We’ve all heard the saying “three’s a crowd” but when it came to the kitchen renovation at Tiny Taj, owned by Natasha and Joby Chornesky, it was more like Three’s Company. The homeowners and two very talented designers took this craftsman-style home and created a super-functional, modern, sexy, European-chic kitchen space. Natasha Chornesky first reached out to Catherine Hersacher, local designer and owner of Bespoke Interiors, about curating a custom kitchen with the clean lines and bright whites of Scandinavian design with European-style cabinetry. That’s where the idea for white lacquer cabinets came in, and Hersacher needed to find someone who could bring that element into the design process.
She reached out to Joel Linn, principal designer and co-founder of Forest Kitchen Design Studio in Greenville, SC, and after an interview and sharing of similar philosophies, the collaboration was born. Hersacher and Linn worked really well together as a design team and found a balance between style and function that perfectly blended all of the elements that the homeowners were wanting in their kitchen. When asked about their favorite parts of this renovation, Linn had an appreciation for the existing architecture and really liked being able to integrate the aesthetic so that the kitchen really spoke to the house. Hersacher loves the triangle tile they used for the backsplash. That element was something they came up with early on, but in the middle of the project, it was no longer available. Hersacher and team stayed committed to the vision and waited patiently for a similar replacement. They’re so glad they did as the tile makes the perfect statement. Hersacher and Chornesky both love the stainless vent hoods; they are sleek, minimalistic, and sculptural. Not to be overshadowed, the kegerator is a huge favorite. The homeowners entertain quite a bit and share that their guests love to pour their own beer!
Home renovations can be really stressful, but having the right team to collaborate with can make all the difference in the day-to-day journey and in the end-product. Linn says that it’s a hard process, and he recommends finding a good builder who can really take charge and be a project commander. The team brought in Mitch Johnson as the builder for Tiny Taj and, as Chornesky says, “his partnership was key to the project’s success.” Hersacher believes starting with the budget is top priority so that clients know what to expect. After that, it takes great inspiration, conversation, commitment and trust. Both designers agree that the end-product is for the client and that the goal is to take the vision and make it the best it can be. They hit the nail on the head with this kitchen renovation at Tiny Taj where the impact is anything but tiny. When asked about her design duo, Chornesky replied, “We had our share of sticky wickets, and each time their dual-charged brain power resulted in multiple solutions that far surpassed our expectations. Project challenges emerged as assets!”