A beloved collection of blue-and-white ceramics blends beautifully into a luxurious Texas kitchen cloaked in exquisite delft tile work.
Before a top-to-bottom makeover, the kitchen in this Dallas abode fell short on charm, save for one tantalizing highlight: swaths of antique delft wall tile that caught the homeowners’ fancy and inspired both the palette and the European feel of the renovated space. “She coincidentally collects blue-and-white [ceramics] and delft,” says designer Sherry Hayslip, who worked with the homeowners on the redo.
Because the wife is an enthusiastic cook who enjoys entertaining, Sherry reconfigured an adjacent powder room and lounge into a prep kitchen that keeps dirty dishes out of view. She supplanted a skimpy island with a larger one that wears a weathered blue wash and a pristine Calacatta marble top, which contrasts with the wooden countertops elsewhere. The cabinets received a warm pecan finish and refreshed blue-and-white buffalo check fabric inserts. To complement the color scheme, Sherry had an artisan hand paint a set of antique chinoiserie stools faded blue, bedecked with gilt accents. A custom pot rack above the island, laden with the owner’s copper cookware collection, makes the space appear cozier and adds an overlay of richness. “It’s simple, but it works with the period look,” Sherry says. “It also has hidden lights that illuminate the whole room.”
The massive French fireplace at one end of the kitchen, crowned by a panel of newer delft tiles, proved the perfect anchor for a seating area where guests can chat or the homeowners can sip morning coffee. Sherry repurposed two wing chairs from the couple’s previous house and reupholstered them in a medieval-themed print. A fine Oriental rug and a vintage kettle warmer in lieu of a table tie the intimate vignette together; well-chosen blue-and-white vessels along the mantel amplify the personal air that makes the room so special. “The best thing about this kitchen is the spirit of it,” Sherry says. “When you walk in, you feel good. There’s a drama to it, and there’s an architecture to it that makes you think, ‘Wow, this is a beautiful kitchen!’”
Find the full Inspired Design story in our March/April 2021 issue.
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