The kitchen had a cramped layout and was walled off from the other family rooms. It made it difficult for the parents to be in the kitchen while keeping an eye on their kids.

The formal dining room was awkwardly walled off from the kitchen and the living room to the point that the homeowners rarely used the space.

Steve and Leanne blew out the wall between the kitchen and the formal dining room to create one, large eat-in kitchen. After making sure it was safe to take down the wall between the kitchen and the living room, they blew it out, too, creating a super airy, open layout. Now, the parents can be in the kitchen and keep an eye on kids in the living room.

Using reclaimed wood, Steve created a custom, extra-long farmhouse table just for the homeowners. The light wood complements the metal industrial chairs and dark slate flooring. Leanne chose slate for the kitchen because it’s great for families. It’s easy to clean, makes a big visual impact and is budget-friendly at around $2 a square foot.