I can’t believe it’s been a year and a half since I last talked to you about my kitchen! Honestly, what is time anymore? 2020 feels both like it was 30 seconds ago and that it was 30 years ago. I’m pretty sure this is the longest design project I’ve ever worked on. Four. Full. Years. But it’s done and I could not be more relieved/excited/happy!
The kitchen as it looks today has lived in my head since the moment I first toured the house, almost exactly four years ago (August 2020). I was EXTREMELY lucky in that Londo Lodge was the first house I ever looked at, the first house I ever put an offer on, and the first house I was lucky enough to snag. And the kitchen was really what sold me on the house. The space was large, dated but well-designed, and located at the center of the house. It was obvious from the home’s layout that the family who built this home really saw themselves as kitchen gatherers – my type of people (unless I’m in there trying to cook, in which case, GET OUT!). The layout of the room was really nice. It was spacious, grand, and filled with practical storage. Too much storage, to be honest (which is why I knocked out a wall of upper cabinets in favor of more windows looking out onto the forest).
So why did I change it?
Mostly because the kitchen as it was doesn’t go with the style overlay I have planned for the house. The home is pretty much a 90s contemporary box – very simple, efficiently built, but not a lot of artistry, no millwork or details anywhere. I really want this house to feel more like the little cabin in Yosemite where I was raised, which was a 1929 craftsman bungalow. So my goal is to combine Craftsman and Cape Cod elements with some rustic cabin accents to create a home that feels older, more historic, and overall just more romantic. The old kitchen didn’t really go with that vibe. So from the moment I saw it I had an idea in mind for what I wanted to do.
Now, before I get into what I did to transform the kitchen, I want to show you what I did to make it work as-is for the first three years I owned the home. I’m extremely lucky I got to do this renovation and would not have been able to afford it without getting a ton of it sponsored. So I get that a huge renovation like this is not a possibility for everyone. As you can see from the photos, styling can make a HUGE difference to how a space feels. So for those of you out there who aren’t in a position to take on a renovation, just know that there’s a ton you can do by removing dated accessories and adding in objects that update the space. The updates I made midway are probably a full blog post to themselves, but I wanted to share these images to encourage those of you out there (most people, including me if I weren’t a content creator who could attract sponsors) who can’t afford to gut their homes – creativity and a little elbow grease goes a long way!
Oh, and for the record because I get this comment every time I post about my old kitchen, the thing on the ceiling is NOT a skylight. It’s a terrible, depressing 90s fluorescent light. So no, I did not remove a skylight to build my new kitchen. I actually tried to add one but I couldn’t find a sponsor for that (maybe someday when I redo the roof!). Okay, onto what I did!
Like a lot of people, I’ve had a thing for Nancy Meyers kitchens for a long time. I love that they are cozy and aspirational at the same time. The goal with this house is to build my dream home, so I definitely wanted the kitchen to feel grand and high-end without feeling pretentious. This is a “cabin” after all, it should feel cozy and down to earth. The goal with renovations at this house is to do them well and do them once, so I decided to go very classic and traditional with my design – I definitely didn’t want to do a trendy kitchen that I needed to renovate in five years. Or even ten years. I want this to last a long time.
Bertazzoni Range | Bertazzoni Hood | Range’s Gold Decor Set | Cabinet Color | Backsplash Tile | Brass Cabinet Handles
The first sponsor that came on board to help with the kitchen was Bertazzoni. I have worked with them numerous times and I love their appliances so I was elated to have their pieces in my home. I decided to base the color palette of the room on the range, Bertazzoni’s Heritage Range (Color: Avorio). I color matched the range with Timeless by Clare Paint to make the range feel integrated with the cabinetry. But I didn’t want the room to be completely devoid of color, so I brought in a faint gray/green/blue in the tile (backsplash is Chain Homme in Mist by Fireclay). Something that’s a little hard to tell from the photos is how warm the room is. Timeless and Avorio are basically a “bone” color. Not bright white, more muted and warm.
Ceiling Paint Color | Trim, Windows, and Door Color | Door and Windows | Door Handles/Keyless Entry
The inspiration for the backsplash color was the pretty pine trees outside, some of which have really beautiful silvery accents at the tips of the needles (these are called “Silver Tips”). I wanted the kitchen to feel neutral and relaxing but not boring and this color really did the trick. I also added that color on the ceiling, using Clare Paint’s “Rain Check.”
Bertazzoni Refrigerator Column | Bertazzoni Freezer Column | Bertazzoni Wine Cellar Column | Bertazzoni Column Metal Handles
The refrigeration wall is one of my favorite elements in the room. I knew from the get-go I wanted to move the refrigerator and I wanted the whole wall to feel like cabinetry, so I opted for Bertazzoni’s panel-ready columns. I trimmed them out to look like a big armoire and I really love the result. To match the range, I added large-scale Bertazzoni Heritage Handles to the refrigeration wall (which includes 24” Freezer, Wine Fridge, and Refrigerator from left to right).
Pendants Over Peninsula | Cabinetry | Cabinet Rings
To keep the refrigeration wall flush I installed a large custom-built china hutch at the same depth. I love the way the whole thing looks and this is one of my favorite vignettes in the room. One thing I may change eventually is the cabinet depth. While it’s great to have the 24” depth to maximize storage, shelving this deep can be a bit impractical because it’s hard to reach all the way to the back to grab things. So I may eventually add a false wall to the back of these cabinets to make them shallower. Or I may leave them the same. They’re a bit hard to style but the depth actually serves a very practical purpose when it comes to renting my house out on Airbnb.
Originally, I’d planned on having these cabinets lock, filled with pretty dishes and my favorite pottery pieces. But that ended up being out of my budget, so what I’ve done with styling is put all the most delicate things in the hardest-to-reach spots. I’m hoping this deters people from using and breaking my favorite stuff while allowing me to have the hutch styled the way I want. So far it’s worked but when you rent your house out to strangers you kind of have to be ready for them to break stuff so I’m just considering that a cost of doing business. I’d love to share all my beautiful dishware with the world, but judging by the fact that guests have already broken/damaged a decent number of things I think you kind of have to assume people are not going to be gentle with your stuff and act accordingly. I want to be generous and share but I also don’t want to be furious when people aren’t careful with things I love. It’s all about balance!
Picture Light | Art | Stools | Wood Flooring (in Smoke)
Another one of my favorite details is the beautiful antique painting I installed on the side of the china hutch. I did this because I don’t love looking at the side of a cabinet and wanted to do something intentional to make the spot a focal point rather than an eyesore. I found the art on Etsy and it was definitely a splurge. It cost $500 and that expense came at a time where I was REALLY running out of money for the project. I’ll do a budget breakdown at some point, either here or in my newsletter, but the overall budget for this kitchen was over $200K (I haven’t finished the tally yet), I put in a bit more than $100K, so I am definitely still digging myself out of a financial hole. Why did I spend $500 I didn’t have on art? Because I knew it would totally define the space. Not only was it in my minty color palette, it speaks to the majestic pines outside the windows. I’m still broke from doing this, but I don’t regret buying the painting at all. I built a frame for it out of scrap wood from a wood flooring project, installed it on the side of the cabinet, and added an art light.
The painting was made in 1923 by Sano Gofu, a Japanese artist born in 1883 and while it is one of a kind, you can find similar works on the Sakura Antiques Etsy shop.
For some reason, it felt a little awkward to just have a painting over drawers, so I decided to disguise the top drawer as an art ledge, which I think really helps ground the painting and make it look like it belongs there. There’s also the added benefit that it feels sort of like the drawer is a secret because it has no hardware on it. And I love any sort of playful hidden design elements like this (someday I want a secret bookcase door).
Countertop | Stone Fabricator | Floor Tile
Coffee Maker | Microwave | Mixer
Another favorite corner is the coffee cabinet. I added this cabinet for a few reasons. Firstly, I wanted the three windows to be centered on the sink and there were two extra feet of room on the left. Second, I wanted a place to hide the coffee maker because for as large as this kitchen is, there isn’t a ton of counter space that lends itself to appliances. There’s a huge amount of counter space, but almost all of it is in front of a window or part of an island/peninsula (which would be a weird place to put an appliance). I also loved the idea of a cute little coffee station. Because the look I was going for was historic and traditional (and because I hate looking at them) I decided to do my classic trick of putting the microwave in a cabinet. This is such an easy design hack, I’ve done it in most of the kitchens I’ve ever designed. If an appliance isn’t decorative and pretty like the range, I don’t want to look at it!
There’s so many white/cool tones in the room, so I wanted the island to be a wood finish. I looked into all sorts of ready-made options that were way too expensive but ended up hiring Justin Swaby, the carpenter contractor from my HGTV show “Build Me Up” (and longtime friend) to build a custom island. I designed the island using Sketchup and we made a lot of last-minute changes on-site to elevate it and save money on lumber. For example, I’d originally wanted 4” solid white oak legs, but we ended up doing poplar instead because it was cheaper. And instead of doing solid legs, we fused four planks together. The wood is currently a little green but will desaturate overtime to a more neutral color.
Faucet (in Vibrant Brushed Moderne Brass) | Island Sink | Flushmount
Overall, I really like the way the island came out and it means a lot to me that a longtime friend and collaborator made it for me. Justin also jumped in at the last minute to finish up what the original contractor left unfinished (that’s a story for another day but the original contractor ended up abandoning the job, leaving me to finish it alone for six months until Justin came up to help and get it done). One thing I’m on the fence about is the island styling. Part of me thinks it’s a bit busy. And another part of me thinks it gives the type of “real” that makes Nancy Meyers’ kitchens feel really cozy. If you look at the kitchens in her movies, there’s a LOT going on in the backgrounds. For example, Google the kitchen from “It’s Complicated.” There’s stuff EVERYWHERE. So I’m hoping my island gives a little bit of that “Hey, a person lives a full life here and uses this stuff!” comfort we get looking at kitchens in Nancy Meyers movies.
Faucet (in Vibrant Brushed Moderne Brass) | Beverage Faucet (in Vibrant Brushed Moderne Brass) | Counter Sink | Shade Fabric | Brushed Brass Decorative Wall Hooks | Dining Room Chandelier | Dining Table | Dining Chairs
By the time I got to the window treatments, I’d fully run out of cash. So I asked my mom to help me make a DIY “camp shade” for each of the windows and doors. I actually had these all over the house before I got my glamorous Romans and drapes from Everhem (highly recommended btw I love them). These roller shades are not the easiest to use – you have to roll them up by hand and then tie them back with the straps up top. But because of where this room is, I actually don’t close them at night. They’re mostly for if I leave for long periods and I want to close up the house for insulation. I’ll do a how-to on these soon, they’re pretty easy to make if you have a sewing machine (or a mom who does). And I think they make a great temporary (or permanent depending on how high/accessible the window is) window treatment that looks a lot more chic than those paper blinds people normally use as a stopgap. These windows cost about $20 a piece to cover which is a lot more affordable than custom Romans, which would be around $1500 per window (if you read this blog I’m sure you know by now custom window treatments are not cheap).
Pendant Lights | Sconces | Washable Rugs | Bertazzoni Dishwasher | Bertazzoni Metal Handle
One thing that makes me laugh when I look at the photos of this room is how many lights I put in. In person, you don’t question it at all, it just seems really luxe that there’s all these beautiful fixtures everywhere. In photos though it can look a little busy. I decided when I bought this house that I didn’t want recessed lights anywhere. Controversial opinion: I’m over recessed lights. I think in most cases they are installed in unattractive patterns and the light they provide is very top-down and unflattering. I’d much prefer an attractive small flush mount to a recessed light. But I did want to make sure there was adequate lighting for food prep, so I installed six sconces, eight ceiling pendants, and one cute flush mount. I’m happy with the results as much as I know it looks like I went wild at the lighting store.
Honestly, there are about a million tangents I could go on about this kitchen: Why is there a new door? What happened to my pizza oven/fireplace idea? How did I make the beam that divides the two rooms? Why do I hate recessed lights, who hurt me? Who did all the custom millwork on the sides of the cabinets (me)? Why didn’t I put quartz on the island? Why is that wine fridge so huge? What happened to the contractor? How’d a kitchen cost that much money when so much of it was sponsored? What am I regretting already? And so on. But I think I’ll have to come back another day to explore those (or like I said, perhaps explore them in my newsletter, which you should totally read by the way) because, remember, this was a four-year project and there are literally too many stories to fit into one post without your eyes glazing over as you slowly start to question why you let yourself get sucked into this never-ending rant.
I guess the sentiment I’d like to leave you with is this. I’m very lucky to have gotten to do this project. But I also had to scrimp and save for four years and am currently broke from doing it. It also doesn’t match the rest of my house. Over time, I plan to swap out all the windows and doors to match the new, traditional ones I put in the kitchen, but that will likely take me years to do as I save up and replace them one by one. So you might walk into my house and be like “Wait why is this kitchen a 1929 traditional kitchen and the adjoining room is updated 90s contemporary?” And you’d have a point. Updating your home is messy and can sometimes lead to things feeling disjointed while you save to do the next project.
Most people can’t just do everything at once, if they get to do it at all. And my opinion about all that is that I’d rather save up and spend a lot on something I consider permanent than do something cheaper that won’t age as well. I said no to a few potential cabinet sponsors because I wanted cabinets I could paint by hand. I wanted the texture of the brush strokes and the ability to change them whenever I wanted (and to touch them up given this kitchen is getting a lot of use). Home makeovers often look a lot different than what we see online. Which can sometimes be frustrating to people at home because it makes them feel like their projects are taking forever while everyone else’s are flying by.
If I’m honest, I would have loved it if I could have afforded to do this renovation sooner. And I would have loved it if the renovation itself hadn’t taken a full year, which drove me further into debt because all those months of construction meant I couldn’t rent the house out to help pay for the renovations. Real talk, one of the reasons this project took so long is I kept running out of money. I’d have to stop and wait to save up then start again. And I think this is true for a lot of people. So if you’re stuck in the middle of a four-year (or more, I’ve heard stories!) renovation you’re not alone. At the end of the day having the agency to renovate is a privilege in itself, which is something I tried to remind myself of every time I got frustrated and sick of the project.
The length, complexity, and challenges of this project led to an epiphany for me about the type of content I personally share online and on Instagram. Basically, it’s the job of content creators to make things look fun and enjoyable. We love the type of video where a person walks into a room and snaps and the whole thing transforms. But as fun as all that is to watch, it can become a disservice in that it makes things look a lot easier than they really are. This renovation made me realize that I’d actually bought into the “this is quick and easy!” I’d personally been responsible for promoting. And that has made me a bit more thoughtful about how I present this type of design project online. I want people to have fun and enjoy watching the process, but I don’t want to add to the frustrations people may be having about A. Not being able to afford a renovation in the first place or B. How long their renovation is taking. It’s a hard balance to find as a content creator so I’m trying to find the middle ground between misrepresenting the ease of this type of renovation and being a drag to readers because I am too explicit about the hurdles I had to overcome to get the job done. Overall, I think the kitchen project has helped me be a bit more honest about the hiccups and setbacks that can happen in a renovation like this. I hope that brings comfort to people dealing with the same logistical and financial worries I’ve been struggling with since the start of the pandemic (I know WOMP WOMP we don’t wanna hear that word anymore, but so many people are still struggling).
All that being said, I could not be happier this project is over. I’m actually at the house today working on a few maintenance projects to keep it fresh for my Airbnb guests (installing a new TV, yard work, planning a bedroom makeover, deep cleaning the deck furniture, and so on). I’m glad I have this glamorous Nancy Meyers kitchen now. And I’m even more glad the four years of planning stress and one full year of manual labor that led to it is finally over.
Now, a shameless plug! Would you like to come to my house and use my new fancy kitchen? You can rent it on Airbnb! There are limited slots available for summer but fall is more open as I’ve just released those dates and that is a lovely time to visit Yosemite. Come on over and live your Nancy Meyers dreams!
*Design by Orlando Soria (me!)
**Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp
Congratulations Orlando!! This is a huge milestone and it came out beautifully! Thank you for your honesty and I hope you get to enjoy this beautiful space and have a relaxing summer and fall!!
Beautiful
It’s incredible! So many unique details, but I think the floor is my favorite. The window shades are so pretty even if they aren’t super functional. I can see why this took four years to build—it was worth the wait!
I know. As I was looking at the picture with the window view those striped shades were what drew my eye and gave it that special little pop! Kudos to you and your mom. and of course, this whole renovation is dreamy.
I’ve missed you here! BRAVO on this gorgeous space, Orlando! And what a stunner you are, too. I love the honesty you bring: that you talk about the money challenges is so relatable and makes me love and appreciate you more. So happy for you and happy for us that this kind of refreshingly frank talk is here, the realities of our aspirational home designs made a little plainer and most relatable.
Thanks for gassing me up! 🙂
Okay I know giving advice on the internet is gross because 300 people say the same thing and usually there’s some reason you’ve already thought of why that’s not a solution BUT in this case I can’t help myself – if you want to keep people out of certain cabinets maybe you could install child safety lock magnets? We have them for child proofing reasons and it is totally baffling to anyone new to our kitchen how one could possibly open anything until we show them. They’re totally invisible and not hard at all to install. And it’s unlikely your guests will have powerful magnets on their person.
“and it’s unlikely your guests will have powerful magnets on their person” ha, made me laugh out loud!! And Orlando, love this post and your heart and your kitchen!!!
Oh no, that is a bad idea because people will literally break the cabinets trying to pull them open, thinking they are not pulling hard enough! When people rent a house they expect to use the entire house. Just remove your fragile/precious things.
Yes! I’ve learned this the hard way already! Guests have already broken one of the faucets and half the knobs on the range by pulling on them way too hard or ripping them off (I’m sure not on purpose, but also not because they were being delicate). Definitely learning people are NOT gentle and will just ram and bang things if they don’t function as expected. It sucks but it’s what comes with the territory I guess so I’m trying to be a good sport about it.
Ugh, what is the matter with people?!? I will never understand the mentality of “it’s not mine so I can be as rough/disrespectful/careless as I want.” Paying to use a space does not give you the right to damage it. I’m sorry you’ve had guests treat your lovely home in that manner.
That’s a great idea! And not one that I had ever thought of or heard about! Thanks for sharing, I may give it a try!
I did this! I rent out my apartment while traveling and I can’t remove everything. I let guests know which drawers and cabinets I’ve emptied for them to use and that I’ve secured my things in others. Everyone has been cool with it and no one has tried to force open an obviously locked cabinet.
A friend puts a little sign on his magnetic locked, off limit kitchen cabinets advising they are not for rental guests use (a bathroom vanity drawer too)
Yeah, that’s kind of why I originally thought about doing the decorative/cute brass locks with a cute old timey key. Like if it was clearly locked on purpose I think people would just assume it was more like a decorative china hutch like some people have. But I’ve kind of resigned myself to just hiding irreplaceable things and I’m working on being OK with people using and breaking nice but replaceable stuff. I don’t want to be one of those people who’s so obsessed with things not breaking that he doesn’t let anyone touch anything LOL. But some stuff I just put in a locked closet bc I knew I’d be heartbroken if it was damaged.
Hey, I have actually stayed in a couple different airbnb places that (sorta) did that. They each had locked cabinets but set us up for success in opposite ways: one place had rather obvious locks that changed the look of the cab/drawer faces; the other had discrete locks but also funky tassels only on the drawers and cabs we *were* supposed to use (I should note it was a smaller, more utilitarian kitchen so we weren’t overwhelmed with like 35 tassels). I think both places sent us emails explaining how to use the house, and one had a binder on the island with that info too. We travel with our kids who span an 8 year age range and it was AMAZINGLY obvious which cab/drawers we were to use for everyone. The youngest really loved the house with tassels bc it made her feel like the stuff for her was “more special” on vacation. An obvious visual cue can help stop folks before they start.
I came here to make this exact suggestion. Those magnetic locks are reasonably priced and they can be engaged to lock and open with the magnet, or disengaged so they won’t lock at all. I’ve been to several rental properties that had a padlock on certain cabinets or doors. I would hope a sign and an explanation in your rental instructions letting people know that those cabinets won’t open because they contain personal items would be sufficient. But then, well, people. It’s just beautiful so I hope your guests are respectful!
What an absolute stunner. This is a kitchen for the ages. All of the detail is so special, and yet from the photos it looks like it feels effortless and warm when you’re there. So gorgeous.
Thank you for being honest about the challenges and for setting realistic expectations about the time and money involved. I just got back from visiting family in Europe, and it was so interesting to me that none of the people we visited had renovated houses. No new paint/wallpaper, no new furniture, nothing like that. There isn’t the disposable income available to turn things over constantly, so houses tend to be a combination of the style they had when they were built, furniture and decor acquired over the years (generations) a family has lived there, and a few minimal updates along the way. If you want something, you save for it and buy it when you can afford it. It’s a far calmer and more freeing way to live.
Very interesting! Would you mind saying which European country this was? Thanks
This was Italy… I should have said so initially!
Yeah, I love older homes and spaces that have history which is why I’m trying to go pretty timeless with the style. I think one of the things American’s (including myself) love about Europe is all those historic buildings that have aged over time. Things aren’t built the way they used to be, including this house because we use cheaper, more disposable materials. This house, for example was built in 1993 and there’s already a ton of things on it that need replacing (the metal roof has HAD it). So my goal in any major renovation is to do it with higher quality materials that last longer. This house has really cheap siding that’s also showing its age that I want to replace with sturdier, thicker siding. I bought the house because it was cheap and dated, but a problem with cheap and dated is that materials don’t hold up, especially in snowy areas like Yosemite.
So beautiful, well done, and thanks for your honesty! Can’t wait to see the rest of the house done, but honestly, you’ve done such a creative and awesome job styling the rest of the house that I don’t think anyone is asking themselves why the rest of it looks “1990s”. It all flows beautifully.
I don’t typically leave comments but your kitchen looks unbelievable. I especially love the art and the island is giving Nancy Myers realness. Great work!
Wow, this kitchen is truly stunning. The photos took my breath away. I tend toward minimalism but love the island styling for just the reason you noted, Orlando—it looks like someone actually lives there, in a welcoming-and-casual-but-not-chaotic way. I’m interested in knowing the answers to the other questions you listed, too, mostly the building-related (beam) / woodworking ones—I am getting into woodworking and it’s a true art, as that custom millwork you created demonstrates. Would love to learn from your experience on this, for those of us who are more DIY-oriented. (I just subscribed to your newsletter!) Congrats on a beautiful space !!
Thank you! I will post more about the millwork but honestly it was a lot easier than I expected. You just need the right kind of saws, a nail gun, and a lot of wood filler. But the effect is so pretty and hand touched!
That picture really does make the kitchen! Love the ledge, what an awesome design detail. The whole kitchen is beautiful!
Thank you! I think so too! A design tip I give all the time is you can have super cheap furniture but if you have great art (which you can find cheaply on minted or at thrift stores) your house will look really chic and sophisticated.
I value these REAL posts/ blogs bc most people don’t have bottomless bank accounts or sponsors. It’s fantastic how OS showed a reasonable good looking in between. Tiling to the ceiling on two walls and paint color match in the ceiling makes this kitchen exceptional and atmospheric, compared to so many published kitchens. The tile acts as wallpaper or paint; the contrasting grout adds visual texture as an element of art. Fireclay has the most beautiful and subtle shades in their glazes; worth every penny. OS’s attention to details: trim on the end of cabinets; stove handles for refrigerator handles, and the repeating craftsman and Asian dialogue is beyond unique. I love the poplar island and real amount of personal items; it looks European and genuine vs manicured. Nancy Myers would be crazy not to hire OS as her design director on all future movies. Well done and best of luck renting. Enjoy decades of family memories in your favorite place, Yosemite. There are few designers who can explain the detailed process they go through in these layered designs. EH thanks for featuring Orlando and his well documented process for others to be as successful.
It’s so beautiful – my favorite park are the curtains – so cool! Congratulations on being finished with it!
Thank you for saying this! I actually kinda freaked out when I installed the roller shades bc I thought they looked too French Country. But maybe I was being too critical of them…
YAAAAAY, an Orlando post!! My fave. I’ve been in love with this kitchen since the moment I saw the renderings. This turned out absolutely stunning. What I love the most about his designs are how thoughtful and cohesive they feel, and how even the classic elements have a whisper of modern about them, like a breath of fresh air. LOVE that art on the cabinet–what a fun punctuation mark on the space. I hope I can stay here some day!! Thanks for featuring his work, Em and team!
Frequent reader but infrequent commenter— but I couldn’t resist this time! The refrigeration armoire is magic, along with that gorgeous stove. The tile is a lovely design element. Congrats on a kitchen that ranks up there with my all-time favorites. Stunning!
The many schoolhouse lights were the first thing I noticed! I get that it doesn’t hit the same in person though 🙂 It’s a beautiful space – you made a lot of great decisions not least of which is the windowsssss. I appreciate your paragraphs on renovation and finances too. We are in our third home together, all of which have been some degree of tired fixer-upper that we put sweat equity into, and this one is the slowest renovation yet. While pondering plans and living on subfloors, etc, I’ve learned that the grand (expensive) visions I begin with can be modified to something similar and nearly as satisfying for a whole lot less money. For me that takes time to let the ideas stew and a lot of design iterations. Money slows us down, yet slow helps me get to my best ideas. I’m not mad about that.
Yes! Well said!
Yes! I’m not sure if I posted about it here, but I this house was actually carpeted ALL OVER when I moved in. I found a wood sponsor, thank God, but I couldn’t afford to hire an installer for over a year and I didn’t know how to do it myself (I also had too many work duties to do so). So I removed the carpet myself, hauled it to the dump in my mom’s station wagon, which I borrowed just for that reason, and painted the floor with house paint room by room. It wasn’t ideal but it made the house feel so much cleaner/better/more modern. Bottom line was that was all I could afford at the time and I think it looked really nice. So I encourage everyone to try things themselves – we can’t always do the big fancy Reno we want to do and often there’s a good stop gap solution that will make us feel better about our homes.
Orlando, WOW. This is all stunning, and Nancy Meyers-esque, and I LOVE that it feels like it’s from 1929. And what are you talking about, having to possibly change it in 10 years? You have created a lifetime kitchen here, and it’s wonderful. Everything you have done is fresh, timeless, fantastic. I’ll never get over the painting. Or that you thought to turn the upper drawer into a kitchen ledge! And I love the homey feel of the island styling. And your honesty. And everything about this post. And you. Thank you, thank you for sharing.
Orlando! What an achievement. Beautiful work, as always. I miss you on T.V. We need more gay representation in interior design. Kidding (I’m allowed to make that joke. I’m gay). But, seriously, you need your own show where you get to call the shots. How do we make this a reality? Who do we write to? Email? Message via pigeon? Or perhaps you’re done with T.V.? Understandable. I’ll stop pushing. You’re great. (insert meme of Meryl Streep saying “That’s all” here).
Love it Orlando! I love the island and the way it is styled/set up. You can see everything and know where to find it. Its great for platters, cookbooks, etc…. All those odd sized items. The wall of tile all the way to the ceiling and around the windows is so fresh and clean. Love Love Love!
I LOVE the kitchen, especially the gorgeous new windows. Amazing job. Love your post and humor.
Gorgeous all around!
Would you please, please, please share the paint color in the LR (the blue color visible from the kitchen)? It’s stunning! Thank you & congrats.
Hi! The blue color in the living room is Make Waves by Clare. The dining room is No Filter by Clare. If you’re a blue fan you’ll love Make Waves irl!
Congratulations! It’s beautiful! Funnily enough, my favorite part is your ‘ran out of funds’ window treatments! They look so homey and casual and really set the tone for me. In fact, I think I’m going to do that in my kitchen (I only want faux ones anyway that I’ll never put down).
Yes, I’ll be looking for that tutorial, too–I have a little window in a galley kitchen that is too close to the stove for me to want any *real* window dressing, but that might need a little something…
I echo everyone else’s thanks for keeping it real: so interesting to hear how people in the business think about our quick-fix, want-it-done-yesterday, disposable decorating culture. Also, as someone whose art costs more than her whole houseful of thrifted furniture, that Sano Gofu piece is worth every cent.
Thanks for your honesty about the cost of this beautiful kitchen – it’s rare to see real numbers published for high-end designs, especially the sponsored/not sponsored breakdown. And I love your mom’s striped shades, honestly I would keep those permanently if you’re OK with the hassle of using them. (I chose not to put window treatments on any of the living/dining/kitchen windows in my own post-reno home, so maybe I’m more OK than the average person with exposed windows. They just look so cute rolled up!)
That tile is spectacular. Just gorgeous. It sucks to hear about renters being so careless with your beautiful new space – what is wrong with people?
Every time I see one of your designs, I think it couldn’t get any better, but you outdid yourself with this gorgeous kitchen. Truly, Nancy Meyers has nothing on you! You have such an eye for how it should look and the physical ability to bring it to life. Compared to others I’ve followed, you seem to intuitively know how to create a gorgeous room. I’m so happy you have this piece of art in your life, Orlando, and shared it with us.
Orlando this kitchen is so stunning! Congrats
And I thought I was over white kitchens! This is GORGEOUS. I love that you chose a warm white. I love that Japanese pine forest painting on the side of the cabinets (I have a small collection of Japanese woodblock prints so it’s my aesthetic) and the secret drawer(!). I know what you mean about that awful florescent “light box” on the ceiling. We had one in our condo and removed it, which created a tray ceiling effect and gave a wonderful sense of more height. Everybody: get rid of those! Oh, and I was going to ask if you had enough light fixtures in the space, but I see you noticed that, too. 😊 I also hate a lot of recessed lighting and had to fight when we remodelled to limit them. There are four in our living room: three over the bookshelves and one with a “washer” over the fireplace. That’s enough. On a shallow note — I like the facial hair.
This kitchen is stunning. The fact that you saw this vision from moment one and then executed it (a lot of it on your own), is just incredible. It is so so beautiful and warm and welcoming. Classic but feels so current too. I know it was a long, hard struggle and I hope that you can re-coupe the money needed through Airbnb rentals so that you can enjoy it for many years to come. You are so incredibly talented. I read decorating blogs every day and I am still sometimes just blown away by what some designers can do!
Orlando! This kitchen is spectacular! Nancy Myers x 100000. I love it all. Every detail and the window coverings and island styling are as stunning and beautiful as the stove and lighting. Your eye is always spot on. You are a marvel and I so appreciate your honesty. Keep going, only good things from here on out!!!!!
I love this kitchen–& Orlando–so much. I appreciate his perspective, insights, vulnerability, humor, and writing style as much as his creative work as a designer and content producer. He’s the best!
Absolutely beautiful and I can’t wait to read the subsequent chapters answering alll those additional questions.
Blown away to read how rough/ careless people can be. I’d definitely remove your precious item.
I love reading Orlando’s writing always and would love to see more from him here! I admire the transparency and the pragmatic way he talks about home renovations and design, but then goes on to show us an absolutely beautiful room once we understand the process of getting there. The kitchen is just stunning (though I will admit I don’t really get the hatred for can lights that seems to be trendy now?!) and you have really made the appliances shine – they are so perfect here! It makes me want to do a kitchen renovation of my own! I also subscribe to the Lost Arrow and enjoy reading more behind the scenes content there. Thank you Orlando!
This is such an amazing story and I appreciate your candidness about the realities of home renovation – the cost, time, frustration, being dumped by contractors midway through – argh! When I scrolled through the photos and saw your island, my immediate through was “yes! A real person lives here!” And that is what my kitchen looks like – beautiful, but also a place for real people to live in. Then I read your struggle with whether or not to leave the stuff out. Houses look different with real-life stuff and I wish more designers would share that in their photos so that we can take that into
Talk about a makeover! Amazing job. Also, I agree that 2020 both feels a million years away and also like it was yesterday…. especially with this next election coming- it’s starting to feel a little like deja vu. Love your work- always.
Love this whole post and your beautiful kitchen so much! Thanks for sharing the messiness behind the beauty! I love all of it so much!
What a thoroughly beautiful design and execution! Painting the cabinetry the same shade as the appliances was genius. I want to point out one more well-thought out element that I’m not sure you mentioned here, Orlando. The kitchen tile floor seems to speak to the stone on the fireplace wall in the next room so nicely.
Bravo! It’s beautiful! I like your writing style as well as how unique your decorating can get.
I love the tiles and the layout but 14 lamps and all the gold details I find distracting and way too much bling, especially for such a bungalow. But I guess this is more american style?
Honestly the inspiration is an old school chef’s kitchen, where you’d want a lot of light. So yeah, it looks like a lot of bling but the room itself is pretty simple in terms of colors and design elements so I like it in person. But yeah, not for everyone LOL!
I love an Orlando post!
I have watched you put blood, sweat, and tears into this project for the past 4 years and it is nothing less than stunningly gorgeous! I know you did a lot of the work yourself and the minutia that many people don’t notice because it’s SO GOOD is all YOU!!! You have touched every surface, every grout line, every trim piece, every bead of caulk. Congratulations on such an amazing transformation and thank you for being so transparent and honest about home remodeling – it’s not for the weak!
I love the way the kitchen turned out – thank you for sharing. I can’t decide what I like best – wall tiles, floor tiles, paint, range, windows! Oh my! There’s so much to love. Yes, please create a post for the DIY “camp shades.” I actually thought you had already created that post after you did your gym renovation and was disappointed when I searched and couldn’t find it! But great job and enjoy your hard work and creative vision. It turned out so well! 👏👏👏
Soooooo beautiful, Orlando! And you coordinate and the kitchen coordinate perfectly in that last shot. Nancy Meyers would be proud!
Orlando, I am a forever fan and I adore this kitchen. So fresh, so classic. Perfect.
Absolutely stunning! I love reading about all the details.
Yes! Always so excited to see an Orlando post. It’s perfect. What a gem you are and what an achievement this kitchen is and what a fun read.
A truly beautiful, timeless and classic kitchen! I’m rather heartbroken that the art work is not available as a print; what a find! Just wanted to note that I sincerely appreciate when designers and influencers remain grounded in the realities of “average” homebuyers, renters and citizens. Thank you for sharing honestly and acknowledging the significant financial undertaking this was and the privilege of sponsorships. It’s a fine balance I know, but I always appreciate reading about realities rather than just longing for what is not possible. May the kitchen be the background for many new wonderful memories for you and those you love!
Ah! So beautiful—thank you for sharing the highs and lows! Cheering for you, Orlando!
What a Beaut! When you were living in the Before to Progress era—did you strip the cabinents? They look lighter, less orangey in the Progress photo–but can’t tell if it’s just different times of day.