Welcome back to the next installment of the My Favorite Space series! Today I am delighted to be welcoming my friend Jen from Migonis Home to share her absolutely stunning beachy chic kitchen with us. Get your pinning finger ready-- you're going to need it! Here's Jen...
Hello, Just a Girl and Her Blog readers! I'm Jen from Migonis Home and I'm thrilled to be here on Abby's great blog sharing my favorite space with you. I had a hard time choosing just one... it was a toss up between our front porch and our kitchen but the kitchen won out only because I'm in there about half the day. We bought our home five years ago in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA and have been renovating and decorating it every step along the way. You can see our entire home tour with some great before and after shots HERE.
Let me welcome you in from our back entryway.
What is the main function of the space?
When we purchased the house this space was two rooms, the kitchen and dining room. Because we live in a small home we wanted the space to feel larger and airier so now it's our eat-in kitchen which feels fine for our casual comfy beach house (we are about a mile from the ocean, so there is regularly sand on our floors and beach chairs in our car).
Can you tell us about some of the fun DIY elements in the space?
Nearly the entire room is a DIY project. 🙂 I was very fortunate to marry a very handy man so after we ordered our cabinets from Home Depot (they are semi-custom from the Thomasville line) and AJ was able to install them. We gave my dad the perfectionist project of putting on the pulls and knobs. We knew we wanted a large island that would be perfect for parties (it is) but didn't have a vision for how to make it look as substantial as we wanted it until a few years after installing the kitchen. You can read about how we did that HERE.
Designing this kitchen was tricky for us. We could have done a U shaped design and had a lot more usuable counter space and cabinets but it would have meant sacrificing windows and the very open feel that we currently have. It also would have meant spending more on cabinets than we had in the budget. Because we are lacking in cabinets, I refinished a dresser I found on the side of the road to create a space for Tupperware, extra dish cloths, cloth napkins, dishes I don't use that often and Drew's art supplies (definitely a "kitchen only" activity). This dresser doubles as a buffet when we have a full table for dinner.
How would you describe your design style, and which elements in the room help bring that to life?
Beachy chic. White cabinets, light counters, dark floors and seagrass bar stools all work to provide a classic, open airy and beachy feel to the kitchen.
Do you have any funny/happy/sweet/interesting stories about this space?
This space is the hub of our home. It's where Drew plays cars at the counter and lines them all up while I bake. It's where the kids help me unload the dishwasher. It's where they hide in the cabinet under the stove top. They ride their bikes or play tag all over this room. Nothing is sacred in here. I find deals and things on the side of the road so that I don't have to treasure something more than I do my children when they spill something (which OFTEN happens).
What is it about the space that makes it your favorite?
Literally for years I had torn pages out of magazines with white cabinets and marble counters. Without a doubt it was and is my favorite look. It's so classic and clean looking, although in our next home I will definitely do a quartz marble substitute for durability. I especially love this place because it allows me to cook and watch the kids while not feeling completely separate from their activities.
I'm thrilled you have joined me for the tour of my favorite room. Please pop on over to my blog, Migonis Home. I'd love to have you follow along.... and I'm an avid Instagram user; you can find me HERE talking about our home and our latest flip. 🙂
I mean, are we all swooning over the gorgeousness of Jen's kitchen?! Eek! I want! Thank you so much for being willing to share your favorite space with us, Jen, and thank YOU for reading!! Have a wonderful week!
THANK YOU for the feature, Abby!!! Always love being on your blog. 🙂
Love all the white. Makes it all look so clean!
Love the beachy kitchen. I'm getting ready to get my old out-dated linoleum floor replaced - seeing this kitchen makes me excited to get the floor done. Thanks for sharing.