Dwellings

Lake Spaces

How We Live at the Lake

Photography by Serena Apostal

p. 52 Gorgeous finishes complete a Mooresville kitchen renovation.

Additional storage was created when Michelle McKoy removed the old desk and added a custom-built armoire pantry by RB Kitchens and Bath. It significantly increases storage space with a minimal footprint. “Their pantry was really small,” she says. “But rather than build a larger pantry, we decided to remove the unused and outdated desk and replace it with a functional and gorgeous armoire that is now their pantry. It’s my favorite part of this renovation. It is a huge focal point and the dark color with the brushed-gold oversized handles really turned out fabulous.”

Design Fresh Cooking Up A

miChelle mCkoy helpS Create a new kitChen minuS the intimiDation

by Bek Mitchell Kidd | photography by Serena Apostal

Interior designer Michelle McKoy of Michelle McKoy Designs transformed her clients’ kitchen with both a minimum of construction and fuss. Located in Mooresville, the renovation took approximately three months. The vibe skews transitional with modern touches and a few small, smart, and impactful moves that gives the space a timeless feel.

“I think a lot of people worry about renovating their kitchen because it can be one of the most expensive rooms to do,” says McKoy. “Appliances and cabinets alone can really crank up the cost. I also think people have a tendency to overthink a lot of it and don’t know the right questions to ask or in some cases, the right people to get to help them with the process . . . That is why when you are going to do a renovation, especially when it is an expensive one, I would always suggest you use someone who is experienced and has great people around them that can help make the job seamless.”

The cabinetry also features some glass doors. McKoy says, “Even though they are pretty and everyone seems to be doing them, they aren’t for every client. Glass is for displaying. My tips for keeping things visible looking good is to put a collection together, such as the white pottery we used in this kitchen.”

The wet bar was reconfigured so a wine cooler could be incorporated into the existing cabinetry. “The wet bar located between the kitchen and dining area wasn’t functioning the way the clients needed it to,” says McKoy. “So rather than putting a wine cooler in their island, I suggested that we put it in the wet bar; we reconfigured the cabinetry and were able to install without moving any plumbing.”

It was very important to the homeowners to get the wet bar backsplash right – as it is one of the first things you see when you enter the home, but as luck would have it presented to be one of the only challenges during the renovation.

“We couldn’t get the original tile we wanted for the backsplash,” says McKoy. “It was out ‘indefinitely.’ My clients really loved the tile so instead of changing the pattern we decided to do it in a different color and the results are beautiful.” The tile is a mosaic fan club white ombre with stainless gloss glass, and it has metal in it which creates visual interest and is at home with the variety of hardware used throughout the space.

The family wanted to keep the appliances and cabinetry. They were all in great condition and with new undercabinet lights and fresh paint opened the door to an entirely new-to-them scene.

McKoy used Sherwin Williams “Snowbound” and “Black Fox” for a classic blend of black and white, professionally painted by EMI Master Finishers. The countertops and kitchen backsplash are white Carrara quartz from Instyle Charlotte, Inc., and partner perfectly with the white and glass of the cabinets. There’s seating for two with Ballard Designs counter stools and just off to the right of the kitchen is an area that can seat several more people.

The kitchen faucet is black with a gold handle made by Moen, and the hand-hammered farmhouse sink is from Thompson Traders.