NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S VICTORIAN
Maplewood, NJ
Usually, I’m nudging my clients to make bolder moves, in the case of this project they pushed me (in the very best way)! This victorian home was long overdue for a kitchen gut reno and this growing family needed more living space to hang out in and entertain.
PROJECT
The architects did a magnificent job of opening the space and preserving a hidden back staircase beautifully. My clients wanted every bell and whistle in this kitchen. Water filters, stand-alone ice makers, mitered countertops (the thicker the better), top of the line quartzite and brass accents. We’ve all seen navy kitchens in the trend column these past few years but I was determined to make this one stand out.
The wife has a thing for skeletons and all things Halloween and we went for it with the best wallpaper I’ve ever specified in a project. I remember showing her a “simple” tile for the floor so as not to compete with our textured skull wallpaper and her asking me to bring her a showstopper there too. Leave it to Ann Sacks metallic hex floor tile for the win!
The scope of this project grew a bit as we moved through the first floor. I joke that sometimes when you upgrade one thing in a home you suddenly see how truly dreadful the stuff you thought you could live with really is. The dining room got a major upgrade with applied box molding and some killer Thibaut metallic wallpaper. We swapped their “victorian” chandelier for a mercury glass drum shade tiered showstopper from Currey & Co.
Moral of this tale…….even though “bling is not my thing” I was thrilled to find my inner glam with this project and delivery a home that will go the distance for this very special family.
“Alexa helped us on a massive renovation of our 1908 Victorian home- including helping to select tiles, soft finishes, furniture and decor for the kitchen, mudroom, powder room, living room, dining room, kids bathroom, laundry room, and daughters bedroom.
She made it easy and fun and not stressful in any way. Once she understood my style and what I liked, she narrowed down choices and presented them to me for easy decisions and ran interference on a lot of things I never had to worry about. She also bridged the gap between me and my (sometimes) over-involved husband and his choices.
Would highly recommend her again in a heartbeat.”