Stylish Solutions

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Studio Lifestyle realizes an outstanding kitchen and powder room with custom details and finishes

In the breakfast area, a dining table from Black Creek is surrounded by chairs found at Fair.
Photos by Sam Fost.

“We were trying to stay somewhat authentic to the Mediterranean bones of the house while giving it a fresh facelift,” says Brittany Zwickl, partner and principal designer at Studio Lifestyle, one of L.A.’s most sought-after design firms, about the direction behind the overhaul of a Mediterranean-style home located in Pacific Palisades.

They began the transformation by completely gutting the entire structure in order to create a functioning floor plan and carve out space for an expansive kitchen, an important request from the clients, who are avid cooks and wanted a kitchen that would be very functional for their growing family. “The main challenge with this remodel was dealing with the sheer volume of the space,” says Zwickl. “We worked hard to break up the rooms so that they would have a nice flow but also feel cozier and more family friendly.”

They achieved this desired direction inside the kitchen with the addition of soft finishes and strong architectural accents that fill the voluminous space. “Because the ceilings are so high and the rooms so large, we were attempting to create a feeling of intimacy,” she recalls. “We discussed a hanging pot rack above the island and it turned into a steel and glass hanging storage piece that mimicked the divided light windows throughout the house.” The custom glass-encased rack emulates the iron doors just beyond the breakfast table, which connects the kitchen to the backyard, where lemon and lime trees flourish.

The stone vessel sink from Formations adds a rustic edge in the powder room. Photos by Sam Frost.

The adjacent powder room further embraces the modern, rustic style that vibrates in the kitchen. A raw stone vessel sink from Formations sits atop a wood counter that is nestled in a zellige tile-covered arch. “We chose to bring in rustic elements to give the house a natural patina and warmth,” she says. The renovation lasted two years but was well worth the wait. When asked about the clients’ response to the big reveal, Zwickl recalls, “They were very excited, and so happy to finally see it all come together.”