Baker’s Delight
Author:Lindsey ShookJoy Street Design imbues a new kitchen with a multitude of color
“Our first goal when renovating a space, especially a kitchen, is to make it more functional for the home occupants. After we’ve achieved that goal, we then get to focus on the beautification of the space,” says Oakland-based designer Kelly Finley of Joy Street Design on her process, which was applied when renovating a 1,700-square-foot Craftsman in the Glenview neighborhood. Having met her client at a leadership summit while working in her previous career as a lawyer, Finley had a keen sense for her busy professional life, which was balanced by an active 6-year-old and a love for baking sourdough bread and canning.
They began by carving out an additional 1,000 square feet in the basement, which made way for an additional guest bedroom, a laundry room, a family room and a principal suite with steam shower bathroom and walk-in closets. “The client had a great art collection but because we were creating spaces out of dirt (literally), we were able to consider wall space when designing the rooms, which didn’t require much compromise on our end,” says Finley. “For the kitchen, the client wanted a better workflow, additional storage and better-quality materials.”
The original island overwhelmed the space and was replaced with a working island, which is positioned just right for cooking, entertaining and watching the little one. Finley notes, “We also created an additional breakfast nook for coffee to give the client’s vast cookbook collection a place to live while also allowing some peace and quiet in the morning away from the rest of the family.”
Finley added personality to the space by juxtaposing traditional Shaker-style white and oak cabinets with a wine-colored island and pantry and multicolored marble tile from Artistic Tile. “The clients are in love with the kitchen,” she says. “They started installing and prepping things before we even finished!”