Last week we were thrilled to share our laundry + butler’s pantry with a look at what we’ve taken on in this house. {The links are all there if you’re curious or aren’t familiar with our story; I won’t bore you here.} It was so fun to give a little mini-tour of sorts. Today, we’re sharing a little bit of a kitchen and great room update. It’s kind of a long story, but we also had a water leak in the middle of all these renovations and additions. That meant all the floors had to be replaced. So not only were the kids splitting up and finally getting new bedrooms, and not only were we in the middle of having our own wing completed… but the great room and kitchen area got a new look as well. It took us a while to put it all back together again, and we were actually to the point of feeling a bit humpty-dumpty-ish. I shared a little of that in our summer tour, but I thought I’d give a happy little mini-fall tour of this great room and kitchen space today, with some before and afters… because why not?
Looking from this angle, this room was once upon a time divided into four smaller spaces. So, we took out the ceiling and walls to make one large gathering area. I think the question from others is always, “Is one large space worth it?” Our answer is yes, for us. This actually works great for our family and layout because we have two other spaces for gathering with walls, as well as plenty of private spaces. It all comes down to your individual house and needs.
It took a little getting used to, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s truly the best space for us. The difference is honestly night and day. Because this is the very same view, a few short years later.
This space is definitely the heart of the home, and we love that we were able to open it up for gathering since we’re big on family time and all things hosting.
Chandelier / table / chairs / rug / art / curtains – read more about our floors here.
This is how things looked from our now primary addition, which we highlighted last week. This space has come such a long way.
Almost all of the art you’ll spy in our home was done by me – {prints available here}. I loved making this wall a little makeshift gallery wall to add height and interest and utilize the open space so that I could hang more.
As much as it pained me, the giant Chesterfield we loved forever just didn’t fit in this space with multiple seating options. We added a new sofa and gave the entire space more room by mixing it up a little.
sofa / rug / bottom rug / cream chairs / velvet chairs / side table / coffee table / chandelier / pillows 1.2.3
I’ve always been a reluctant seasonal decorator regarding fall, but I enjoy subtle, cozy touches. I don’t want it to look like Hobby Lobby threw up, but I am down for some spooky, too. So it’s simple and transitional around here when it comes to the home.
When we initially did the kitchen, we weren’t sure if we would be able to add an addition to this side of the house. It was a long story with a lot of red tape and bureaucracy. So we waited for our permit. Once we added to this side of the house, we were ready to add balance to the entire space by doing something on the far side of the wall. When I looked back at our first-ever plans for the entire room, I’d marked it for open shelves. It only took us years later to complete, but hurray for being finished.
We’d initially not continued the backsplash down but tied it in on both sides. I love the way it looks around this doorway for a classic feel.
I refinished this cabinet with stained glass this last spring, so be sure to check it out here for the full how-to. It was, once again, something that offered more storage room.
Here’s a view of the kitchen before…
And our kitchen now. In the future, we still need to refinish our cabinets because of water damage, and I am debating over colors. For now, this is how they are in our space, and I think I’m totally okay with it. Adding this other cabinet has offered so much extra space; we are thrilled with how they look. These Kichler sconces added so much fun character and light!
Again, taking out the ceiling made all the difference. We added custom cabinetry designed by us and fresh countertops in soapstone + marble, which has held up GORGEOUSLY over time. {A lot of people are gun-shy about these materials in their homes, and we absolutely adore them.}
We added tile {+ here}, beams and lights…and a lot of gusto. We also planked our ceilings ourselves throughout. We adore this space in the heart of the home and the classic design.
And on the other side, the kitchen {and a formal living room/dining room combo} once looked like this.
And now this.
The solitary window was shifted, another was added, and stained glass that we sourced at the flea market was also added from a turn-of-the-century university in Boston, for all the fun color. {We couldn’t have pulled it off without replacing these old windows and the entire exterior with some amazing Window World finds.} The stained glass windows were a lucky find as if I’d been searching for them my whole life and didn’t even know it. Our home faces north, so they put on a spectacular show of colors in the dusk hours when the sun sets.
Those bay windows once faced the outside, and you’re probably noticing another space now.
On the other side sits our pool room, where we have an additional dining and seating area. It also serves as my makeshift painting and stained glass studio. We added a window seat here, for more storage and seating space.
Because we replaced the same faucet three times and it broke three times, {see eventual water damage} we learned the hard way and upgraded to a more trustworthy brand. This Delta Faucet has made all the difference; we love the change.
We’re so happy with our white oak shelves! I’m so glad that we decided to take the tile all the way down and add storage. I think it does so much to warm the space.
For those of you who know me, I’m a big lover of colorful glasses. I’m a big lover of glass, period. These are so fun to put on full display. It’s amazing how much storage space it freed up in the rest of the house. Don’t come for me and those plates in baskets. They’re mainly for staging when I use them, but I wash all things before use anyway, so it works. I needed a way to stack things that kept everything free and clear when it came to cabinetry and furniture.
Here’s one more glimpse of how that wall looked before {you just couldn’t see the rest of the house}
And a head-on view of the entire area. This is definitely the heart of our home. One big, warm, bustling, happy space for our entire family. It holds seating with a TV behind our fireplace, an eat-in area, storage under our window seat with a bench for more sitting, and a spacious kitchen.
More detail on fireplace makeover here. {Pssst… this home now has three fireplaces because apparently Nashville is cold. There’s a TV hidden behind them all!}
So hurray for transitioning seasons and designing spaces organically over time. This little room has seen quite a few transitions, but we love it.
And this wraps up our little fall/update tour! Let us know if you have any questions! We’d love to hear.
Have an inspired day!
maria says
What a beautiful decor in this home i love it 🙂 /Maria
ashley @ the handmade home says
Thank you so much, Maria!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Awe thank you so much Maria.