A GALLEY KITCHEN GETS THE START TREATMENT, BRINGING SEASIDE VILLA VIBES TO EAST OAKLAND

Clients Wendy and Joey purchased this home in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, and knew immediately that the kitchen would be the first major space they tackle. Fortunately, the space hadn’t been updated in decades so they didn’t have to tear out new cabinets or tile from a bad flip job (my nightmare). As a standard galley kitchen, the main goal was to open it up as much as possible to make it feel more connected to the neighboring entertaining spaces. The architect and I recommended we start by forming a larger archway between the kitchen and dining room to mirror similar archways found throughout the home, really leaning into a Mediterranean-inspired aesthetic. By doing so, we were able to justify closing up the kitchen’s existing door to the hallway, making it possible to continue cabinetry all along the range and refrigerator wall. To save on cost, we ordered all the cabinet boxes through IKEA and then engaged with Semihandmade to supply fronts in their classic “Quarterline” finish. It was going to break the budget to continue the original hardwood into this space, so we thought a concrete-looking tile would add additional texture and be easiest to clean.

At the end of the day, Wendy and Joey wanted a really classic look that would fit with the rest of their decor, keep the space from feeling too dark, and add resale value to the property. The final look feels really accessible, and yet we managed to bring in a lot of thoughtful touches – like the veined quartzite countertops, variegated textured backsplash, brass hardware and natural oak shelving. To this day I get texts from them sitting at their breakfast nook overlooking the San Francisco skyline saying “We will literally never get tired of this kitchen.” Mission accomplished.