Sue and Roland Meisner need to update the kitchen of their Alexandria home, but they aren’t in a position to do a full renovation. They want to get rid of the wallpaper and old furniture and possibly paint the cabinets. They plan to replace their appliances soon.
Designer DeChelle Harris’s solution. (Julius Goyanko for The Washington Post/Julius Goyanko for The Washington Post)
Designer DeChelle Harris suggests painting the cabinets and adding hardware, as well as an extendable dining table and chairs, to refresh the room.
Harris, of Chelle Albert Interiors (202-540-0413, www.chellealbert.
com), is based in the District.
Replace the wallpaper with a soothing shade of paint in deep gray, such as Motley by C2 .
Paint is a great option for updating cabinetry. Try C2’s Smidgeon on the main cabinets and Summer Squall on the island.
Add hardware to the cabinets to bring personality and another design element. It also makes the doors easier to open.
Choose natural fiber seating in high-traffic areas such as kitchens. It will stand up to kids, pets and guests.
A runner softens the floor in the work space of the kitchen, and it helps tie it to the seating area.
A mirror behind the bar cart reflects light and adds depth to the space.
A tall painted cabinet with doors is both functional and decorative.
Furniture: Saddle counter stool in crosshatch steel/ivory ($738 for two) and angled-leg expandable table ($699), both from www.westelm.com; seagrass chair in Havana dark weave ($199, www.potterybarn.com); tonic bar cart ($599, www.cb2.com).
Accessories: Bryson Persian-style rugs in navy ($529 for 5-by-8 and $299 for 2
20th-century English brass bar pull-glass double-door 77-inch cabinet in waxed white ($2,595, www.resto
rationhardware.com).
Gigi swivel side chair in navy ($777, www.dwr.com).
Vitrine cabinet ($1,499, www.crate andbarrel.com).
Jive mid-back office chair in terracotta ($176, www.allmodern.com).
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