Homeowners Lori Powell and Well Dayshawn of “A Grand Makeover Meets the Marrs” quickly discovered they loved entertaining and hosting guests in the open space of their kitchen and dining area. But while the kitchen was spacious, it was in need of some serious upkeep. Dave and Jenny Marrs transformed their '90s time capsule kitchen into a classic, contemporary and ultra-elegant space by removing the chocolate-colored wood cabinets and curved, raised bar island. They then installed new floor-to-ceiling cabinets and a large rectangular island painted Farrow & Ball's Off Black, a sophisticated and sexy hue that made quite an impact.
The original island had grooved wood on the sides, and Jenny Mars decided to incorporate this feature into the design. But rather than covering the entire island with grooves, she only incorporated the grooves in the curved corners, leaving the sides open for recessed shelves and Shaker-style drawer fronts. This allowed the grooves to add texture and interest to the island without dominating the design. The matte black paint mutes the look, allowing the grooves to blend smoothly with the cabinetry. The grooves mirror the curved corners of the countertop, and tie in seamlessly with the finish. Time will tell how the trend will continue, but we suspect this understated use of grooves is subtle enough that it won't scream “2020s” in the future.
