Davidloves the outdoors andis an avid collector of books, vintage vinyl and Southern folk art. He currently resides in a 19th-century Victorian home which he and his wife, Fawn, are gradually and continually renovating, thereby − though not entirely by design − adopting HGTV's lifestyle credo: "Live the brand."
Kitchen Cousins Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri go for the gusto in this extraordinary kitchen makeover for a Sacramento couple -- including a husband who's a passionate homebrewer. Highlights include a 13-foot island with white quartz counter top, a stamped tin ceiling, reclaimed wood elements, a unique floor feature and restaurant-quality beer taps.
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Kitchen Cousins John Colaneri and Anthony Carrino took a narrow and dated galley kitchen, blew out some walls, and created this beautifully open floor plan in a luxe new space that marries kitchen, dining area and living room.
The new 13-foot kitchen island features brilliant white quartz countertops. Its front panel is made from reclaimed wood that was locally sourced from a decomissioned water tower that was more than 150 years old.
For the wall color and the run of cabinets along the kitchen's back wall, John and Anthony went with a muted gray-green that pairs nicely with the reclaimed wood on the face of the new island and the wood-wrapped beams.
The Cousins created a four-foot-square opening in the wall bordering the dining and living rooms and installed architectural glass to mimic the look of an exterior window.
The renovation's keynote feature is the integrated bar with restaurant quality beer taps that can serve up to four different craft beers.
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Meet the Homeowners
Prior to the renovation, Blair and David were the owners of a sad, stuck-in-the-'70s kitchen that was claustrophobic and confining. Their renovation wish list included: a thorough update with modern appliances, a more open floorplan to help unify spaces and an overall look that blends elements of both rustic and contemporary design. And one other thing: Since David's a homebrewer, he wanted a well designed home bar for properly serving libations to diners and guests.
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BEFORE
Before the renovation, the kitchen was a cramped galley that was so tight that it could scarcely be occupied by two people at the same time.
A wall was removed and replaced with a spacious island with integrated range and cabinetry. The result is a much more open, comfortable and functional space.
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BEFORE
A major drawback of the original kitchen was the limited prep area and inadequate counter space.
Counter space in the new kitchen is roughly tripled, with black quartz counters topping a run of cabinets that spans the back wall and contrasting white quartz on the new island that's more than 13 feet in length. Quartz countertops offer the advantage of resistance to staining and are essentially maintenance free.
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BEFORE
In the old kitchen, the source for overhead lighting was recessed fluorescent-tube fixtures with dingy, yellowed cover panels.
A well-lit kitchen relies on sophisticated and layered lighting from multiple sources. In this case that includes recessed spots for dramatic accent, industrial style pendants for concentrated task lighting and a trio of rustic sconces over the sink.
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BEFORE
Among the original kitchen's qualifiers for "Most Desperate" designation were patterned and faded vinyl floor tiles, wallpaper borders in an antiquated country motif, plain drab cabinets and floor tiles used as countertops.
The look of the new space is all about contrast and visuals -- with rich, dark hardwood flooring throughout, a striking custom floor feature in the kitchen and a carefully chosen, well coordinated palette.
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BEFORE
The "home bar" before the renovation was this kegerator tucked away in a corner of the kitchen.
The new dream bar includes four pro-quality taps, white subway tile backsplash and a custom shelf with under-lighting that illuminate bottles or decorative items.
The remodeled dining area -- in warm wood tones, muted gray-greens and charcoal -- exemplifies the casual, comfortable vibe the Cousins were going for with this renovation. The custom bar is a focal point and facilitates the stylized beer taps but also serves to provide extra countertop space.
The Cousins had recent experience with restaurant renovations that included a brewery, so they were familiar with creating an attractive installation for pro-level taps like these. "We've really focused on making this a commercial solution in a residence," says Anthony, "for somebody who's truly passionate about making beer."
Moscow Mule, anyone? The 1950s-era highball that has recently enjoyed a resurgence in popularity is traditionally served in copper mugs -- like these displayed on the new custom bar top.
The cousins do a thorough walkthrough before diving into the final design plan to help ensure a good match between the renovated spaces and the overall vibe that exists throughout the home. In this case, the homeowners have a number of antique furnishings, so though the design plan calls for a modern, functional space, it still plays off of the historic feel that authentic antiques help provide.
John is partial to adding windows in a home's interior for separating areas in a way that allows light to flow between spaces. "It gives you that illusion of the space feeling larger," he says.
Prior to the renovation, the fireplace brick was a plain, drab color. John and Anthony painted both the brick and the mantel in bright white for a stronger visual impact. The firewood holder is a welded steel box with plates attached at the top and mid-point for structural support. The industrial steel works well with the grays and browns used throughout the design palette.
The oversized wall clock is made from reclaimed wood, creating a visual tie-in with the kitchen island's wood cabinetry. The dark wood face and brushed metal numbers stand out against the new white paint.
To add historic character to the dining room, stamped-tin tiles were installed on the ceiling. The tiles are in varied patterns alternating between linear, medallion and floral designs.
The window between the dining area and living room is actually a single, large span of glass. The framing elements -- technically termed mullions -- create the effect of individual panes and are actually a decorative accent added separately. "Adding the mullions gives it a classic look," says Anthony, "It's just a nice, sophisticated way to partition the living room and dining room but not have a heavy wall."
White subway tile for the kitchen backsplash, extending from the countertops to ceiling, matches the tile backing on the shelf above the bar in the dining room.
This perspective highlights the purposeful contrast between the finishes on the new island and back cabinets -- with the island showcasing the natural look of the reclaimed wood and the rear cabinets in a more traditional finish painted in gray-green.
The "area rug" runner is actually porcelain tile made to look like a rug. It's a 3'x8' pattern that runs the length of the island. Each tile is distinct, collectively creating a unique, "haphazard" design effect. The tiles are installed flush with the surrounding wood floor pieces, creating a seamless visual accent in the floor.
Industrial barn lights work well with the kitchen's raw wood and overall rustic look. The pendant style shades with bright green exterior offer a nice visual accent while the white interior provides optimal light dispersion over the work area.
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Kitchen Ninjas
John and Anthony pause for a photo op in the newly finished pub style kitchen that they designed for David and Blair of Sacramento, Calif.
