bit of farmhouse personality into the design. “The idea of painting the island green was definitely a nod to the homeowner’s love of plants,” she says. This love of nature-inspired colors was also reflected in her choice of countertops, which contain stunning bits of blue-toned sea glass.

BY J I N HYUN PHOTOGRAPHY B Y A B I G A I L J ACKSON

The key is torenovate your kitchen without replacing the entire space. The newly remodeled kitchen has a welcoming open floor plan that encourages conversations and family gatherings.

"It ' s okay tochoose simple things and let the other elements of the design shine.” (above, left) The homeowner’s love of plants and nature is recognizable in every corner of the kitchen, from the plants and flowers to the color themes. (above, right) The design wasn’t the only element Abigail updated. The homeowner had never owned a dishwasher prior to this renovation, so Abigail made it a priority. (bottom) Abigail came up with the thoughtful idea of creating an island with a built-in microwave specifically for the elderly homeowner. If she has to use a wheelchair in the future, it will still be within reach.