When you have yourself as a client, is remodeling a kitchen easier or more difficult? For interior designer Molly Brown of Molly Brown Creative it was the former; she knew what was wrong and how to fix it. “It was awful,” she said of her kitchen in Woodinville, Washington. “There was a lot of Spanish style with mixed arches that did not go with the rest of the house, which is traditional American architecture. Such a big beautiful house, but there was no cohesion.” Built in the late 1980s, the 4,300-square foot home in the Hollywood Hill area of Woodinville needed an update and to be made more user friendly, particularly for Brown’s three children.

“We got rid of the arches, took everything down to the studs and even replaced the windows,” said Brown whose design philosophy is a timeless look that will not fade. “It needed to be in a more contemporary and transitional style. I wanted classic black-and-white with a clean feel.”

In the now empty space, Brown placed a large pantry, new cabinets, panel-ready appliances and even new windows. A large island holds two refrigerator drawers for the kids and a spot for four stools. Countertops and backsplashes of Calcutta marble were installed. “The slabs are hand selected in a quarry outside of Verona, Italy and then shipped here,” explained Prem Gnanarajah, owner of Venetian Stone Works who ordered and installed the marble. “Michelangelo used the same quarry. Each piece is unique. It takes hundreds of years to get the texture that is created by minerals and water.”

In an exacting process, the counters and backsplash areas are measured, the marble is photographed, and the dimensions and photographs are entered into an AutoCAD program. Using the software, the marble is measured and “cut” to ensure veins and miters align and all will fit together perfectly like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Once the design is final, the marble is cut with a waterjet saw and the heavy stone is carefully installed. “It is a lot of work but you feel very satisfied in terms of accomplishments,” Gnanarajah added.

To unite the kitchen with an adjoining casual eating area, which overlooks the family room, white oak flooring from Pravada was used throughout both spaces. Touches of black from the kitchen were also repeated in the window, light fixture and metal railing. “I paid a lot attention to detail to ensure the flow and cohesiveness,” said Brown. Not only does the finished project work well on a daily basis but it is also a magnet for friends and family during the holidays and for the annual Super Bowl party.

PROJECT SOURCES

INTERIOR DESIGN
Molly Brown Creative
www.mollybrowncreative.com

COUNTERTOPS & STONEWORK
Venetian Stone Works
www.venetianstoneworks.com

APPLIANCES
Thermador
www.thermador.com