DEFINING FEATURES

LIGHT AND LIVABLE An all-white kitchen adheres to the couple’s desire for a clean, unfussy design. A geometric-shaped backsplash and bamboo barstools keep the look visually interesting, while glass-front cabinets give a place to display blue-and-white pieces, tying the room to the home’s overall palette. Quartz countertops are a durable option that will stand up to the wear and tear of family dinners and weekend gatherings.

“Accessible Beige” by SherwinWilliams

Clockwise from top left: The navy blue ILVE Majestic II range and coordinating vent hood were the starting point of the kitchen’s redesign. Open shelving displays a meaningful collection of handmade pottery. A large-scale hexagon tile brings interest to the backsplash. All the cabinet hardware is unfinished brass to acquire patina over time.

W

hen the owners of this Little Rock home began house hunting for their family of six, they had a very specific requirement in mind: a kitchen in need of a full renovation. “We wanted a place where we could put our own touch on it,” one of the homeowners says. She and her husband toured this 1995 property and instantly fell in love with its layout, location, and, most of all, potential.

After living with the existing kitchen for several years, the couple were ready to embark on the remodel, and they desired the help of a professional to get it right. “We cook every night, so I wanted to work with a Certified Kitchen Designer to make sure it would function really well,” the homeowner says. She met Charlotte Lefler, CKD, with Kitchen & Bath Ideas, who helped transform the small galley kitchen into a more efficient space. “Charlotte brought in so many good ideas that I wouldn’t have thought of,” she says, noting the cabinetry proportions, food storage considerations, and flow for tasks like unloading the dishwasher were all thanks to the designer’s expertise.

With Charlotte on board to address the room’s space planning and organization, the homeowner took the lead on aesthetics, which were influenced by her parents’ careers as ceramicists. “Because pottery and ceramics have played such a big role in my life, I love the idea of form and function going together,” she says. “We wanted the kind of kitchen where living life in it would make it look better, so getting Charlotte’s advice on the things that would be durable enough for little nicks and bumps along the way was so important.” Leathered quartzite countertops, quarter-sawn oak on the island and perimeter cabinetry, and unfinished brass hardware hit the mark, giving the new kitchen a casual, comfortable feel that suits the whole family.

Design Resources CONTRACTOR Barry Rush, BMR Construction KITCHEN DESIGN Charlotte Lefler, CKD, Kitchen & Bath Ideas APPLIANCES Metro Appliances & More and PC Hardware ART Michelle Allen and Old Dog Pottery CABINETRY Kitchen & Bath Ideas COUNTERTOPS Alpha Countertops and Pacific Shore Stones LIGHTING Pottery Barn PAINT Sherwin-Williams