Open and Airy

See how tearing down a wall made way for a more gorgeous and functional kitchen space.

This 1970s home was not always this functional and open for entertaining.

When the busy Clapham family decided they needed a full remodel, they contacted Jackson Design and Remodeling to help them achieve a more appealing, functional and open kitchen layout. The warm colors and smooth textures of the new space provide the family with a tremendously comfortable, easy-to-clean kitchen area. So how did the Claphams and their design team achieve the look of their modern dream kitchen? They tore down the walls.

BREAKING BARRIERS

Alison Green, Senior Interior Designer for Jackson Design, explained that the family needed an update mostly for hosting purposes. “It’s a family of four with super busy schedules, and they entertain a lot, because the boys are in every extracurricular activity you can think of.”The prior kitchen was not conducive to the lifestyle of this vibrant and active family. “The old figuration of the kitchen was very closed off from everything,” Alison explained.

The most practical thing this family and their design team could do to open up space for hosting and entertaining was to get rid of the barriers that kept the family from connecting with one another and their guests. “The main thing was just to create a big open space—so whoever is in the kitchen can see whoever is in the family room and dining room,” Alison says.

DECLUTTERED ZONES

The standout feature of the kitchen area is the magnificent island. “We originally planned to do a prep sink in the island because there was quite a distance from the cooktop to the main sink ... but then the client decided she wanted just one large island,” Alison says. The need was less about cooking and more about the kitchen as the hub of the home. The island serves as an excellent place to entertain, for the kids to do homework and just lounge around. It has ample walking space around it, and the lights are hung quite high to accommodate the family and give the kitchen an open and airy feel.

COTTAGE COOL

The kitchen also features a recessed pantry closet and coffee bar that help keep the countertops clear of clutter and create a homier feel to the newly modern kitchen. The colors of the kitchen also accentuate the open design. “It doesn’t have to be white, white, and matching all the time. You can have fun with it,” says Alison. From the backsplash to the island color, the team of designers wanted to keep the elements of the kitchen cool and crisp, while playing off the warmer wooden accents of the space.

“Opening it all up and keeping the cabinets all the way up to the ceiling and the recessed closet really helped bring in all the natural light and strengthen the connection to the other spaces,” Alison says.

With a glazed green backsplash, the high-hanging, open shelves warm up this kitchen, reflecting the natural light bursting in through the window. The tile also combines with the warmth of the wood, grounding the contrast of the light walls and dark...

The open space of this family’s kitchen, as well as the wooden chair, table and fireplace elements, create a nature-inspired, almost traditional feel in the dining area.

A hideaway pantry and coffee counter simplify breakfast time for this bustling family and help keep the other kitchen countertops clean.