If your home is Tuscan style and you are tired of it there is hope for a brighter future. This home was built in the early 2000’s and was all out Tuscan: gold beige walls with orange faux paint on the kitchen hood, Travertine floors and busy granite. The cabinets were oak with an orange stain. My client wanted to update the Tuscan style before they moved in. See photo of the original kitchen:
Bring in Light, Neutral Colors
To update the Tuscan style kitchen, I suggested we paint the cabinets a creamy white to match the doors and trim and change the counter and backsplash. We chose Taj Mahal quartzite for the counters and a rough cut cream 4×12 subway tile for the backsplash. We used a light gray caulk to tie it in with the Taj Mahal that has some warm gray tones. The large sheetrock vent hood was problematic. It was too expensive to replace so we decided to paint it the same color as the walls to minimize it.
My clients like a traditional look and wanted to keep the travertine floors and stone fireplace so we painted the walls Manchester Tan by Benjamin Moore. It is light but earthy enough to tie together a room with beige travertine, a stone fireplace with green beige undertones and warm green gray Taj Mahal counters.
Here is the amazing kitchen transformation:
Bring in Furniture with Clean Lines
My clients wanted to keep the furnishings traditional, but updated. We chose a rust rug from Surya with a vintage feel to it and cognac leather recliners that related to the warm tones in the stone fireplace. To lighten up the room we purchased cream sofas with track arms. We brought in some navy accents to give it an updated but classic feel. The couple wanted the bookcases to have a dark stain like the kitchen island, so we added a dark espresso coffee table with straight, clean lines to repeat the color and update the room. We used a lighter wood for the end tables and breakfast table to mix it up the wood tones and make it feel lighter and fresh.
Here is the living room before they bought the house:
Here is the after:
My favorite part of the house is this breakfast nook that we added. It has a built-in bench and lots of cozy pillows. If you aren’t lucky enough to get a spot on the seat, the four Bennet Parsons chairs from Restoration Hardware are super comfortable, as well. It’s a great place for a cup of coffee in the morning and a family dinner at night.
This house also had a formal living room. We wanted the focus of this room to be the beautiful view so we brought in four wingback chairs and a glass and antique brass coffee table. This created a conversation area that still feels open and draws your eye outside. The neutral cream and light gray rug from Loloi grounds the space. It is a perfect spot to sit and enjoy a glass of wine with friends.
Buying a new home or wanting to remodel? Contact me here. I would love to help!