Inviting Mexican Kitchen

A bland kitchen is energized with a colorful Spanish-style design.

After

All About

Product Ideas

Schoolteachers Tony and Elaine Aguilar's bland kitchen lacks color and a cohesive style. They'd like it to be an energetic, colorful space that reflects their Mexican-American heritage.

The Solution

The walls are painted a sunny yellow to brighten the space.
The rectangular dining set is replaced with a Mission-style round table and four new chairs.
Burbridge creates a custom art piece out of unfinished frames and stained-glass spray paint, which will hang in the pass-through separating the living and dining area. He removes the cardboard backing, glass and flexible tabs from each frame and stains each to match the kitchen cabinetry. He then sprays the glass inserts with red, orange and yellow stained-glass paint. Once dry, he places them back into the frames and begins attaching the pieces together with screw eyes and decorative gold chain.
Kivett solves the lighting problem with a grid system made out of 1x2 lumber and track lights. He creates the grid, paints it white and attaches two four-foot sections of track lights on either side. He attaches a converter, which converts the hardwire track system into a regular light fixture so that it can be plugged in. The grid system is suspended from the ceiling with four large eye hooks and white chain.
Baltzer brings color into the space by adding a striped fabric to store-bought tab-top curtains.
Colorful plates displayed on the wall, new ceiling fixture globes and a bowl of fruit on the dining table complete the new design.

Before

The Dilemma

Sam Kivett and design coordinators Summer Baltzer and Charles Burbridge decided on the design direction for the Aguilar's kitchen. They planned to infuse the space with warm color and replace the existing dining set to free up more space. They also decided to replace the two off-centered ceiling lights, address the mismatched window treatments and jazz up the blank pass-through to the living room with a custom visual element.

Now the kitchen is bright and colorful with a beautiful Spanish-style design.

The Cost

Furniture - $427