Kitchen Goes from Dated to Dashing

Joan Steffend and designer Krista Crawford transform a traditional 1950s kitchen with an unexpected color scheme of chocolate brown and gold, which sets the tone for an English cottage theme.

The walls are painted a rich chocolate brown color and the stark white cabinets are toned down with a brown glaze, brushed and rubbed on for an aged appearance. The cabinets are further transformed with punched-metal inserts featuring a wheat design.

The windows are dressed with lush brown velvet and gold damask curtain panels. A garage-sale table and chairs are painted gold and placed in the eating area. The seats are updated with new fabric covers stapled over the existing pads.

Additional storage is in the form of a traditional-looking English sideboard, created by joining a dresser with a top from a discarded hutch. The entire piece is painted gold and the drawers are outfitted with whimsical pulls made out of silverware. A brown and white transferware set is displayed on the top shelf to further the English cottage theme.

The designer creates a unique lamp out of an antique teapot and lampshade kit. The ceiling fan is replaced with an elegant chandelier purchased at a garage sale. Moss and dried flowers are hot-glued on tin ceiling tiles for rustic wall art. An old shutter is painted gold and used as a message center near the back door.