Thinking long-term, the clients purchased the 3,000-square-foot Spanish-style house in Montecito, Cal. as a vacation getaway, with the ultimate goal of it being their retirement home. They engaged designer Melinda Trembly of Carpinteria, Cal.-based Rincon Road Design Studio to open the floor plan and update the kitchen as well as the entire interior to accommodate a relaxed, family-oriented lifestyle in the future.
After gutting the original kitchen, Trembly added box beams to emphasize the sloped ceiling in the room, increasing its intimacy and strengthening its Spanish identity. She replaced the generic country-look cabinets with more sophisticated, customized units crafted of white oak in a natural finish. Gold-toned cabinet hardware and fittings complement the colors of the wood in the family kitchen. A simple change of paint color – the original had been unhappily close to tan – went a long way to brightening the space.
The old kitchen had an island that was part table (defined by dated turned legs), part storage cabinets. The designer retained the island and its functions, slimming down its dimensions and adding brass caps to its feet. This detail draws the eye to the oak floor, which has been refinished in a lighter tone and now features an engaging herringbone inlay beneath the island.
Looking back on the experience, Trembly noted, “The biggest challenge on this project was the client, who sometimes had a hard time trusting the process and decisions. Despite our efforts to rein in the project, the scope of renovation grew and went over budget. Covid did not help matters, either. So we completed the project through construction and when we presented the furnishings to the homeowners, they stopped work.”
Sources
Design: Melinda Trembly, Rincon Road Design Studio; Photography: Gavin Cater, Cater Photography; Architect: Tom Ochsner Architect; Builder: MT Cline Construction; Cabinets: Architectural Millwork & MF Classic Interior; Faucets: California Faucets; Lighting: Visual Comfort& Co.; Paint: Benjamin Moore & Sydney Harbor Paint (beams); Range: Lacanche; Tile: clé (backsplash)
