This Multigenerational Home Beautifully Blends Modern and Traditional Styling

by vicki | May 14, 2020 | Design | 97 comments

When Sherry Hope-Kennedy, Studio SHK, redesigned a cramped dark kitchen and adjacent areas, she envisioned a light-filled unified functional space. After speaking with the family-doctors with two growing girls and elderly parents who often visit-she recommended that they open everything up. The result was a modern kitchen design filled with California sun and added storage.

The overall design intent was to establish a space that would accommodate the needs of the grandparents whose mobility is limited while allowing the family to maintain an active lifestyle. That meant deconstructing the galley kitchen to a more appropriate, open scale, raising the sunken living room to meet the kitchen floor for ease of use, adding more storage to aid in decluttering, and installing multiple overhead lights to brighten up the entire level. The open plan kitchen now overlooks an enlarged breakfast nook and emphasizes the dining room’s oversized-picture window.

Once a smooth, blank slate was in place, Hope-Kennedy turned her attention to the details which could accommodate various abilities with ease. She executed a modern kitchen design that met the individual tastes of her clients, a fusion of mid-century modern and traditional. To ensure the differing styles worked the walls and window treatments were kept neutral, rich wood tones were chosen for the flooring and cabinets, while accents of Pewter added a layer of sophistication.

Designer Sherry Hope-Kennedy has proven that the varying needs of a multigenerational home can all be answered in one cohesive design…without sacrificing style.