We have two more months of winter left and yet every time I hear birds chirping I nod sagely to myself and think: Ah! Spring is almost here! I always forget about the slog of January and February. I feel optimistic about this year even though (or maybe because) I ended last year in a doom and gloom kind of mood. January in Colorado is a friend you can’t trust. Sunny days in the 60’s are followed by -4 degree days and blowing snow. This quote sums up January for me: “Lots of people go mad in January. Not as many as in May, of course. Nor June. But January is your third most common month for madness.” ― Karen Joy Fowler, Sarah Canary
Here are more site visit kitchen photos from last year that I want to share with you and also say, again, how lucky I am to meet the people who live in these homes. They are more interesting and lovely than even their homes!
BEFORE: A small kitchen in a classic Denver square home from 1907. My back was up against a wall when I took this.Almost finished! We knocked a wall and a doorway out to get here. Walnut and navy blue – this is Polo Blue by Benjamin Moore. I had fun designing this island and the rest of the kitchen – it’s dark, handsome and a little moody. We will be taking the exterior door out and adding a mudroom during another phase of the project.I designed the island to look like walnut planks – they run all around the perimeter of the piece. Also, check out that soapstone counter and sink!Here’s a closer view of the gray soapstone. It’s a little different than the traditional black soapstone and it also had not been oiled yet.This was a brand new home the client moved into – the island was black and the client really wanted something different. Here’s the decorative painter finishing up – she painted and added glaze to the island to accentuate the trim details.This was also an existing kitchen – we had the cabinets painted, new countertops and a new backsplash installed. We also had upper cabinets removed and put wood floating shelves in their place. Oh yes, and the wallpaper. Ha! Look at that wallpaper! It took some convincing on my part, but the client loves it and, as far as I know, has not looked back. This is the classic Chiang Mai Dragon from F. Schumacher.Another view of the wallpaper. It makes this room. This kitchen was a large, farmhouse style, white on white kitchen that was pretty, but lacking style. Now, it’s a memory! We painted the little green cabinet this shade of green before we even picked out the wallpaper. Love it!This is a transitional kitchen that I’m getting photographed in early February. This kitchen was incredibly ORANGE before. I love the herringbone stone around the windows here. Corner sinks aren’t my favorite, but we worked with the existing architecture and I think it’s a lovely little spot now!Another shot from the transitional style kitchen. This little hutch replaced a desk. A lot of my clients are getting rid of desk areas in kitchens. I think it was something that the “lady” of the house was supposed to want to use, but most of the “ladies” I know prefer a less noisy spot.BEFORE: This is a striking image to me because I don’t get to see a lot of metal, post-war cabinets in such great condition. These are probably from the late 1940’s early 50’s and were still in fantastic shape. Yes, there are two sinks – perhaps a kosher household was kept here at one point. Before you send me that email, the client did sell the cabinets to someone who was really excited to have them.This was taken after dark which is unfortunate in two ways: 1. it looks gloomy and it is not and 2. the color of the cabinets is a little off. I will get this kitchen professionally photographed this year, so I feel okay showing you these after dark photos…We moved the refrigerator into the next room to give the clients more counter space. This is a very small galley kitchen and the client didn’t mind the extra steps at all. I love the custom raised panel doors – We have them here and also around the corner in the next space.I’m a big fan of secret rooms – we hid the pantry behind cabinet panels on the left here. The hardware is from Schoolhouse Electric.
If I ever wrote a kitchen design book I would title it “More Counter Space!!!!” or “Give Me an Island!!!” For the most part, it would be a self-help book about learning to love the kitchen space you have. Similar to the “accentuate the positive” type of fashion books or the “love the one you’re with” type of relationship books. I think some of it would also consist of me whispering “Get off of Pinterest and Houzz” over and over in subtle and not so subtle ways.
Enjoy the rest of your week – and remember what John Steinbeck says in Travels with Charley: “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
Laura is a Denver Interior Designer who runs an Interior Design Studio based in sunny Colorado with a strong commitment to livable and interesting interiors. She also runs The Colorado Nest, a Denver blog about Design, Art and Life in the Mountain West and co-hosts the book podcast "The Inside Flap" on iTunes, Stitcher and Google Play.
View all posts by Laura Medicus Interiors
4 thoughts on “Denver Kitchens: A Year in Review (Part 2)”
You have blown my mind with what you do to kitchens! CONGRATS, I do believe reviving kitchens is your forte magnificent ! Enjoyed every pic and all you wrote.
Very nice! What a lovely bunch of kitchens. I think I just fell in love with Soapstone. Love love that counter-top.
I think if I go Mad it will definitely be in January or February.
😉 Gwen
I just put soapstone into my kitchen. I fell in love with it too. Mine is the more traditional looking soapstone though. I love it.
Yes, February is my traditional month for madness 😉
Laura
The Colorado Nest 
You have blown my mind with what you do to kitchens! CONGRATS, I do believe reviving kitchens is your forte magnificent ! Enjoyed every pic and all you wrote.
Thank you so much!!
Very nice! What a lovely bunch of kitchens. I think I just fell in love with Soapstone. Love love that counter-top.
I think if I go Mad it will definitely be in January or February.
😉 Gwen
I just put soapstone into my kitchen. I fell in love with it too. Mine is the more traditional looking soapstone though. I love it.
Yes, February is my traditional month for madness 😉
Laura