July 8, 2019

By Carrie Whitney

Down a long driveway, past a fenced-in yard where longhorns graze, sits a large ranch home. The effect is clearly Texan, but this house lies deep in the heart of Plain City, Ohio. The homeowners have an affinity for the Lone Star State and a daughter who is an award-winning equestrian, so they sought to transform their cottage-inspired kitchen into a space that reflected their taste.

“They really wanted to bring that type of [Texas] style and vibe to the house,” said Faith Herring, interior designer with Dave Fox Design Build Remodelers, the Columbus-based firm that handled the renovation.

The project began with a desire to update the kitchen and possibly the master bathroom, but it quickly evolved into a whole-house remodel. By incorporating the family’s personality into the kitchen, walk-in pantry, master bath, a guest bath, a mudroom and additional areas, the firm was able to bring in that Texas feel with a natural palette so that the home now has a design that speaks to the homeowners’ lifestyle.

King-Size Kitchen
When the clients initially engaged the design firm to renovate the kitchen, they knew they wanted to open up the space and have seating at an island. The previous kitchen had a small island on casters and a footprint that ended with floor-to-ceiling cabinets with a passthrough into the dining room.

“One of their big focuses was definitely to make it more their own,” said Herring, “along with having very big appliances.”

In addition to needing an improved layout, the clients asked for rustic Texas hues. This large renovation that eventually included many additional areas of the home began with the kitchen, and it was a sink that really kicked off the design of that room.

“It kind of all started with me showing them the hammered-copper sink,” said Herring, who explained that the design simply exploded from there.

The warm-hued metal was used in the copper hood with metal strapping, bits of it can be seen in the quartz countertops, and the backsplash tile mixes copper and glass. The new semi-custom cabinetry maintained the warmth of these highlights but in a lighter color to make the room feel bright and open. The perimeter cabinets have recessed panel doors, while the island and pantry have full-overlay panel doors. The black island adds contrast to the remainder of the kitchen, and the same dark cabinets are repeated in the pantry, which is accessed via a rustic barn door.

The pantry was new, and some walls were moved to accommodate it, which also helped make space for the paneled 36-in. freezer. A separate 36-in. refrigerator is on another wall. A six-burner range with a griddle, microwave drawer and ice maker in the island and a dishwasher complete the large appliance wish list. As for small appliances, they are kept both useable and out of sight in the large pantry, which has quartz countertops and upper shelves stained to match the barn door and hood. These dark tones were picked up throughout the kitchen in the bronze faucet and black cabinet hardware, which also has a hammered texture reminiscent of the beloved sink.

The homeowners did not want hardwood flooring because of potential heavy wear and tear from their dogs going in and out, so the designer chose a porcelain tile, which was used throughout the kitchen and into the hallway. Despite its muted, earthy tones, the tile stands out thanks to its pattern of squares and rectangles.

Going Big in the Master Bath
Like the kitchen, the master bathroom needed a complete renovation. The new design maintains the warm palette that was used in the kitchen and has two standout features – a one-piece countertop with two sinks in acid-washed, stained concrete and a ledger stone backsplash.

“It has that rustic appeal the clients really wanted to bring the outdoors inside,” said Herring, who explained that the outdoorsy impression is further created by the rustic alder wood of the spacious cabinets.

To make more room for the vanity, a large whirlpool tub was removed, and the renovated bathroom has only a shower, which features the same tile from the kitchen floor in different sizes. Elsewhere in the bathroom, luxury vinyl tile (LVT) was used in place of the porcelain tile to provide a slate look without being cold on the feet. The long countertop has enough room in the middle for a lowered makeup area, and the cabinets offer plenty of storage – a must-have to house the husband’s cologne collection.

Accent features like the mirrors, which are framed to match the cabinet doors, and oil-rubbed bronze fixtures further the rustic look. Because the ledger stone is deeper than a typical tile backsplash, the window was framed so that its recessed placement appears intentional. The sconces have a mason-jar look, and the designer added more illumination with strategic can lighting and additional light in the shower.

A Large Dose of Comfort & Practicality
A guest bath also received a makeover, and although it’s in keeping with the rusticity of the overall design, its smaller footprint called for a brighter palette. The same LVT from the master was used in this bathroom as well as in the mudroom, but the color scheme was shifted from there.

“They wanted it to be a little lighter,” said Herring. “They wanted to do a wood that had a lot of variation.”

She chose pecan for the cabinets and a granite vanity top with a lot of movement and shades that would keep the space light while incorporating darker tones to complement the hardware, which is oil-rubbed bronze.

For a guest bathroom, there is a surprising amount of storage, which was intentional. The homeowners asked for room for towels and wanted visitors to feel like they had plenty of space to store their toiletries. All the fixtures were updated, and the lighting has a bubble glass in keeping with the room’s lighter impression.

The adjacent mudroom was planned as a “drop zone” for anyone entering through the home’s side door or garage. Previously, the room had included a dog-washing station and extra refrigeration. The designer simplified the space while also making it more workable by adding custom built-ins, including locker-style storage, all the way to the ceiling to make it feel grand. To add interest, she broke up the height with paint colors and wainscoting, which was continued through the hallway.

“Not everybody’s tastes are the same,” said Herring, “but I knew what they wanted.”

In each renovated room, the homeowners got the rustic style they loved. The designer was able to tie in all the elements to capture that grand “everything’s bigger in Texas” look.