Have you ever gone on vacation and wished your home looked the same? Gave you the same feelings of happiness and relaxation? That’s exactly what Justin and Bryana wanted for their home in Winnetka, California. After a Mediterranean-style honeymoon in the Dominican Republic, they desired the same lived-in, history-filled, peaceful surroundings. That’s when they decided to re-do their new kitchen along with the rest of their new home. In addition to a complete gut, they were about to broadcast the whole endeavor on Magnolia Network's popular, First Time Fixer show.

White inset shaker kitchen cabinets on a range wall with built-in Mediterranean stone alcove for the rangeWhite inset shaker kitchen cabinets on a range wall with built-in Mediterranean stone alcove for the range
Fitzgerald Divinity kitchen cabinets

Justin talked about the California housing market saying, “if you want a lot of space, you have to find a house to fix up.” Because they needed more space with a little one and love to entertain, they found a large 1980’s home that didn’t appear to have any updates.  

Design packet rendering of the kitchen's range wall with built-in stone alcove in Mediterranean style with white inset cabinetsDesign packet rendering of the kitchen's range wall with built-in stone alcove in Mediterranean style with white inset cabinets
CliqStudios Design Packet Rendering
Design packet rendering of two wood stained islands and the refrigerator wall with a paneled refrigeratorDesign packet rendering of two wood stained islands and the refrigerator wall with a paneled refrigerator
CliqStudios Design Packet Rendering
Wood stained refrigerator wall with paneled built-in refrigerator and white inset base cabinetsWood stained refrigerator wall with paneled built-in refrigerator and white inset base cabinets
CliqStudios Design Packet Rendering

First-Time Homeowners

The new house offered Justin and Bryana the square footage they needed to grow their family, have parties and enjoy cooking in a spacious kitchen. Justin mentioned how they had done many aesthetic projects before, but nothing quite like this. Their dream kitchen included double islands, waterfall countertops and a custom paneled refrigerator for a furniture look. 

A stone veneered alcove for the kitchen range created depth and character along with arches for personality. The kitchen design was done in Craftsman line’s Fitzgerald door in Divinity paint while the islands were in Brentwood Quarter Sawn Oak Cappuccino. With a kitchen of this size, storage solutions were a must. Pull-out wastebasket, a spice pull-out and tray storage were Justin’s first choices.  

White inset kitchen cabinets with a fluted white farmhouse sink and a black framed window aboveWhite inset kitchen cabinets with a fluted white farmhouse sink and a black framed window above
Fitzgerald Divinity kitchen cabinets
Two wood inset kitchen islands in front of a paneled refrigerator wall in the same light wood finishTwo wood inset kitchen islands in front of a paneled refrigerator wall in the same light wood finish
Brentwood Oak Cappuccino kitchen cabinets

CliqStudios on Magnolia Network

CliqStudios designer, Lucas McBride, talked about his experience working with Justin. He said, “From start to finish, it was around 6 months of back and forth. Justin was always so thorough during our multiple screen share meetings, getting his vision across to me so I could translate it into the design program. He is very charismatic and has always been a joy to work with during our time working on his kitchen.

The show was not involved, as far as I know, in the design process or suggestions. I only found out he was going to be on the show after he had already ordered cabinets and was about to start installation.” 

Mediterranean kitchen range wall with white inset base cabinets and a natural limestone range alcoveMediterranean kitchen range wall with white inset base cabinets and a natural limestone range alcove
Fitzgerald Divinity kitchen cabinets
Light wood kitchen island with inset shaker door style, brass hardware and waterfall quartzite countertopsLight wood kitchen island with inset shaker door style, brass hardware and waterfall quartzite countertops
Brentwood Oak Cappuccino kitchen cabinets

Kitchen Dreams Become a Reality

Lucas continued, “Justin already had a floor plan in mind, but during our multiple screen shares, we collaborated on small changes here and there to ultimately create their dream kitchen. Which turned out spectacular!” 

Even with some difficulties finishing their project and going over budget, the final reveal was stunning. Bryana’s Mom and their family friend came over to see the new remodel and had nothing but good things to say. As they walked into the kitchen, Bryana’s Mom said, “This is a gathering place” and their friend said, “This cooking station over here is just absolutely stunning.” The kitchen is now a Mediterranean beauty from top to bottom with a light and airy color scheme. 

Overall, the original timeline was 12 weeks, and with some bumps in the road, they finished in 17 weeks. Justin and Bryana couldn’t have been happier with the final product saying, “It went from being a nightmare to being a dream come true.” Bryana ended with, “I am really excited to just kind of kick the air fryer to the side and cook an actual meal. What a dream!” 

White inset base cabinets with a white fluted farmhouse sink and black-framed window aboveWhite inset base cabinets with a white fluted farmhouse sink and black-framed window above
Fitzgerald Divinity kitchen cabinets

You don’t have to figure out your kitchen remodel alone. CliqStudios is here to assist you with everything from design to cabinets, countertops and some large appliances.

Ready to talk with a professional? Contact a CliqStudios designer today! 

View more of this Meditteranean paradise on Instagram @Villastino