A Bold Take On a ‘Luxurious Farmhouse’ Design: See the Winning Kitchen in Our Design Contest’s Contemporary Category

Our first Waterstone Design Contest has wrapped up, and we’re proud to put a spotlight on the inaugural Contemporary Kitchen category winner, By Design Interiors, Inc. Featuring a bold (and unexpected) combination of opulent luxury and modern farmhouse styles, the kitchen has been called the “Chanel Chic” renovation. Contest judge Cara Fox, principal designer at the Fox Group, described the space as having “a stunning wow factor with gorgeous statement marble that is full of personality and beauty… brass and modern lighting complements and freshens the whole room.”  

The design team at By Design Interiors joined us to discuss exactly how they incorporated glitz and glamour into this winning contemporary kitchen design.

1. When designing a space with a dynamic combination of colors and materials like this one, where do you start?

For this ‘Chanel Chic Kitchen’ – The designer wanted to update the home to beautifully match the fabulous and chic personal style of the homeowner. As a high-profile professional, the homeowner wanted a dramatic space in the ‘heart’ of her home to entertain guests. Together, they created a sleek, black, white, and gold oasis that truly grabs your attention.

2. Is this kitchen representative of your usual style or does it stand out against your other work?

By Design Interiors, Inc. is a hub for talented designers to work with homeowners in creating interior spaces as unique as each client. All our designers can take on different design styles, we are chameleons in that sense, yet we do certain styles and aesthetics we are drawn to.  

For our Chanel Chic Renovation, we wanted to highlight the homeowners’ love for glamour paired with modern farmhouse design elements. Mixing in bold black, white, and gold with pops of turquoise, durable surfaces (such as the shiplap along the grand island), and exposed beams seen in the great room. It was a hands-on process between the designer and homeowner, beginning with discussing inspiration images and getting to know her personal style. From there we were able to begin the selections process.  

In this case, the plumbing fixtures were selected very early in the design process. This helped to learn: What metal finishes do they like? Are they more modern or traditional? Do they like square lines or curvy lines? Are they ok with mixing metal finishes? Do they love to cook? Do they love to entertain?  

Once plumbing and appliances are finalized, the design team can move forward with so many other selections for the space keeping the shapes, finishes, and style consistent throughout.

3. There are many eye-catching pieces in this kitchen, but which would you say is your favorite?

Oh, so many! We love how this kitchen embodies the homeowner perfectly! From the gold vent hood to the black tiles and striking Cambria quartz waterfall edge island…but we can’t deny that the island is showstopper! It was a favorite selection for the homeowner, and your eye goes straight there upon entering the space. The matte black sleek Waterstone faucet compliments it perfectly.

4. What kind of vibe does the black, white, and gold combination make for in this space?

Drama. The space utilizes the client’s personal / high-end style as the muse behind the glamours of golds, black and whites. The homeowner wanted her kitchen to make a statement for her guests. She loves to entertain and wanted this space to have the ‘Wow-Factor’ for all who enter. The bold contrast of the white cabinets, black backsplash and gold vent hood is pure drama! It encompasses the glamour while still being function by utilizing high-quality appliances durable materials such as quartz and porcelain.

5. It almost looks as if the room was designed around the Waterstone PLP faucet. What drew you to the faucet and this finish in particular?

The matte black and brass Waterstone Pulldown faucet perfectly complements the island design, adding an edgy industrial pop to the glamourous quartz countertop.

6. What would you say is the most important aspect of designing a kitchen?

It is important to design a kitchen that is functional for the homeowner. This begins by gathering inspiration, listening, and learning about what they love, their lifestyle and how they plan to live / use their home.  

We consider: do they like to cook? Entertain? Lifestyle? Professions? Etc. It’s important to understand how their daily routines will be throughout the space. From there, we are able to create the best workflow and begin to make selections for their needs and style. We enjoy creating spaces that look like the client really belongs in them. The end goal is for friends, family, even acquaintances to walk into a client’s space and say “oh! This is so you!”  

For our Chanel Chic Kitchen, it was about showing off the client’s personal style by incorporating glitz and glamour with a striking black, white, and gold color palette accented by gold bamboo-look pendants, bold hardware, and decorative brass details on the apron-front sink, Waterstone faucet, and JennAir range.  

The hard surfaces were selected to fit the homeowner’s busy lifestyle – as a successful professional with a passion for dogs – each surface is cleanable, puppy-proof, yet luxurious. The star is the Cambria Quartz island top in the Bentley design. It directed every selection and detail of the space. The dynamic black and white veining and waterfall edge is supported by glossy black chevron backsplash, chic black and white cabinetry, and a gold-leafed custom vent hood. Instead of a standard door, a custom designed ‘Greek-key’- inspired swinging door leads into the working pantry. Subtle white shiplap panels line the back of the island for an extra level of durability when sitting at this grand island.

7. It looks like the owners will enjoy this space for years to come. How do you balance creating bold designs with making sure they remain timeless?

We balance bold designs with function. This is done by getting to know our client and making sure the selections and designs will not only be stunning now but stand the test of time. This is done by selecting durable materials and keeping to a more neutral base – such as the black and white – then adding drama with elegant finishes, decorative plumbing and light fixtures, and bold textures and prints. The gold vent hood, bamboo pendants and bold Cambria quartz island add the unexpected drama to the space without overwhelming the home or being too ‘trendy.’ It blends modern with glamour and function in a seamless way that the homeowner will be able to enjoy for many years to come.