When a Dunwoody homeowner approached Atlanta-based interior designer Andi Morse, founder of Morse Design, she knew it would be a big project.
“The home is at least 6,000 to 7,500 square feet, including the basement,” Morse told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It has a huge porch that extends the backside of the house, swimming pool, primary bedroom on the main, finished basement, and three additional bedrooms on the 2nd floor.”
Morse also knew exactly where to start.
To no one’s surprise, the big house had a big kitchen. But what it had in size, it lacked in style. The space was bland, void of any flair. It needed a new look, and Morse had an idea on how to fix it: with bold statement pieces.
From the island’s centerpiece bowl — a wonderful find from Atlanta’s own Acquisitions Interiors — to the chandelier, the big kitchen now has a big personality.
“I do love that bowl centerpiece,” Morse said. “It is one of my favorites! It’s from a local store in Atlanta called Acquisitions. The other statement pieces I love are the dining table chandelier and the hanging pendant lights over the kitchen table area. Both make bold statements but still go with the design of the home. They are noticed!”
It’s those bold statements that transformed the space into something more. For any others looking to give their kitchen a new personality, Morse has some advice to turn that standard interior design endeavor into something special.
“First, homeowners need to evaluate their kitchen to see what is salvageable vs. what needs to be gutted,” she said. “In this home, we were able to use the existing cabinets and just painted them. The clients loved the cabinet layout and, other than some chipping, the cabinets were in good condition. Not having to replace the cabinets saved the homeowners money, and that’s where a designer comes in. For things like cabinets and appliances, you can save money and time, as COVID lead times for high end appliances can take up to a year.
“Paint your cabinets, add new hardware to existing cabinets, update your lighting, paint the walls, and change the counters on just the island,” she said. “Even just doing one will freshen up your kitchen!
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