Creating a Personal Overlay in an Updated Kitchen

Remodeling a kitchen is often a major construction job that requires a family to spend several weeks without a place to prepare food. But, Judy and Ted Turner were lucky enough to avoid being totally displaced when they moved into their San Fernando Valley home. The previous owners had already given the kitchen a major renovation. The ceiling had been raised, a butcher-block work island was in place, countertops sported country French tiles, and major appliances had been updated.

However, the Turners wanted this kitchen to reflect their personalities, rather than those of previous owners. That’s why they called upon interior designer Irene Becos ISID of Telia In- teriors, Los Angeles, to imbue the kitchen with a sophisticated, slightly more bucolic charm.

One of the first things Becos did was to ask Nicki Diatz and Debi Schroth of the Painted Look to paint freehand the winsome animals that now can be seen wrapping the work island. The soft-blue-and-white wall covering chosen for the kitchen and the adjoining breakfast room maintains Becos’ major color theme. She also added a hood above the range and had it sheathed with tiles that match the counters.

For the Turners’ breakfast room she chose a glass-topped table from Minton-Spidell, chairs from Charles and Charles, a chandelier from Originals 22 and an antique chicken-coop dresser from The Blue House. Plants and flowers are by Marsha Young of The Interiors Designer, Los Angeles.