330 Homes Summer 2021

s p a c e l i f t | f r e s h d e s i g n | o p e n a i r | s m a r t t e c h

by ALEXANDRA SOBCZAK and photos provided by ARCHITECTURAL JUSTICE

G AT HE R HE R E A dated kitchen gets a fresh look with a full modern makeover.

T he kitchen in this Medina house was not only outdated, filled with tan wood and dark wallpaper, but it was also too cramped to comfortably fit the homeowners’ family. The Architectural Justice design team had sleek solutions to turn it into an updated, open black-and white space — including covering a window and relocating the pantry. “The biggest obstacle was the amount of space that she had,” says James Justice, the owner of Architectural Justice based in Medina. “She wanted it more open,” creative director Darlene Justice adds. “She wanted it more conducive for entertaining because she has a great family.” The team hit her goals by rearranging the layout of the 520-square-foot kitchen and dining area, incorporating metallic and wooden details that fit what she describes as the homeowners’ eclec tic farmhouse aesthetic. Darlene and James explain how they created the airy contemporary kitchen that maximizes space and gives the family lots of room to gather in style.

N EW V I EW: The homeowner wanted a

convenient spot to cook and not have to face away from her family while doing dishes. “She really wanted to … be looking over the family room, backyard,” James says. Designers flipped the sink to face the other way and covered the window, putting in its place a dark zinc range hood that reaches the ceiling. It was custom made by Architectural Justice artisans with a finish that matches other metallic details in the

room. “It just makes the space even feel so much bigger,” Darlene says.

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