Before and After: A Builder-Basic Kitchen Gets a Charming Makeover

When Kevin and Erin Marr (here with their cat, Arlo) bought this San Francisco home a few years ago, they knew from day one that the builder-basic kitchen had to go. It didn’t have any of the character of the 1911 Edwardian-style house. With help from designers Gina Gutierrez and Ariel Richardson, they totally reimagined it and, because they both work remotely, they added a key feature: a new home office.

Before the reno, this kitchen lacked counterspace ... and personality.

The new, quartz-topped island is prep central. Because all the cabinets are on a single wall, the designers suggested painting some white and others charcoal. It helps break up the space, says Kevin: “And the white uppers feel lighter, like there’s less hovering above you.” The caned stools are from France & Son.

The designers selected this eye-catching backsplash tile. Grooves in the tiles create the cool striped pattern when grout is applied. To make the look even more special, they had a custom grout color made to match the teal shiplap (painted Iron Creek by Dunn-Edwards).

With the original layout, the kitchen didn't leave much room for entertaining.

Erin and Kevin had two walls removed to turn the kitchen, dining room and sun room into one cohesive space. Now the kitchen opens to the back deck and gets plenty of natural light. “Everyone wants to sit here!” says Erin of the swivel chairs from CB2. “It’s easy to swing them around to chat with whoever is at the island.”

One wall was enough to create a work-from-home area adjacent to the kitchen. The space is drenched with natural light, and Erin loves that she's so close to the coffee and snacks!