Located in Louisville, Kentucky’s Prospect neighborhood, this unique home is one of a kind. “It’s a mid-century gem that was well kept and loved by its longtime owner,” Jaclyn and Amanda of Journey + Jacobs told us over email. “He created an oasis with amazing landscaping and put a lot of work into it.”
Their clients, the husband-and-wife team behind Lang Thomas Photography, wanted to renovate the space to better suit the needs of their growing family. Lang wanted to lean into the mid-century style, while Kate was drawn towards California minimal with a few vintage touches. The result is a bright, thoughtful space that’s all their own. The designers tell us more about the six month project.
First, what condition was the property at the start of the project? What was the biggest change?
The kitchen was dark and dated and every wall was covered in cabinetry. The colors were tone-on-tone browns and always felt dirty to our clients. The biggest change was removing all the cabinets and starting with a clean slate. We also determined that the wood floors couldn’t’t be repaired, so that led to the decision of putting in plaster floors, which turned out beautifully. Our local craftsman, Lance of Classic Finishes, helped select the perfect coating and finish.
What were some of Lang and Kate’s top priorities for the space?
They were extremely thoughtful and intentional about the renovation of their space. They love to entertain and cook for their families, so having the proper kitchen was the most important part of this house renovation. Must haves included a large gas stove, easy cleanability, more natural light, and minimal wood cabinetry. The creamy white on the walls was also a very specific choice because as photographers, they wanted the truest color of the room displayed in photos.
Design wise, what was the “jumping off point” for the kitchen?
The white oak cabinetry was the big jumping off point. We knew specifically what style, color, grain and finish we wanted, and it took a lot of back and forth with the cabinet makers to get it just right! Knowing we were designing the cabinetry without many uppers gave us an opportunity for a big, beautiful centerpiece of the custom range hood that got a plaster coating finish.
It was important to keep the mid-century style of the home authentic, but the home also yearned for some sweet vintage details and organic accents. From there the plaster floors, marble countertops, amber glass pendants and other accents came together piece by piece.
Tell us about some of your favorite details. Anything you feel “makes” the kitchen?
The space is clean, bright and happy. To us it feels modern, yet timeless with character and unique details. It’s definitely the heart of the home and we wanted it to feel warm and inviting.
Adding the transom windows created a more open and bright feeling and made a huge difference, and we enlarged the island and made plenty of space for Kate’s cooking escapades! Carefully selected marble counters tie in all the creamy, nude tones was key! The smokey glass tile on the range backsplash is a special feature because it is the only tile used in the entire kitchen. It had to stand out without being overwhelming! Glass tile can sometimes feel too refined, and we left the grout edges more raw which gave it a more natural finish.
A coffee and tea nook was also something they really wanted and use daily. Finally, a brass faucet was also an important touch because it’s in the center of the space, and an accent like a piece of jewelry.
See more in the slideshow.
