A kitchen remodel changes up a whole home.
Enlarged, brighter kitchen now the heart of small Oakland home with an easy flow
When a professional chef undertakes a kitchen remodel, you might expect the priorities to include multiple ovens and dishwashers, and expanses of work surfaces. Then there’s the widely held view that the sink, refrigerator and range should be arranged as a triangle.
For Dona Savitsky, though, the driving principle behind her recent kitchen renovation could be summed up as: Let there be more light.
In a house that totals roughly 800 square feet, and with a tight budget at play, lavish expenditures were rarely considered. The location of the existing pipes, for example, meant a triangular configuration for the appliances was not an option. But the changes to the layout that Savitsky did make improved the overall flow — and influx of natural light — in her home.
The Oakland denizen who, along with Thomas Schnetz, founded the East Bay restaurants Doña Tomás, Tacubuya, Flora and Xolo, started by removing the chimney and nonfunctioning fireplace separating the living area and kitchen. Doing so enlarged the footprint of the kitchen and allowed her to introduce a counter designed and built by Paul Mirocha.
“It’s like a beautiful piece of furniture,” says Savitsky, and it provides a nice segue between the two spaces.
On the far end of the kitchen, she shifted a couple of doors and windows. Now, standing in the living room by the home’s entrance, you can see straight through the kitchen to the glass door that leads to a new deck — which, like the interior renovation, was carried out by contractor Jody Brown.
Savitsky bought the property in 2006, so by the time she embarked on the makeover earlier this year, she had had plenty of time to mull over updates.
“The house is so small, that opening it up just made sense,” she says.
The project took about three months and firmly establishes the kitchen as the heart of the home. White cabinetry paired with Carrara marble countertops, oak floors stained a rich brown and open shelving made of reclaimed wood yield a kitchen that is warm and inviting.
The shelving is the handiwork of her boyfriend, David Shanks. And the kitchen’s built-in foldaway ironing board, a common feature in houses like Savitsky’s that date back to the early 1900s, has been replaced by a recessed spice rack also fabricated by Shanks. It’s lined with attractive glass vessels that, for aesthetic reasons, have their labels adhered on the bottom.
Nearby, a round table is surrounded by four chairs acquired at a flea market held at a local senior center. “They were like 20 bucks each,” says Savitsky of the seating. “They’re mismatched, and I love them like that.”
The same breezy style characterizes the rest of the decor.
The living room is anchored by a rattan sofa draped in a vibrant Indian kantha quilt. “I wish I had brought back more,” says Savitsky of the souvenir of a trip two years ago. “They’re like $300 in boutiques here and $50 there.”
Bursts of greenery as well as garage sale and flea market purchases, including the coffee and side tables and the wicker chairs nestled in the corners, round out the scheme.
The teal walls in Savitsky’s bedroom were inspired by the matte of a framed drawing that hangs in the living room. The bed is dressed in striped linens, while the window behind it is flanked by curtains with a pom-pom border. A globe pendant lamp from West Elm is suspended from the stepped ceiling.
A bathroom, which was updated about 18 months ago, adjoins the home’s two bedrooms. The walls are a combination of charcoal and a lighter shade of gray with a hint of purple. The lacy white curtains that Savitsky crafted illustrate her bohemian tendencies. “Let’s not be too crazy,” she laughs. “I sewed a loop and put them on a rod.”
Over the years, Savitsky’s children — Dylan, 24; Zora, 19; and Ella, 18 — have made use of the spare bedroom and backyard’s cozy guest quarters. The latter measures 10-by 20 feet and is outfitted with a bed constructed by Shanks, a table and a chair.
When a visitor remarks that, with its abundance of light and plants, as well as its laid-back yet lively atmosphere, her charming bungalow is reminiscent of a summer cottage, Savitsky concurs.
“It does feel like that to me, too,” she says, then glances out the front door. “I just wish there was a beach right there!”