Behind The Design: HGTV's 'Home To Win' Kitchen

Home Design

May 29

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If you watched HGTV this past Sunday, then you'd have seen yours truly designing the Home To Win kitchen with the hilarious and talented Colin Hunter.

(And if you missed it, watch the episode here.)It also involved a lot of snow, (subsequent) failure, collaboration, Brian McCourt and Tiffany Pratt. We honestly had a blast on-set, and I'm glad some of our shenanigans made it to air, but for those curious about the kitchen design, I'm spilling all the beans (including a source list below for you to shop to get the look at home)!Before, the kitchen was boring, closed-off from the dining space and straight-up old. It had a stepped bar counter and lacked function. And although the dining area was massive, it felt awkward next to two sets of sliding doors. So what did we do? Well, after than kissing those sweet cabinets goodbye (nothing worth salvaging as they were built-in), we started building the kitchen back up.First, we ran the same light oak flooring throughout the kitchen as was used in the living room that Sarah Keenleyside established. Then it was time to install the cabinets and start chipping finishes.The Caesarstone countertop ended up becoming a big statement piece in the room as we ran it up the wall as the backsplash as well. It's quiet and understated, but feels special and high-end. Another item that added big impact was the custom island extension that Colin built. It allowed us to add more linear work surface without adding visual weight to the kitchen because you can see through it. Plus, it became the perfect place to introduce accessories and store overflow pots and pans.By flipping the layout and swapping the kitchen and dining area, we were able to create a better flow and a more intimate-feeling dining experience.Removing one of the sets of screen doors and replacing the cutout with windows, we added a long bank of lower cabinets for more functional storage. It also allowed us to install the sink underneath which offers a great view of the pool area when washing dishes. On the opposite wall, we created a cooking zone complete with black stainless range and hood vent--and featuring the indoor BBQ we discovered in our walk-through! I smell a stone pizza coming on...