Modern two tone kitchen reveal for the One Room Challenge 2021

The day has finally arrived! It’s reveal day for the One Room Challenge!

For the past 8 weeks, we have been working hard to complete our kitchen/dining room. We did all of the labor ourselves, and learned a whole lot along the way (tutorials can be found in each update below) I can’t thank my husband enough for coming home nights and weekends to help me see this vision through! I couldn’t have done it without him.

In cased you missed it, here’s previous updates:

Week 1 (before and moodboards)

Week 2 (removing popcorn ceiling)

Week 3 (how to install pre-pasted wallpaper)

Week 4 (dark red inspiration)

Week 5 (how to determine the best wall treatment for your room)

Week 6 (how to refinish kitchen cabinets/sink and faucet)

Week 7 (how to install zellige tile)

Week 8 (you are here - big reveal!)

……..D R U M R O L L…..

Dining Room Reveal

This room started with an impulse, gut feeling for the wall mural from Hygge and West. I made that decision in less than 5 minutes, and then figured the rest of the room out from there. I suppose this is how I usually approach my designs. I need to have that moment of reckless abandon in order to really enjoy the rest of the process. Does that mean it’s always easy? NOPE! If you recall from week 1, I tested quite a few pink paint colors before doing a 180 and going daaaaark red.

I think there is a misconception that dark walls equal a dark room. That can be true, but in a room with a lot of light, like this one, it stills very sunny in here. I was very careful to add back in plenty of pops of white. White on the ceiling and floor helped, too. I have no regrets with this color.

dark red dining room with mural in picture moulding

It’s so moody and I love how it makes the mural pop.

I purchased the leather chairs on clearance. They were originally charcoal, but I stained them black just to add a little more contrast and edge to them.

All of this romanticism really needed some modern, graphic punches, so I selected a white tulip table. This was a real risky move, because I have a 5 year old, haha. My solution was to have a sheet of plexi-glass cut by a local fabricator to fit the top. Now I don’t have to worry about scratches!

I’ve always wanted a sofa in my kitchen. I know…strange. I just love how cozy and loungy it makes the room feel. Since I don’t have room in my dining space for a sofa, I opted for this upholstered chair. So fun, right?! It’s a great spot to relax, sip a cocktail, and work on puzzles!

This print from Artfully walls, feels like the wrong choice on paper, but it just speaks to me in this room. What is it about a pop of neon that always shakes things up in the best way?? And the fact that these prints come already matted and framed, makes the entire art-buying process so much easier!

I’m so excited to entertain friends and family here! It’s an eat-in kitchen, that now feels like a designated, grown-up dining room.

Speaking of kitchen…

Kitchen Reveal

Just opposite the eat-in dining area, you will find my kitchen. That made selecting the choices for this room even trickier; they needed to be harmonious with each other. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a What-the-actual-$#!@-have-I-gotten-myself-into moment. Am I about to have a pink and red kitchen? In my mind, the only way to pull this off was to go all the way, but make it as tonal as possible.

I selected the blush Zellige tile from Riad Tile because it complimented the mural so well.

Maybe I want to be able to powder my nose where I wash my dishes.

If you remember from my kitchen before, there was originally a cabinet here above the sink. I know open shelves are a trend, for good reason, but I actually love upper cabinets (they are making a come-back -you heard it here first ;)). These serve as my pantry as well, so I really love being a able to close a door. I decided to just remove the one cabinet above the sink to open things up a bit. I added a mirror as an unexpected way to bounce some light around in here, and allow me to see back into the dining room while I’m washing dishes. It’s nice to be a part of the party, even when you are laboring away…am I right?! LOL. Plus, THAT MURAL! I really had to decide if this mirror was worth it though, because after we installed the sink, we realized there was about a centimeter needed to fit the mirror trim behind that faucet. So we had to uninstall everything and move it. A centimeter! Worth it.

We also rewired the electrical location to the side of the cabinets, which made way for these amazing sconces from Ranor Lighting. I just love how they play on that arched mirror.

arch mirror over kitchen sink with laminate countertop

The Algren sink and Ridgeway faucet from Signature Hardware really feel like the crown jewel of the room. It’s my single moment of bling in the kitchen, and it feels so special.

I decided to paint the cabinets the same color as the wall because I wanted them to feel more built-in. I actually got carried away here and painted the knobs and fridge as well. As I was painting the step-stool red, my daughter said, “Mom, why do you like red so much?” LOL. I just like how making everything tonal, calms down otherwise bold choices. Suddenly pops of color feel so special and intentional. This color is from the Victorian era - a time when rick color choices were used to hide ash and soot stains from coal-burning stoves. With the advancements in technology, gave rise to modernism where colors like this were rarely used on walls, because they were no longer needed. I like seeing how a rich, saturated color like this can fit right into a mid-century modern kitchen so well though. It’s a juxtaposition that brings the best of both worlds in my opinion; the clean lines of minimalism with the moody, decadent luxury of a jewel tone.

The floors were originally very old, very stained vinyl. And guess what?? They still are. Only I’ve painted them, so now they are all pretty and new looking. I will share a tutorial on this soon.

White floors are a great choice for a bold, dark wall color because they really brighten things up and help to bounce more light around. It feels so fresh in here now, and all I spent was $110!

The fridge was another budget friendly glow-up (tutorial soon). It’s the next best thing to a paneled fridge in my opinion!

This wall shelf from Iron Abode is like an instant, dapper bar area. I was able to customize the Oslo unit to fit my size specifications so it fits this spot above my peninsula perfectly.

Can I pour you a drink?

What do you do when you have some questionable vintage, built-in technology in your home that actually works really well but is ugly AF? You put art on it. You guys! It’s the new put-a-bird-on-it. Am I right? LOL

All we did was make a wood frame to attach to the back. This made it stick out more to accommodate the vent. Now when I burn dinner, all I have to do is remove this moody art and crank that sucker on. Mom win!

artfully walls art box to hide range exhaust fan

Now you see it. Now you don’t…

I hope you enjoyed sharing this process with me! Thanks so much for stopping by to check out the space.

zellige backsplash in kitchen with white painted floors

Photography by Graham Yelton

Thanks to Linda and Better Homes and Gardens for hosting the One Room Challenge! Please be sure to check out the other participants as well.

Left to do:

Absolutely nothing!

Source list

Paint color: Rookwood Dark Red Sherwin Williams SW2801 (A note on this color: I had a few problems color matching it at Lowes like I normally do. Sometimes they would return it to me as a berry color and I wouldn’t realize it until I got home. So long story short, they told me the paint numbers have been duplicated or something?? So maybe make sure you go to the Sherwin Williams store and tell them you want the original Rookwood Dark Red. What they return to you will look lighter in the paint can, but once it dries, should be a very dark red, not berry.)

Countertop: Formica Pietra Grafite

Floor color: Eider White Sherwin Williams

Kitchen sink and Faucet: Signature Hardware sink and faucet

Art: Artfully Walls

Wall Tile: Riad Tile in Zellige blush

Wall shelf: Iron Abode Oslo

Dining Room Wall Mural: Hygge and West Night Heron in Carnelian

Dining Chairs: West Elm (I stained the leather chairs black)

Tulip Table: Modway

Mirrored Sideboard: Vintage

Wall sconce: Hudson Valley

Table Lamp: Rober Abbey