Home Stager Jennifer Walker’s Favourite Room

By Laura Bickle | 2 minute read

What and where is your favourite room?

It’s now my kitchen. We recently renovated and I love to be there making meals and entertaining. Since it’s open to the family room, it is a big social hub for the whole family.

–

What was the inspiration behind creating the room?

I knew that I wanted it to be the opposite of what we had — a dark, espresso-coloured kitchen with a high-top island. I wanted the lightness and brightness of white cabinets, but with white oak wood for the island base, range hood and floating shelves to add warmth.  

–

What were you trying to achieve in creating the room?

My goal was to make the kitchen more functional and inviting. We host our family holidays for both of our extended families, so I wanted a place where people we could gather and where I would be happy spending hours doing prep and cooking.  

Jennifer’s newly renovated kitchen.  Photo: Rhonda McNeill

What were the challenges in creating the room?

Because of the placement of our patio doors and our mudroom door, we weren’t able to expand the layout of the kitchen. However, we were able to make the island bigger without closing the space between it and our patio doors. And we replaced a computer desk and cupboard with double wall ovens. 

 –

We also took down a side wall where the fridge sits to accommodate our new 48-inch fridge. I wanted to make sure that the counters would be clear of clutter so we took the cupboards up to the full height of the ceilings. And in the pantry, we expanded the cupboards to include the full length of the wall and added appliance garages so we don’t even have the coffee maker out on the counter.

–

What are your favourite features of the room?

I love the hardware we chose because it’s bronze and looks like the kitchen’s jewelry. And I am so happy with the white oak wood accents. While the kitchen is white, it doesn’t feel sterile or cold. I also love the new feature wall in the adjoining family room — it ties everything together.

–

Describe a favourite moment in this room.

Last Christmas, when the kitchen was finally completed, I had Christmas movies playing on my iPad while I prepared Christmas dinner. I was in my element. We eat dinner as a family around the kitchen table most nights and these are some of my favourite times. It’s the one time of day we are all in one room. 

The white door adds visual interest next to the black walls adorned with antique art.