New Family Kitchen, Living Room

By Candice Olson

Tova and Daniel have lived in their suburban home for about four years. There never seemed to be any rush to modernize their dated decor until they suddenly found themselves under pressure to make the space more beautiful and functional. Daniel, a video-game developer, was planning an at-home-party for the impending launch of his company's latest game, and Tova was planning a little launch of her own: the birth of the couple's first child.

The main problem was the couple's outdated kitchen, which opens up onto an equally outmoded living room. Tova and Daniel are young and modern, and they love to entertain, but the two rooms did not reflect or accommodate their lifestyle. So with time at a premium, I geared up to beat the clock and rebuild a dysfunctional kitchen and living area before any births occurred (the baby's or the video game).