Life & Style
THE LIVING ROOM IS A SETTING FOR DESIGN DRAMA. WITH ITS STRIKING CHANDELIER, BLUE/GRAY/WHITE COLOR THEME AND VARIED TEXTURES, THERE IS PLENTY FOR GUESTS TO ADMIRE. THE STRATEGIC PLACEMENT OF THE TWO FACING BLUE SOFAS AND THE MINIMAL ACCESSORIES MAKE THIS AN INVITING PLACE FOR DESIGN CONVERSATION AND ENTERTAINING. PHOTOS BY MICHAEL HUNTER
INTERIORS
A Home for Generations
With an emphasis on life in and around the kitchen, a renovation breathes new life into a south Tulsa residence.
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By M. J. Van Deventer
ulia Kirkendall remembers when kitchens were hidden in the back of a house. “There was usually a swinging door into the dining room and food just seemed to appear,” she says. As an interior designer, Kirkendall is pleased that kitchens have become a vital part of today’s family lifestyle. “Kitchens are taking center stage in our homes,” she says. “Now they are totally exposed to the living areas, making these spaces more livable and functional, whether the kitchen is designed for a large family that loves to cook or empty-nesters who enjoy entertaining. “Everything flows from one space to another. We’ve seen this trend coming for a long time. With two people working full time and raising a family, cooking has become a culinary event where everyone participates together.” That’s what happened to a 3,500-square-foot, rambling, 1980s ranch-style home in south Tulsa. It was much more than a cosmetic remodeling project for the Kirkendall Design firm, established in 1992 and specializing in modern, classic and transitional projects. “I would call it a renovation,” Kirkendall says. “The kitchen had dark woods [and] was situated away from other rooms, and there was a free-standing bar in the family room. The before and after is dramatic.”
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2018
IMMEDIATE RIGHT: TO LIGHTEN UP THE INTERIORS, SHADES OF PURE WHITE AND GRAY NEUTRALS WERE USED IN WHAT THEY CALL THE “GREAT ROOM,” AND A CUSTOM FLOOR STAIN SET THE GROUNDING TONES THROUGHOUT THE HOME. FAR RIGHT: EVEN THE COFFEE TABLE IN THE GREAT ROOM REFLECTS AN ELEMENT OF DESIGN. THE PATTERNED RUG ANCHORS THE VIGNETTE. A BOOK WITH AN ENTICING TITLE AND A TROPICAL PLANT AND OTHER SMALL ACCESSORIES MAKE THEIR OWN DESIGN STATEMENT.
