Turn of the tide

With its rippled glass doors and pebble backsplash, this remodeled kitchen evokes childhood memories of beachcombing on the rocky foreshore

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Kitchen with dark colours & classical style - cabinetry, countertop, home appliance, interior design, kitchen, room, tile, wall, white

Kitchen with dark colours & classical style - cabinetry, countertop, floor, flooring, granite, home, interior design, kitchen, room, tile, wall, white

Kitchen with dark colours & classical style - countertop, tile, white

Kitchen with dark colours & classical style - cabinetry, countertop, cuisine classique, interior design, kitchen, room, white

Kitchen with dark colours & classical style - countertop, interior design, kitchen, window, window covering, white, brown

Kitchen with dark colours & classical style - cabinetry, countertop, cuisine classique, interior design, kitchen, room, window, white, black

Kitchen with dark colours & classical style - bathroom accessory, cabinetry, countertop, cuisine classique, furniture, interior design, kitchen, room, sink, black, white

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Kitchen with dark colours & classical style - countertop, cuisine classique, furniture, home, interior design, kitchen, living room, room, table, wall, white

Kitchen with dark colours & classical style - bathroom, cabinetry, countertop, cuisine classique, floor, furniture, home, interior design, kitchen, room, sink, white

Nostalgia is a powerful influence and is the reason many of us spend our adult lives trying to re-create the blissful times we experienced in childhood.

The owner of this remodeled kitchen has fond memories of a childhood spent rambling on pebbled beaches and looking for treasures in the rock pools. It was these memories she wished to evoke in her new kitchen, says designer Elina Katsioula-Beall of DeWitt Designer Kitchens.

"After 37 years in a standard U-shaped '60s kitchen with a peninsula, the client was ready for a complete change. Along with the new aesthetics, she wanted the cooking area to be separate from the rest of the kitchen."

To achieve the required functionality, Katsioula-Beall provided four clearly defined areas: a prep and clean-up area, cooking zone, refrigerator center and a banquette eating area.

"The cooking center features a highly decorative backsplash reminiscent of the shoreline," says the designer. "The wall is lined with wet-look pebbles that sit behind a textured, tempered glass panel that imitates rippled water. Corrugated glass doors on the adjacent cabinets also mimic ripples. The effect is also reinforced by custom corrugated glass tiles on the sink backsplash."

In the center alcove of the cooking center backsplash is a display of beach treasures, including starfish and stones.

To further enhance the visual effect, the Jurassic Green granite tabletop looks as if it is sliced out of the same pebble bed.

"At night, the table and the wall are mirrored in the large window the owner says it is like dining in an aquarium," says Katsioula-Beall.

In keeping with the client's wishlist, the cabinetry links the modern and traditional elements and helps to unify the kitchen visually. Raised-panel maple doors are paired with sleek stainless steel and white quartz countertops.