THE GOOD LIFE
Pretty in White A kitchen that lets brass fixtures shine
DANIELLE BURGER, owner of Kitchen Vitality Design, transformed the kitchen of her client’s two-story Sharon Woods home as part of a first-floor renovation. The homeowner already had plenty of colorful artwork, wallpaper, and décor throughout the house, so Burger opted for a classic white kitchen. It allows polished nickel and brass hardware to stand out and provides a simple, clean backdrop for the room’s showpiece, a La Cornue range with heavy brass accents. “It’s like an outfit,” Burger says. “You want all of that jewelry to sparkle.” —Taylor Bowler
AN OVERDUE UPGRADE Burger worked alongside builder Mike Goubran of Carolina Custom Homes to update the 42-yearold home. “The kitchen was a basic U-shape with white laminate countertops and hinges that were falling off the cabinets,” she says. So they stripped it down to the studs, replaced a load-bearing wall with a structural I-beam to open up the space, and added a pocket door between the dining room and kitchen. They also replaced the white tile flooring with oak to match the front of the house and installed linen white cabinets, a white porcelain backsplash, and white Carrara marble countertops.
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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER 2020
SHIMMER AND SHINE The homeowner wanted more storage, a farmhouse sink, and a big island with plenty of seating for her family of five. Burger worked with Tim Brun of Brun Millworks to create a custom wood countertop for the island and install a custom pendant light from Lantern & Scroll. The soft gray Serena & Lily barstools and brass and nickel hardware break up the sea of white. “The warmth of the brass can overpower a space if it’s all brass, so I like to mix it with polished nickel for a cooler finish,” Burger says.
THE WOW FACTOR The La Cornue oven with cooking range was one of the last pieces of the transformation. The homeowner chose a custom color for the imported, $15,000 French model, which took 12 weeks to arrive. Polished brass trim and knobs make the professional-quality chef range a visual showstopper. “It’s not something a client does every day,” Burger says. “But she really wanted that colorful range, and we wanted those elements and embellishments to be what stood out.”
ERIN COMERFORD
RO O M W E LOV E
