The Essex Residence
Lauren’s Wish List
- Improved cooking space to reflect a new single lifestyle.
- More functionality for cooking, entertaining and hosting parties.
- Updated style utilizing long lasting materials.
- Quality build, using reliable and skilled contractors.
- Wanted her daughter to love spending time at home.
Discovering Opportunities for Improvement
During our thorough (and fun!) initial consultation and idea share, we discovered her home didn’t match her lifestyle. Here are some things I noticed during the discovery process:
- Limited room to expand the kitchen in its current location.
- Laundry located in the garage.
- Poor lighting throughout the home.
- Separate, small rooms that limited traffic flow and social interaction.
- Very poor kitchen workflow in a cramped space.
Transforming Lauren’s Home
I created 4 complete interior design concepts that she absolutely loved! I included ideas Lauren shared during the discovery process to match her style while referencing photos and ideas she had collected. Together, we reviewed the ideas and samples, and chose the best solutions to satisfy her desires for appearance and functionality. The kitchen remodel became a home and lifestyle transformation!
- Expanded the kitchen after moving it to a different part of the house.
- Hidden laundry and mudroom tucked next to the kitchen.
- Contemporary, natural fixtures for fit and finish.
- Excellent kitchen workflow and room to socialize.
- More closet space.
I am not afraid to move walls, relocate a door, change lighting, or experiment with materials. I did all of those things for Lauren, and the result was fantastic. We ended up moving the kitchen, and forming an open living space for the family to gather and entertain. I also created a laundry room and lovely entranceway to further enhance the living space. From the eating area, the backyard is now visible and integrated through large panel slider.
- Task lighting and windows to provide ample light throughout.
- Operable skylights for fresh air and natural light.
- Central beam so we could remove unwanted walls and create vaulted ceiling.
When problems come up (and they always do!) I quickly and effectively problem solve for a beautiful result. When shipments were delayed, or behind the wall surprises were discovered, we were able to adjust the plan to solve whatever challenges surfaced during the build. The end result speaks for itself.
The Essex Residence received the 2017 Kitchen of the Year Award from San Diego Home & Garden.
“I could just tell when I met Traci that it was going to be a perfect fit, and it has been, every step of the way. Traci achieved everything that I was looking for. It’s really been an incredible transformation (for myself and my home). I really feel proud of my space and it now reflects ME. I feel so humbled to live here. It is beautiful!”
– Lauren Essex
We love developing meaningful relationships with clients. This client contacted us years later for a custom painting install. Read about this unique experience!