White uppers blend seamlessly into the wall, while navy lowers make a statement.
For years, Veda founder Lyndsey Butler talked about updating her cramped, dysfunctional New York City kitchen, but it wasn’t until she was pregnant that she actually decided to renovate. With her first child on the way, Lyndsey could no longer tolerate the lack of storage, minimal counter space, and back pain from washing dishes in a sink that was inexplicably placed in the corner.
To reimagine the layout and give the place a fresh look before the baby arrived, Lyndsey called on her good friend and interior designer Michelle Zacks . Together, the fashion-forward duo settled on a practical configuration with warm finishes that would suit the growing family.
Though the extra room and new appliances offer a serious upgrade, it’s the striking patchwork tile backsplash that steals the show. The union of cream, copper, and terracotta-colored stone is the project’s gem.
Kitchen location: On the top level of a five-story walk-up in Chinatown, Lyndsey’s loft boasts original features like wooden beams and exposed brick that recall the early 20th-century building’s former industrial life.
The before: “There was a dishwasher that didn’t work, but it held up part of the counter, so we couldn’t take it out,” Lyndsey reveals. “The countertops were gross and linoleum and the paint on the cabinets was chipping. It was definitely an eyesore.”
The inspiration: To maximize the small footprint, Michelle planned to take advantage of the high ceilings. She knew that adding upper cabinets would provide Lyndsey with the additional storage she needed and accommodate the updated appliances. “It was a combination of solving functional problems and making it aesthetically more in line with the rest of the apartment,” Michelle says.
Square footage: 80 square feet
Budget: Lyndsey would have loved to spend just $10,000 on the remodel, but she and Michelle acknowledged from the beginning that it would cost much more.
The old kitchen was crowded and flawed.
Backsplash: Clé Tile Strata Linea. “It was the one area that we could play with and bring personality to,” says Michelle. “It makes the kitchen super unique.”
