The kitchen is often the hub of the household. It’s where we eat meals, work, prepare for gatherings, and have some of our best moments with family and friends. In fact, we spend an average of 400 hours a year in our kitchens. With this in mind, why not make your kitchen your own?
Dena Thomas of Dena Thomas Designs, has been designing and transforming living spaces for nearly 30 years—including taking countless kitchens from drab to fab by working with clients to merge function and form.
“The best part of my job is the reveal—when I get to see the faces of the clients when the project is all done,” Thomas says.
With an expert eye for design, Thomas shares three of her favorite recent kitchen overhauls.
Modern and Timeless
Before her expert design, this kitchen featured an overwhelming amount of wood and felt cramped. Thomas’ redesign included getting rid of the dark wood and replacing it with inviting white and lighter tones. New, modern lighting fixtures were added in addition to fun, modern chairs, and an updated island with bold black and white contrasts.
“This kitchen features a lot of brass, with an island done in a black finish and countertops done in quartz with a backsplash,” says Thomas. “It’s a clean, timeless look.”
All these touches combined make the space more welcoming, open, and inviting.
Farmhouse Vibes
Before her redesign, this farmhouse-inspired kitchen was all dark brown and lacked a lot of personal touches. For its updated look, Thomas lightened the tones while incorporating new lighting fixtures, white wooden cabinets, and fun farmhouse-style chairs. The floor changed from dark brown tile to a soft brown wood, and the island now has a white countertop and wooden frame to match the farmhouse vibes.
“This client wanted a farmhouse look, so we did that, but with a modern twist,” Thomas says. “Now this kitchen is a farmhouse style, which is a popular trend right now, but will stand the test of time.”
Modern Eclectic
For fans of cool, colorful designs, this modern eclectic kitchen is for you. Mixing a variety of colors and patterns that are bold but still flow well together, this kitchen is home to fun and funky light fixtures, modern chairs, and a glass table, and flows well into the colorful living space next to it.
“This kitchen features high-end finishes, high gloss cabinets, and a waterfall island,” Thomas describes. “It has a lot of marble, a lot of color, brass accents, and fun backsplashes.”
A smaller kitchen, each detail makes the most out of the space, and it still feels open without being cramped.