Decorator Jenny McRae has a flare for design. So when it came to renovating her kitchen, she took the project on herself. With a love for Schumacher's Citrus Garden wallpaper and Cafe Appliances, she knew what she wanted to splurge on and what she needed to be more conservative with.
Black cabinets set the tone for a modern look while the wallpaper and appliances combine for a vintage cafe twist. If you've ever thought of taking on a Do-It-Yourself project, but the thought has seemed daunting, Jenny gives her best advice on bringing a gorgeous redo to life with a big impact on design while still cutting corners and being cost conscious.
1. Where did your inspiration come from?
We live in a historic home in Huntsville's Five Points neighborhood near downtown. I love blending old and new style. My personal style is very colorful and feminine, but I always want the design to be appropriate with the age and style of my home.
I love European (specifically French) design and architecture. I wanted my kitchen to have a French bistro, timeless feel, while still being very colorful and bright, and functional.
2. What do you love about Citrus Garden?
I love that a citrus print is a very classic motif, while still being a little quirky and fun. For Citrus Garden specifically, I love the colors and the fact that it's an historic print almost the exact same age as our home. It was the perfect fit in my kitchen with the bright background, fun colors, and hint of black to match my cabinets.
3. How did you choose your cabinets and narrow it down to this shade of black?
Our cabinets are actually from IKEA! We had to do a lot of foundational work and did not have room left in our budget for custom cabinets. They are the Sektion cabinets in the Lerhyttan stain. I eventually settled on black cabinets, knowing that it would give that timeless French bistro look when paired with zellige tile and glass and brass accents. Zellige tile is a popular choice for kitchens due to its 'perfectly imperfect' look. They are glossy and moisture resistant. Our kitchen also receives a ton of natural light, so I was not worried about the room being too dark.
4. Where is your hardware from?
The cabinet hardware is also from IKEA. Our custom glass shelving is from Brass Hardware, a fabricator out of Savannah, GA.
5. All in all how much did this kitchen redo cost?
In total, our kitchen renovation was about $40,000. However, the majority of that was foundational and electrical work.
6. What did you splurge on?
Our biggest splurges were the Schumacher Citrus Garden wallpaper and the appliances. Our refrigerator and oven are by Cafe Appliances. I had been dreaming of owning their products for years! I love how they blend in so well with our cabinets and have a sophisticated, vintage feel.
7. Is there anything you would change knowing what you know now?
Actually, I do not think so. I love the way our kitchen looks and feels. We added so much more functionality to it with more cabinets and the peninsula - my favorite part!
8. Any tips for DIY kitchen remodels?
Live in your kitchen for a while before renovating to really know where you like to keep things and what you need more of. Think about creating a space that is beautiful, but also very functional.
You do not have to go fully custom with everything to have a nice kitchen. Our IKEA cabinets saved us a ton of money. We were able to assemble ourselves, though we did have professional help with the installation. The cabinets are holding up very well.
Kitchen Renovation Sources:
- Schumacher's Citrus Garden can be found online at decoratorsbest.com. The high end wallcovering company also just opened a storefront in Birmingham's Pepper Place District.
- Black Sektion cabinets in the Lerhyttan stain from Ikea.com.
- Cafe Appliances from Bob Wallace Appliance 3005 Bob Wallace Avenue bobwallaceappliance.com.
- Hardware from Ikea.com.
- Glass shelving from Brass Hardware out of Savannah, Georgia, brasshardware.com.
- Zellige tile can be found at Robert F. Henry Tile 4700 Commercial Drive NW, henrytile.com.