Colorful Function-Filled Renovation

Written by Michelle Berwick | Design by Michelle Berwick Design | Photography by Larry Arnal

Today more than ever, our homes are the havens we seek at the end of a long and stressful day. We at Michelle Berwick Design (MBD) see a home like a well-oiled machine; all the parts need to be working simultaneously to operate at optimal capacity—very scientific! When we say all the parts need to be working together, we are referring not only to style, color, and all those pretty things, but also about the floor plan and storage functionality. We want your home working for you, not you working for your home! There are so many ways we can achieve great balance within a space. That said, before the hammers start swingin’ and the floors start coming up, take time to plan out every inch of your space to make sure you are not underutilizing what you have to work with. Even if the budget is creeping up, there are still many ways to create that organized, “everything in its place” feeling. The project we are going to be sharing involves all of those elements rolled together to create a space that works perfectly with how our clients live.

Now come on in: this minty home refresh will take your breath away. In this home renovation, color takes center stage, while form and function are the Oscar-winning supporting actors. How you use your home is so important to consider when making any alterations. As a designer, I believe form and function must come first. Great design means the interior enhances how you live. Let me show you what makes this home renovation magical.

The kitchen, they say, is the heart of any home, and we pay close attention to it. We thoughtfully designed this kitchen to meet the homeowners’ daily needs. No cabinet was overlooked. Every item within the space has a designated place. Oh yes, even the wine! Adding product-specific inserts to your cabinetry is a simple way to make the space more functional—not to mention you can store twice as much in the same amount of space! No need to make room for a snack grocery haul.

Large base-cabinet drawers provide excellent storage for larger appliances, pots and pans, serving dishes, and even dinner plates! Dinner plates in a drawer? Yes! It’s a thing. We designed a large pantry here next to the panel-ready fridge to keep baking and dry goods readily available. Because there are no windows in this townhome kitchen, we designed a plate-rack upper cabinet to sit above the sink. It’s not only cute but also super functional, keeping that precious counter space clear.

The cooktop is flanked with oil and spice pullouts for the home chef’s convenience. Food tastes so much better when the ingredients are beautifully organized, am I right? A mint island drops down into the homeowner’s existing table, which we altered slightly to attach to the island and create an eat-in kitchen area. This lowered table also provides a great prep area for the aspiring little chefs in our lives!

Media storage in a living room is often overlooked. Often, unpleasant black boxes end up being the needed, but unwanted, décor adorning the tops of our media units. Here we designed custom millwork for this family’s diverse entertainment needs. A pull-down door with a gold mesh insert housed all media accessories, yet the mesh still allows access with a remote. We met the media necessities, and didn’t compromise the style at all. We at MBD call that a win! Media consoles, 0—Team MBD, 1.

This floor-to-ceiling living room built-in not only houses the media consoles beautifully but also minimizes clutter with drawers for game discs and remotes, as well as other media accessories. Doors allow the homeowners to store miscellaneous items such as batteries and candles because we all know they need a home, too. To add a personal touch to the living room, we included built-in open shelving to showcase travel souvenirs and framed family memories.

In the playroom, it was essential to store craft supplies and toys behind closed doors. Introducing built-ins with tons of storage not only kept things tidy but also gave us a chance to add a touch of pretty through the hardware. A built-in desk for both children to work at will grow with the family. The tall pantry doors enhance the height of the ceilings and make the room feel larger. To keep the playroom feeling light and airy, we gave the built-ins a high-gloss white finish.

Color is a key way to freshen up your home. Whether you decide to paint your entire home or just add a few new accessories, the impact of introducing a new color will amaze you. One of our favorite ways to add personality to a room is by adding some colorful elements.

At this client’s home, the recurring color is mint green. This color came from the front entry tile, which sparked instant joy in the homeowners’ hearts. The mint color carries throughout the main floor of this townhome and onto the interior doors, as well as onto the kitchen cabinetry. Sometimes all you need is a jolt of inspiration, and, bam, you have a design scheme!

Why stop at trim and cabinetry with color? Yes . . . we even hit the backsplash grout with mint. Mint grout? You betcha. It ties everything together and really makes this beautiful marble mini-fish-scale backsplash sing. Using one color throughout the home adds cohesiveness and is an easy way to freshen up your spaces.

Bedrooms are spaces where color can run wild to reflect more of your personality. For this project, a sweet shared bedroom, our design inspiration came from an antique rug. Pink upholstered beds, complemented by the pink nightstand, and pink-and-gray drapery bring such joy to this pint-sized space. Pro-tip: when designing any space with a recurring color, it is important to add and play with varying shades while repeating the color in the room to add extra depth and interest within the room.

The master bedroom has no lack of color either! Are you surprised? The trending high-gloss, black-trim wall creates the perfect backdrop for the neutral upholstered headboard. To contrast with the black, a white textured duvet hangs over the bed topped with white and yellow pillows. The bright yellow barn door invites you into the en suite. Hannah Banana is the name of that yellow paint color. Now, if that doesn’t make you happy, I don’t know what will.

Creating space in your home doesn’t necessarily mean demolishing walls. We created space in this townhome by designing custom millwork to ensure every item has a home. Custom millwork can create more function and less clutter, giving you a sense of relief. If custom millwork is outside your budget, simply creating a home for your items in your existing millwork is a great cost-effective option to consider!

Introducing a new color into your home can instantly have you feeling renewed—like adding a red earring and a red lip to your little black dress. Game changer! Our team loves adding color in unexpected places and ways, such as kitchen cabinetry, baseboard trim, and floor tile.

Now consider how you will alter your home this spring to help you feel renewed!

Visualize Your Flooring Dreams

Want a preview of how new floors will look in your home? Try our room visualizer, My Floor Style. Upload a photo of your room, select your style preferences, and get a virtual look at each different flooring style. With My Floor Style, there are no surprises. Only beautiful new floors.