Save My Reno - Melina and Emma
As I walked up to this house on day one of filming, I knew we were in for a treat.
The first thing I noticed was the architecture.
Build in the mid-century, the home still had may original features (think sunken living room, a spiral staircase, two story windows, a gorgeous private yard with a pool backing onto a ravine).
It was obvious that this home could not be renovated without paying homage to its character, age, style and the quirky cool personalities of those living in it. Missed this episode? Watch full episodes here.
After meeting the home and the kitchen to be renovated, I got to meet Melina and Emma (who were awesome and easy to get along with from the start), and we started filming this episode with a fun room tour of the space.
Here's what it looked like the day we started demo:
Without losing the great character and 1950's flair, the Save My Reno team modernized this dated kitchen with all of the high-end appliances and features of a dream kitchen.
We opened up the flow by nixing the peninsula and installed a long, floating island that transitions from quartz cooktop to dropdown dining table.
Two-tone cabinets were installed for some contrast (in bleached walnut to maintain warmth and the home's character, and white to introduce a modern element). But to achieve a cleaner look, the doors and gables were all kept flat-panel.
Texture and variety came in the form of stone and tile, namely the herringbone floors in three tones and a subtle 3D backsplash. But as with everything else, we balanced that with some quieter choices: through matching white grout on the backsplash, and low-veined white quartz on the counters and custom hood vent.
For another punch of contrast, matte black cabinet hardware was introduced which plays off of an impressive black mid-century three-light chandelier over the island and the sconces over the sink.
Emma happened to love copper, so touches made their way into the design through some countertop appliances, kitchen wares and decor.
Despite the long, semi-narrow footprint, the proportions feel so right in this space, and that's all thanks to balance.
Visually, the necessary but busy items such as appliances were installed on the side of the kitchen that's hidden from view until you've entered fully.
And opposite that wall, a massive appliance garage (or mansion) can be hidden from view behind a set of pocket doors in the same bleached walnut as the cabinets.
And last but not least, we created a DIY plant wall as part of this renovation to bring some fresh herbs into the space! It only cost the price of some paint and the pots and herbs, so all in, I think this project netted around $100.
Check out the 360 degree tour below: