This Kitchen Redesign Transformed Into An Entire Home Renovation

Photography by Ron Rosenzweig

Many redesigns begin with the simple idea of removing a wall to create a more open floor plan or sprucing up a specific room. That was the case when the owners of a two-story home in Jupiter asked designer Lisa Lalaounis of The Decorators Unlimited in Palm Beach Gardens to update their kitchen. The project soon evolved into revamping their entire 8,000-square-foot, four-bedroom, six-bath house.

The owners, Dan Reedy of Onshore Construction and his wife, Missy, wanted the traditional home to have a more modern, but not necessarily contemporary, look. Lalaounis set out to establish a fresh, transitional aesthetic that will be stylish for years to come.

A graduate of the International Academy of Design & Technology in Tampa, Lalaounis has been creating beautiful interiors for 25 years. “I’ve always loved the fine arts, and I wanted to marry my passion for them with a career,” she says.

Getting started

To make the exterior walls work better with a new roof, Lalaounis changed the paint color from red to white and put doors with opaque glass panels bordered with bronze-finished metal on the quadruple garage. Inside, she chose a white, cream, beige and linen color palette. “I wanted a classic feel for longevity, and I also wanted it to be very comfortable and inviting,” she says. Changing the dark espresso wood flooring to more Florida-friendly blonde tones created a brighter, lighter ambiance, and removing a wall between the living and dining rooms opened breathtaking views.

To create definition in the foyer, Lalaounis laid flooring in a herringbone pattern. She added minimalistic wood columns and changed the staircase railing from wood to glass. A prism crystal chandelier complements fixtures with similar styling in the dining room and breakfast nook.

Living and dining rooms

In the living room, the designer replaced existing glass in the windows and French doors with panes framed in bronze. Using limestone slabs and a linear fireplace with a TV screen above, she created a dramatic feature wall. In front of it are twin sofas covered in linen chenille and two double-tiered cocktail tables with acrylic bases that make the wood tops and shelves beneath appear to float. Two swivel recliners are upholstered in taupe channel fabric, and the color of a polished metal table between them is the same as the wooden coffee tables. A cream and beige area rug made from a wool and bamboo-silk blend softens the floor.

On the other side of the space, a wet bar with a creamy marble top and waterfall edge is illuminated from beneath. Stools have walnut legs, while seats and backs are upholstered with beige, gray and taupe chenille. On the wall to one side is a liquor cabinet with mesh metal doors. For a bit of whimsy, bottles on upper shelves can be lowered with the touch of a button. Suspended from the 26-foot ceiling are twin chandeliers made with platinum rings surrounded by hand-cut glass squares.

In the dining area, ceiling beams with a walnut finish create architectural detail. A walnut table has a stepped-ledge apron surround, and chairs with gracefully curved walnut frames are upholstered in cream and taupe chenille. Gleaming prism crystals that resemble icicles are mounted in a linear chandelier suspended from a metal canopy, creating continuity with the fixtures in the foyer and breakfast room.

Kitchen & summer kitchen

In the kitchen, ceiling beams match those in the dining room. A large freezer and refrigerator are on one wall; an adjacent wall houses two ovens. Walnut paneling clads the kitchen walls, and a load-bearing column is disguised with lighted shelving to look like an architectural feature. A peninsula with a waterfall edge that matches the ceiling beams is topped with white-veined black quartzite, and a light bridge attached to the ceiling illuminates the workspace. To create both continuity and drama, Lalaounis installed a large black quartzite wall panel above the range. Lining the top of the wall are walnut-fronted storage cabinets—designed by Juan Beraldi of Artistry Fine Woodwork—without telltale pulls to identify them. “It’s a really clean look,” Lalaounis says. A walnut island containing a microwave drawer and a corner sink is crowned with more black quartzite; stools have white cushions that contrast strikingly with washed gray maple frames and gray cane backs.

To establish a breakfast room, the designer decided to enclose part of the patio. A round oak table with a taupe finish seats four; chairs have curved oak legs and rail pullouts to avoid fingerprints on the white upholstered backs. The circular chandelier with crystal cylinders similar to fixtures in the dining room and foyer hangs from a polished-nickel medallion. A sideboard with a taupe oak base and a top shelf supported by metal legs is set against a wall with
a TV screen above.

In the adjoining summer kitchen, the floor is covered with large-scale gray concrete porcelain tile. Complementing the floor is the gray concrete top of the dining table. Swivel chairs with gray aluminum frames have thick gray and white cushions. There’s a large grill, and glass-fronted cabinets offer display space. The dramatic backsplash  and countertop are made from Calcatta porcelain slabs. These, as well as the countertops in the kitchen proper, as well as other areas in the home, were fabricated by Frank Laflamme of Accurate Tile and Marble. A separate seating area features two aluminum-framed, deep-seating sofas and two recliners. Twin spherical chandeliers with iron frames and casually elegant interior candelabras light the space.

Entertainment

The media room is a perfect place for watching a movie, shooting pool or enjoying a beverage. Taupe and beige grass cloth covers the walls, and Venetian plaster adds interest to the ceiling. Tiered seats are covered in dark brown leather, while a gray maple bar behind them is raised enough so the screen is still easily visible. Stools are taupe leather with polished chrome bases. A pool table sits in the middle of the space.

For more active recreation, Lalaounis transformed one of the garage bays into a golf-simulation space. Players can feel as if they’re practicing their drives on top courses, while a dark granite bar serves as a stylish 19th hole.

Master suite

In the master bedroom, wood flooring laid in a herringbone pattern similar to that in the foyer is the backdrop for a dramatic bed wall paneled in walnut and accented with vertical LED strips. The headboard, which runs across the wall beyond the bed itself, is upholstered in mocha chenille velvet, as is the bed frame. At the foot is a bench covered in playful leopard-patterned chenille. “I wanted to have some fun, and I fell in love with the fabric,” Lalaounis says. A ring-shaped, fractured-glass chandelier with polished-nickel accents hangs from the ceiling, and cylinder-shaped crackled glass pendants are suspended on both sides of the bed. A recessed seating area features two polished-chrome chaises with faux-mink cushions.

A reflective mirror film provides privacy on double-glass doors framed in bronze that open to a hallway leading to the master bath. It features a freestanding soaking tub and a large shower with a frameless glass door. Onyx porcelain tile covers the floor and countertops, while a floating shelf provides storage for linens.

Fresh yet classic

Wood, crystal and metals provide a classic look in this home, while a more open floor plan, fresh finishes and stylish new furnishings create living spaces that will bring joy for years to come.