A Black & White Kitchen Success!

While I was in High Point back in April, I was able to attend the Junior League of High Point’s showhouse.  One of my favorite spaces was the black & white kitchen designed by good friend Lisa Mende.  For those of you who do not know who Lisa Mende is she is a talented designer in Charlotte, North Carolina.  She does amazing work!  Below you will see, in great detail, Lisa Mende’s spectacular kitchen and breakfast rooms, and what I love about it.

Above is one of my favorite black & white kitchens.  There is a perfect balance of light and dark, black and white.  The black cabinetry is stunning, and I love that Lisa had the millwork painted to match the cabinets.  The white subway tile walls and white quartz countertops really balance the heaviness of the dark cabinets.  Lisa really updated this old 1920’s English Tudor home and brought it into the 21st Century without losing its nostalgic charm.

So how did Lisa update this very old kitchen?  The first steps were new cabinetry, countertops, plumbing, and appliances.  These are the biggest design decisions and selections.  As some will determine the layout of the kitchen.  The Wilsonart quartz countertops are perfect for a growing family; they are stain, scratch, and bacterial resistant.  Lisa selected two white marble-esque materials which gives those who love and want marble for their countertops but do not want to worry about the durability of marble.  The perimeter countertop material is Wisonart’s Serene Quart & the island is their Kolams.

The appliances are all Thermador.  The appliance selections for this spacious kitchen are perfect for those who have a large family or entertain or do both.  There is a 48-inch gas range, a 48-inch refrigerator/freezer combination, tall wine fridge, coffee maker, and dishwasher.  I, personally, am a huge fan of Thermador; my kitchen appliances are all Thermador appliances.  If you are looking at which appliances to select for your kitchen, I strongly suggest you look at Thermador.

Another way Lisa modernized this stunning kitchen was with the brass light fixtures, open acrylic shelving with brass brackets, brass modern cabinet hardware, and facing the ceiling with this fun Cole & Son’s geometric wallpaper.  I love the Circa Lighting brass sconces above the windows that not only provide visual interest, give ambient lighting, but also task lighting.  The sconce arms are movable, so if you need better lighting in a certain spot, you can change it.  Open shelving has increased in popularity, and the same with acrylic.  So why not combine the two and create perfection?!  Lisa designed these custom acrylic open shelves.

The breakfast room, directly adjacent to the kitchen, has royal blue grass-cloth which makes for the perfect backdrop of this black and white color palette.  The pops of chartreuse green are brought in on the leather chairs, the rug, and in the custom painting hanging above the open-shelving serving piece.

I love the abstract custom art piece showcasing the chartreuse accents.  And I’m slightly obsessed with the Cotton + Quill‘s Elsie accent pillows.

I hope you enjoyed touring my dear friend Lisa’s kitchen and breakfast room she designed.  I absolutely love it, and job well done Lisa!  I’m so proud of your success and continuing success!

 

**All photos were taken by Christy Davis for Christy Davis Interiors**

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Christy Davis Interiors is a full service interior design firm based in Columbia, SC, but also works in Charleston, SC, Hilton Head, SC