The story of a kitchen before and after...and where the chickens come home to roost.

I had the fun and enviable opportunity to witness

sheer masterpiece

as I chronicled a kitchen remodel that is certainly not cookie cutter.

The process took months, and I was fortunate to be able to photograph some before during and after.

Before... in all of its hard working glory....

To this (same view).Ta daaaaa...still hardworking yet even more glorious!

Join me...kick off your shoes and step into Jann and Tom's quintessential home.

Before and after.

Theirs is an authentic home

Hidden in a corner of Old Vero Beach.

Their property is expansive and tropical and old Florida.

Car tires crunching on the gravel driveway, you slow down. Your blood pressure lowers perceptively

Old Florida.

Animals are important to them....

These are the type of folks you want to know.

Itinerant cat rescuers...

chicken whisperers

Gardener and chef extraordinaire.

Real living goes on in this slice of paradise.

Her kitchen...

while a cooks kitchen, and most original to their 1950's Florida home

was ready for a re-do

Those appliances....melted my heart....melted. puddles ensued.

I love a functional kitchen...with the tools on display that show the artistry of the cook.

But as Jann herself noted, some of the appliances had became a bit temperamental

through the years.

Classic for the times....

it was a kitchen opened by a single swing door

with a peeking window, loved that too

to an efficient and working butlers pantry

And then... Yes, THEN... with a door to the family room

The outstanding cook was three layers removed from the guests.

...and more than cooking

Jann entertains

Many. Often.

see here and here  :)

swing door to Butler pantry next to a work horse of a fridge/freezer that they kept

The Butler pantry (below during the reno)

was stocked with a charming butlers bell...a call the butler sound...that YES. I loved. Too.

and a locking liquor cabinet....whose code was a secret through the decades

....until Jann found a handwritten code.

okay, I made that up....but they did find a note from 40 years ago

A 1950's how to keep the teens....and the help... out of the booze.

Her den before...

Archie in the corner....Every bulldog in this family has been named Archie...

they are little orbs of muscle under fluff

Original choices for the floor tile were cement....almost Cuban in vibe

This was a process....remember.

There was talk of an island enrobed in blue paint...

There were plans...and more plans

This was a big project...

This process was facilitated with the prowess of her right hand man

interior designer Jesse Nartker

It is a blast to watch the push and pull of a respectful designer/friend/client relationship.

...and theirs is pure genius!

It was Jesse who encouraged Jann to consider antiqued mirror as a backsplash

and the matchless brass lining strip that integrated with all of the other brass.

I literally gasped when I saw it in person.

There may have been a few euphonious swear words involved.

Yep....that ^^ was a real chicken out on the bird bath as I shot photos

who has that?!?

and do these gals ever produce luscious eggs!!~

Walking into the kitchen, you would never know that it wasn't always there.

The floors a simple matte tan and black porcelain 12 inch tile.

that neither demand attention of a fad...

nor fade away.

The island. Almost 6 feet wide and over 10 feet long is covered

in a Carrera stone. And a favorite part of it is the happy accident of a vein of gold

which was supposed to be where a sink cutout was. Whoops.

It ties in the brass pulls and lighting so beautifully

The sink...or should I say sinks are industrial behemoths

 compared to what she was using before

sink 2

 And....Before

The efficiency of all of the drawers is another fave of mine.....and hers.

come take a tour of some true drawer crack....

Am *I* the only one that loves to peek in a well organized drawer???

And her large cookbook collection  has a much prettier home...

And did someone say wine??

See that 8 foot wine cooler next to the freezer?

:: swoon, thunk ::

go ahead, step over me...

Wine...labeled....for days.

The black seeded glass cupboard holds vintage glass

and was here...in the Butlers pantry...

The den/casual dining area was also redone adding a beautiful fireplace

just past the second island...The fabulous floor carried through.

During picture...as they were breaking the butler pantry and den wall down

:: same view now ::

there was no fireplace....one was built on to the back of the formal dining room fireplace.

The tile matches their calico cat :)

::during::

::After...same view::

And the journey to bring this soulful place back

continues 1through to the formal dining room and the living room beyond....still a work in progress

You can see the fireplace they piggy backed on

and, yes, Virginia....that IS a giant vintage Anaconda skin as a runner...

This was such a phenomenal renovation

I had a blast chronicling it!

If you need me, my new address is their wine cooler 🙌

~~~~~~~~~~

***For you local peeps here is a breakdown on the skills used to make it happen:

Jesse Nartker Interior designer

PattyVaughn  local artist and painter did the painting and faux painting on the woodwork:

That isn't wood at the end of the vent hood. It's Patty!

WoodworkX  did the cabinets. and they are stunning in person.

Kelly Construction did the heavy lifting and constructing.

Precise Painting did some of the paint and apparently are the best tapers on the planet!

LauraLee furniture did the upholstery.

Choose Love

                          ^A quick watch....with a beautiful message ^

While there have been changes in the refugee camps I worked at 

this past fall....

Winter has had a disastrous effect.

from this....

To this....

the camps were without adequate heat....babies without warm clothes or shoes

....many of the most vulnerable families have been sent to

apartments and hotels....they, perhaps, need our support even more.

While on the face of it they may have running water, and a real toilet
most of these families are under supported

they still need food, diapers, prenatal care....some one to tend, care,  listen

and hug them
Many of the apartments and hotels are in isolated areas.

a favorite Italian midwife I worked with...and Delshan...saying goodbye

They cannot work.

The babies are born stateless. they have no homeland

And....Now they have lost the bit of community they had cobbled together while I was there.

they are scattered seeds once again.

The NGO's I work with are running faster and further....

to meet these fellow humans needs wherever they may be.

You can help them HERE
You will also find a donate tab at the top of this page

::Thank You to those that continue to support this phenomenal, all volunteer humanitarian effort::

I think often about the valiant souls that I worked shoulder to shoulder with

 from all over the world

who donated their time, and continue to  make

HUMAN rights their mission

In Greece and even other corners of this big world

Fellow aide worker, Jess, in a moment of quiet...on the rocks of Meteora

But Mostly I think of the chocolate eyed souls that I was somehow

supposed to meet in this life

....and I dream and I hope and I pray

For Them.

Another installment of my facebook journal while I was working in the camps....

It seems like much time has passed since that day...

and none.

You can read a previous entry HERE

Journal Installment September 16, 2016 Kalachori refugee camp in Greece:

Today there was heartache for countless of the refugees. They each need two interviews to even start the long process for asylum...many found that the first will not be granted for another 6 months. The majority have been in this situation, and worse, for a year already.

There were tears. There was the hopelessness of the unknown. Their tears have become my tears.

More months ( years) in the camps. More babies born. I, trying to help be part of the solution, pass out condoms like candy. Discuss birth control at... a seemingly feverish pace. The women tell me they don't want any more babies in these conditions. 22 year olds are on their 5th. I have met more than I care to remember that have 9. But the big families seem to be separated. A quiet conversation with a resilient and beautiful mother told of the recent sniper shooting/killing of her 16 year old son...who was just buying bread... And a death defying trek across the sea with the rest of their family to try and reach safety. They left just three hours before their home and town was decimated. They left with only the clothes on their back.

A little chocolate eyed girl, who followed me around today.... Played with my doll. She hugged her, sang to her, undressed her and dutifully mimicked washing her clothes and hanging them each to dry. Then she curled up on the ground safely cradling her baby.

My hope is that her childhood is not spent in the camps, in these bleak circumstances for too much longer.
Today, I too am sad.

#Choose Love.