When interior designer June Shea and her husband bought their Fairfax Station home over two decades ago, they knew the dated kitchen would have to eventually go. But it took them eight years to cook up the perfect kitchen. “It was a long-term plan,” says Shea. “Our cabinets were original—and we still had Formica countertops. I mean, how embarrassing is that for someone who does kitchens for a living?”
When the pair finally started the renovation, Shea knew she didn’t want to go with the neutral grays and whites seen in most of-the-moment kitchens. She wanted to be bold. “Color is back,” she declares. So she started with her favorite: turquoise.
That included turquoise granite countertops and custompainted cabinetry and accents. There’s even a turquoise range hood. Shea’s husband, a skilled weekend warrior (and mechanical engineer by day) did most of the work to carry out Shea’s colorful vision. Of note: he configured the wiring for her must-have remote-controlled, color-changing LEDs that shine through the seedy glass-front cabinets showcasing beloved pieces.
When she couldn’t find drawer pulls and knobs she liked, Shea made her own. She painted custom fused glass rectangles in orange, yellow, turquoise and lime. As the kitchen neared completion and Mother’s Day approached, she recruited her 20-something sons for a get-it-done session at Paint This! in Alexandria. Even her backsplash got the color treatment. Shea custom designed a travertine backsplash with color-burst mosaics that match the knobs and drawer pulls throughout the kitchen.
As a long-time kitchen designer, she also knew the space needed to fit her life. There’s a “department for everything,” she says, like drawers and pullouts to corral baking essentials, cooking oils, spices, artsy glasses and infrequently used appliances.
Even the dog has a zone.
And, despite what realtors preach about resale, this color-lover is all about expressing yourself. “I just hate when people say, ‘You have to do it this way.’ No you don’t. You can actually decide what makes your heart beat,” says Shea. “And what makes you feel good in the space.”
[Designer Digs]
Design Philosophy
“You can have great design at any price point,” says Shea, “You just have to be creative.” If you like DIY projects, build or install your own backsplash. “It may be less stress to hire out for the job, but if you can put your own skin in the game, you can achieve some savings and get more of what you want.”
Renovation Frustration
Shea says the hardest technical aspect was that “we originally had our downdraft
in the island and it went down through the floor and out.” To move the range and
install the turquoise hood, she sketched the mechanics, then her husband ferried them
to the sheet metal fabricators.
Favorite Part of the Room
“My favorite part of this room is when I come in, I feel good,” she says. But even more, she loves when guests enthuse: “This is such a happy space!”
