Traditional Modern Kitchen & Bath Design
With Craftsman & Spanish
design influence throughout
Project Location: Palma Ceia, Tampa FL
Service Provided: Residential Remodel
Scope of Work: Kitchen renovation, primary bathroom renovation, whole-home paint selection and creative guidance throughout
Design Style: Traditional Modern with Craftsman and Spanish architectural influences
Client Context & Vision: Our client, who also happens to be a longtime friend, was designing her first solo home after a major life transition and wanted her space to reflect who she is in this next chapter. With a background in hospitality, a Master Gardener certification, a career as an AP World History teacher, and a passion for cooking, entertaining, and gardening—we saw this as an opportunity to pull out all of the stops for a woman with exquisite taste and an appreciation for the beauty and sweetness that life has to offer.
Notable Inspiration: It’s not often that our clients present a single image as a source of inspiration, but that was the case here. Our client presented a European cottage-style kitchen featuring a copper range hood, beadboard ceiling, white trim, patterned backsplash, white countertops and soft blue cabinetry that match the ceiling and walls. Never one to duplicate a look, we took care to analyze exactly what appealed to our client about this image and created a design plan that would capture its essence while creating a fresh, elegant design to serve as the setting for this new chapter.
For the bathroom, no reference imagery was provided—only a desire for a green color palette—leaving us plenty of room to surprise and delight our client.
What Made the Finished Design Unique: While the inspiration image featured a partial color drench, we decided to go all-in with a full color drench throughout the space—ceiling, walls, cabinetry, casing, and trim—using a sophisticated light blue to create airiness and cohesion. A dramatic mosaic cross-and-star backsplash tile runs up the entire window wall. The cross tiles are glossy while the star tiles are matte, creating depth and visual movement. This was a direct nod to the home’s Spanish-style exterior. Subtle curves—from the edges of the custom Taj Mahal quartz backsplash situated beneath the custom range hood, to the bowed-front farmhouse sink, and even the sconces above the sink—add softness to the small, linear space.
In the primary bathroom we used earthy greens, wood, and brass to bring a sense of calm and the same kind of organic harmony that our Master Gardener client typically finds in the outdoors. The original bathroom had one sink, but our client wanted two. We sourced a furniture-style vanity with ample storage and cane inset details for a modern, custom feel that still honored the craftsman heritage of the home. Basket weave tile flooring continues seamlessly into the shower to visually elongate the narrow, bowling-alley-shaped room. Classic subway tiles on the wall draw the eye forward, landing on a beautiful accent wall in the shower. As we always say, lighting is the jewelry of the home, and we accessorized this jewelbox of a space with a whimsical bubble cloud flush-mount and glamorous aged brass fixtures above the vanity mirrors.
Design Challenges & Constraints: While we adore historic homes, they are not without their complexities. Here, the kitchen floor was slanted by several inches from one end to the other, requiring the installation of a structural support beam to stabilize the space. The beam installation alone took twice the expected time—an example of the hidden complexities common in historic homes.
In the kitchen—which was originally constructed without insulation, as was common practice 100 years ago—installing a gas stove also meant that we would need to relocate the range hood in order to establish the ventilation necessary to keep the space cool.
To say that the existing storage was limited for contemporary standards would be an understatement. With just two closets in the entire home, it was our job to make the most of every space available. In the kitchen this meant thoughtful cabinetry planning, including tall pantry cabinets and strategic use of glass-front uppers to maintain openness, allowing for her to display personal keepsakes and for light to bounce naturally off the glass.
We Bet You’d Never Guess: A wallpaper swatch, which our client initially selected for the dining room, ultimately became the foundation for the entire home’s color palette. We could sense her connection to this one selection and wanted to honor it. If you look closely, you can see that every room’s paint color was pulled directly from this wallpaper.
Our Favorite Part: The unlacquered brass hardware and the blonde and white checkered flooring—both timeless, classic choices that will only get better with age.
