Helping people discover the hidden beauty in their homes is a passion of mine. So when my long-time client, Jennifer Power, decided it was time to remodel the primary living space in her Satellite Beach home into an open-concept design, I eagerly jumped on board. 

Originally built in 1977, Jennifer and her husband bought their current home in 2015. The home had been a flip, so it was updated, but Jennifer knew the moment she walked into the house that she wanted to renovate the kitchen. “It just wasn’t my style.” 

This is a complaint I hear from a lot of clients who purchase flipped or recently renovated homes. Although these homes have been upgraded, they frequently do not reflect the style of the buyer. 

This, however, should never be a deterrent to buying a house. When purchasing a home, location, market availability, square footage, and price are all critical factors that have to be taken into consideration. A closed-off kitchen or a compartmentalized living area can always be fixed – even if the project takes place a few years or more down the road.  

I remember my own first impression of Jennifer’s home, and while it was lovely, I definitely thought the layout would be vastly improved if some of the walls were taken down. In my experience, there’s no better way to unearth the treasure in your home than by tearing down walls to make your living areas more spacious. 

After living in the house for almost 8 yrs, Jennifer realized that the kitchen’s style was just part of the problem. “Being stuck in the house during covid is really what started this process,” Jennifer said. “The kitchen wasn’t functional and had a lot of wasted space.” 

There was also a formal living and dining area that was rarely used. 

It was finally time to take down those walls and work out an open-concept remodel!

What is Open-Concept Living? 

Open-concept living involves the removal of walls or barriers between various living areas, such as the kitchen, dining room, and living room, to create a spacious and uninterrupted flow. 

With its inherent combination of style and functionality, open-concept living has become a highly sought-after design trend that’s not just inviting, it also increases the value of your home. 

Breaking Boundaries: Expand Your Living Space by Tearing Down Walls

This L-shaped wall detracted from the living area and making the space seem small.

This L-shaped wall made the space feel a lot smaller than it was.

This L-shaped wall did nothing but detract from the living area and make the space seem smaller than it actually was.

The formal living and dining area before the remodel.

Before the remodel, the living and dining areas were cramped and unused.

Before the remodel, the living area was cramped.

The formal living and dining area before the open-concept remodel. These areas, which were rarely used, seemed cramped and uninviting. 

Taking down a couple of walls, rearranging existing furniture, and adding in personalized decorating touches completely change the look of the house, as you can see in the photos below.

The open-concept dining and living areas suited my client much better.

The open-concept living and dining areas.

Much nicer spatial flow after the open-concept remodel.

Small touches matter.

Small touches matter. A few well-placed books and nicknacks add interest and character, as well as highlight the beauty of this window space.

Transforming Your Kitchen to Be Uniquely Yours: The Art of Personalizing a Renovation

The kitchen is the heart of the family home, where meals are prepared and shared, memories are made, and connections are strengthened through the act of cooking and sharing food together. It’s also where everyone gathers during a party, so your kitchen should not only be spacious and well-organized, it should reflect your own unique personality and be a place you feel proud to entertain in. 

Here are some pictures of the kitchen before the renovation. 

The kitchen before the remodel.

The kitchen before the remodel.

The kitchen before the remodel.

When undergoing an open-concept renovation, it’s important to select colors and design elements that flow seamlessly from one area to another.

We selected a natural stone quartz countertop, not just for its beauty, but for its practicality as well. Kitchen cabinets in two tones–gray and moonstone, and a herringbone-patterned backsplash all bring the desired look together.

We selected a natural stone quartz countertop, not just for its beauty, but for its practicality as well. Kitchen cabinets in two tones–gray and moonstone, and a herringbone-patterned backsplash all bring the desired look together. 

The remodeled/renovated kitchen area.

The remodeled/renovated kitchen area was really opened up.

The remodeled/renovated kitchen area with countertop dining.

The remodeled/renovated kitchen area and herringbone backsplash.

Jennifer knew immediately after buying the house that the kitchen would one day be renovated, and she knew she wanted an open concept that would flow easily for meal preparation. The new kitchen not only meets those requirements, it now shines with Jennifer’s personality and her own unique style. “It’s my favorite part of the renovation!” she says.

One way to personalize a kitchen is to add in appliances or elements that fit your lifestyle. 

Jennifer’s husband is a zythophile (that’s a fancy word for a beer lover!). They love to entertain, and that includes serving their guests beer and wine. 

While having a separate wine cooler or refrigerator is a commonly seen addition to many homes, a kegerator truly made this kitchen unique. The question was where to place it.

This small area next to the kitchen that leads to the laundry room was wasted space and did little to add to the kitchen’s functionality.

The small space next to the kitchen was wasted space.

The door was reconfigured to the center of the wall and additional cabinetry was added to make this small space come alive.

The door was reconfigured to the center of the wall and additional cabinetry was added to make this small space come alive.

This newly remodeled area now boasts a wine fridge, a kegerator (with a fun parrot lever!), as well as a pantry on the opposite wall. And if you look closely, you can see the main refrigerator. The refrigerator and the dishwasher are “hidden” behind custom panels that match the cabinetry.

This newly remodeled area now boasts a wine fridge, a kegerator, as well as a pantry on the opposite wall.

A Home Transformed

The final result of this open-concept remodel? A home that is not only beautiful and spacious but highly functional with plenty of storage for a growing family. 

Carmen and her client in her client's Transforming Your Kitchen to be Uniquely Yours: The Art of Personalizing a Renovation The kitchen is the heart of the family home, where meals are prepared and shared, memories are made, and connections are strengthened through the act of cooking and sharing food together. It’s also where everyone gathers during a party, so your kitchen should not only be spacious and well-organized, it should reflect your own unique personality and be a place you feel proud to entertain in. Here are some pictures of the kitchen before the renovation. Image 4335 Image 4334 Image 4336 When undergoing an open concept renovation, it’s important to select elements that flow well not just in the kitchen, but to the rest of the home as well. Image 4897 Caption: We selected a natural stone quartz countertop, not just for it’s beauty, but for it’s practicality as well. Kitchen cabinets in two tones–gray and moonstone, and a herringbone patterned backsplash all bring the desired look together. Kingston 19 Kingston 21 Kingston 18 Kingston 24 Jennifer knew immediately after buying the house that the kitchen would one day be renovated, and she knew she wanted an open concept that would flow easily for meal preparation.The new kitchen not only meets those requirements, it now shines with Jennifer’s personality and her own unique style. “It’s my favorite part of the renovation!” she says. open-concept remodel.

When asked for some advice to give to anyone thinking of undergoing a home remodel or renovation, Jennifer said, “Be patient because a home renovation is a long process and issues always come up, but in the end, it’s so worth it.”

An open-concept remodel of this kind (it’s actually a remodel and a renovation) adds value and substance to what is likely one of your most significant investments and allows you to make a house truly your own.

If this open-concept remodel project has you looking around at your own spaces and getting inspired, give me a call. It doesn’t have to be big. Some of my favorite design jobs have been for smaller rooms and areas.

I’d love to consult with you on how to turn your ordinary space into a truly extraordinary place.

Choose a contact method below this blog post, or click this “contact” link. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com

And you can always call me anytime at (407) 743-2399.