This month’s featured project spotlight is our Conover Lane Project. It seemed fitting to shine the spotlight on one of our most romantically styled design projects during the month most associated with love. We think you’ll agree!
Project Overview
Fellow designer, Joan Norkus, of Boxwood LLC Interior Design was hired to bring this full home renovation project to life. Joan brought us into this project to help with the design and execution of the kitchen and sitting room dry bar.
From the first meeting with the client we knew that this space would be special. The client explained that she loved pink, which Joan had planned to incorporate the color throughout the home. “Is it crazy to have pink cabinets?” we remember the client asking. The client’s husband (Valentine of the year) said that he was fine with whatever his wife chose for finishes.
The new layout of the home provided a formal sitting room off the foyer, this room is a perfect welcome for this couple’s family and friends. The rug set the tone for the finishes in this room. We pulled one of the deeper tones from the rug to create the custom Raspberry Pudding dry bar. We love the beautiful balance of bold modern elements and traditional antique pieces that Joan incorporated into this spaces furnishings.
Wide Open Spaces
From the siting room you enter the open concept kitchen, dining, living space with a stunning view of the Navesink River.
Our joint focus was to create some separation of the individual spaces in this open room, yet ensure that everything was cohesive. A structural column in the room created a natural separation allowing the room be the divided into 4 quadrants; kitchen, sitting area, dining, and living room.
A Pink Kitchen
Wanting the kitchen to be a special reflection of the client’s unique style, yet striving for a space that would be timeless, we made the strategic decision that the cabinetry would be a special stain on Quarter Sawn Oak wood. This linear grained wood presented a more classic, even masculine, juxtaposition to the delicately pink toned stain. This combination offers a beautiful balance for the couple.
Special Finishes
The client fell in love with a marble countertop, on display in our showroom, confirming that decision early on. Brass finishes were planned for many of the selections in the home. We wanted to carry that into the kitchen for consistency, but also put it a little spin on it. We chose a brass finish with a rosy-tone for the cabinet hardware and plumbing fixtures. Although subtle, this variation creates a nice transition from the pink toned cabinetry to the more gold toned brass finishes of the lighting and other elements in the open concept living space.
The bronze metal custom made range hood features a tapered curve to offset the curved detail of the window on the adjacent wall. The finish also boasting the slighted touch of pink, yet deeper than the lighting, hardware, and plumbing in the room, building on the room’s palette.
*Design Tip:
The days requiring all metals to match perfectly are gone. Although it can create a consistent look, which may be right for a particular design, we love layering elements. Don’t be afraid to play around with this by mixing finishes, metal or otherwise. in a space. When done well, it makes the design in a space much more interesting and personal.
Design Detailing
If you have to do dishes, this wouldn’t be a bad spot to do them. We love how this sink wall turned out. The curved window was something that the client knew she wanted in the kitchen from day 1. We kept the window wall free of upper cabinetry to make it one of the room’s focal points. A combination of printed and Calcutta Marble tile backsplash accent the window, which is finished off with these stunning vintage sconces that the client had purchased years ago in hopes of using them someplace special.
The center island was designed to feel more like built-in furniture than cabinetry. To achieve this, we integrated legs on all four corners and a vertical apron between the legs to give the island a table look.
When possible, we like to conceal functional elements that may not be very esthetically pleasing. Microwaves are often an important element in a kitchen, however these appliances are not always the most attractive. By placing them on the working side of an island, it is in a convenient location for use, but less conspicuous from most vantage points in the room.
It was a joy to be a part of this project and we are thrilled with the final outcome. We hope our clients will enjoy their new home for many years to come!
Conover Lane Project Spotlight Sources
Kitchen and Dry Bar design and cabinetry, hood, and hardware: Town & Country Kitchen and Bath
Interior Design and Furnishing for these spaces: Joan Norkus, Boxwood LLC Interior Design
Backsplash Material sourced through Downtown Tile
Photographs: Patricia Burke Photography
Want More?
Click the image below to read the cover story article featuring this project in Monmouth Health & Life.
