After purchasing the three-bed, two-bath 1953 ranch-style house in a suburb of Boston, the homeowner gutted the building and planned to add a second story as part of an extensive remodel. A developer, he was unusually prepared for the project, with layouts and elevations for every room already drawn. He had also selected a full appliance package for the kitchen.
But when it came to sourcing cabinets, there was a problem. While the client knew what he wanted – “a Scandinavian kind of European style,” in his words – he could not find a European vendor that would ship to the United States.
On its website, Corner Renovation featured a design, “Loft Light”, that checked all the boxes for the homeowner: a flat panel door with integrated finger pulls in a light oak finish.
Because Corner is based in Chicago and its cabinetry is manufactured in Ukraine, much of the design was resolved over video calls rather than across a showroom floor. Some key decisions were made by mail.
“The client shipped a piece of his floor, a wire-brushed white oak with a UV oil finish, from Boston to our manufacturing facility in Ukraine, which allowed the mill team to develop a stain from the actual material rather than work from a photograph,” explains Corner designer Julieta Risso. She was looking for the stain to land lighter than the floor and with a more neutral undertone, softening the yellow of the oak.
“The point was never to match the cabinets with the floor. Matching wood to wood reads as a near miss,” said Risso. She wanted the cabinetry and the floor to sit in the same register. Six weeks later, two finished samples – rift-cut and flat-cut oak – were sent to the homeowner for approval; he chose rift-cut. The stain has since entered the Corner standard palette and been used on other projects.
Sources for A Remote Remodel
Design: Julieta Rosso, Corner Renovation Photography: Inna Kochura Cabinetry: Corner Renovation Cabinet Inserts: Blum Coffee Machine: Miele Cooktop, Dishwasher, Microwave, Refrigerator, Vent Hood, Wall Ovens: Fisher & Paykel Faucets: Brizo Flooring: Anderson Tuftex Garbage Disposal: InSinkErator Paint: Sherwin-Williams Sink: Kraus Tile: Tiletopia Wine Cooler: Yale
