Lisa Tapp Koska Interior Design - Portfolio - Kitchen Remodel: Contemporary Classic

Kitchen Remodel: "Contemporary Classic"


The owners of the home on Quincy Street in Pacific Beach/San Diego, California originally wanted to remove the wall separating their galley-style kitchen from the dining room. The wall was loadbearing, and the cost of removing it and reinforcing the structure, made the project infeasable.

Layout after remodel

View Before Photos

Designer Lisa Tapp Koska, ASID, created a design to open up the kitchen by installing a large pass-through and a bar with seating into the dining room rather than attempt to remove the whole wall. She removed the cabinets and drywall separating the kitchen from a breakfast nook.

Tapp further enlarged the area by raising the drop ceiling to make room for additional cabinets. She also rearranged the refrigerator and the microwave to provide more functional space.

The room is finished in a contemporary style, with grey laminate cabinetry with a pearlized wood grain finish. The glass in the kitchen and dining room cabinets is leaded artistically and contains wave patterns, green and violet hues, and geometric shapes. The appliances all shine with a sleek, modern stainless finish. The granite slab countertops go well with the marble floor in promoting the modern feel of the design.

As a creative alternative to track lighting, the homeowners chose rose pendant lights mounted on a low-voltage rail to illuminate their kitchen and added glass amethyst pyramid light fixtures above the bar. As a finishing touch, a breakfast table topped with granite to match the countertops was created. "Its so much lighter and more open," says Duncan, who loves cooking in her remodeled kitchen.