Space Tours

Casual Luxury: Kitchens We Adore by Jaclyn Peters Design

by Project Remodelon
Jaclyn Peters of Jaclyn Peters Design takes all of those inspiration nuggets into consideration by creating spaces that are casual yet luxurious. And, effortlessly functional.

How can we define a vision? It can mean a lot of things. In terms of interior design, a vision can be inspired by the original story of the home itself or, often times, the people that take up its space. Jaclyn Peters of Jaclyn Peters Design takes all of those inspiration nuggets into consideration by creating spaces that are casual yet luxurious aka casual luxury. And, effortlessly functional. 

Take these four incredible casual luxury projects, by Jaclyn Peters Design, for example. All four are unique situations with different personalities – with one goal: spaces that are approachable and unique. Take a moment to dig in, feel inspired, and think about how change can transform a space and evoke feeling of casual luxury. Enjoy!

Casual Luxury: Project Ridgewood

Blue-green kitchen cabinetry, milk glass pendants in an open kitchen with an island and arched doorway.
The natural wood tones paired with the colored cabinetry creates a foundation for the matte black details.

Project Remodel: What instantly inspired the design behind this project? 

Jaclyn: These clients were a young, engaged couple with incredible careers; an NHL Goalie and the Owner and Founder of a bakery specializing in custom cakes and sweet treats.  They were ready to build their dream home to start a family in. The homeowners were fun, impeccably dressed, loved to travel and cook, and were supremely creative and talented at their respective careers. They also loved color, so when it was suggested that we do a blue kitchen, I was sold. The rest of the home really stemmed from that design decision to create a casual luxury look.

Vignette shot just to the right of the stove. Under the cabinets you see cookbooks and a plant resting on the countertop.
The Cambria quartz countertops and shimmering tile backsplash are key design features in the space.

Project Remodel: We love how bright and natural the design appears. What inspired you to combine certain elements in the space: blue cupboards, vintage accessories, and more that could bring in the casual luxury feel?

Jaclyn: Because we were using a lot of color in the home, I knew we needed some grounding elements like natural wood tones, vintage items and upholstered elements like rugs and pillows, to lighten up the space. This was a basic builder home to start, but I really wanted it to feel like a home that had been collected and designed over time, even though every single item was newly built and purchased (besides the homeowner’s collection of beautiful tchotchkes).

A wide shot angle of the kitchen to view the waterfall countertop island and 5 stools against the counter.
The large island allows for prepping, dining, and entertaining in the open kitchen and dining living space.

Project Remodel: What was your biggest challenge with this project? 

Jaclyn: All of the new home lots in Winnipeg, MB are owned by Spec Builders, so we had a lot of roadblocks using a builder that doesn’t do custom homes. They were able to accommodate some of our requests, but we had to complete a bunch of the really custom items after they took possession like the light fixtures, wine cabinet, backsplash, range hood and arched doors in the kitchen. There were some VERY stressful moments but it turned out so beautifully in the end, and my clients are over the moon in love with their home.

a view from the back of the kitchen to the dining room. The three pendant milk lights hang directly over the island.
Quartz countertops are durable, non-porous, and only need soap and water to clean.
Dining room featuring 8 dining chairs and a long wood table stained dark.
Natural light fills the dining area adjacent and open to the kitchen.

Project Tutor

Wood cabinetry with mixed panels with mirror treatment. This kitchen is more traditional and classy.
 A classic kitchen with antique brass accents and a hit of contrast give this space a fresh twist.

Project Remodel: We love the mirrors in the kitchen! They are unexpected and stunning. What would your advice to be for others trying to incorporate kitchen mirrors in their space and maximize the casual luxury feel?

Jaclyn: Go for it!! They were such a lovely addition to this Tudor style kitchen. It feels classic and vintage with the antiquing we did to the mirror, but also fresh, unique and interesting all at the same time. It bounces the light so beautifully around the room which was the initial reason I proposed the idea, as we added three new large windows to the kitchen and wanted it to feel light, bright and inviting.

three windows allow natural light into the kitchen with brass, white cabinets and dark tones in the island base.
Three large windows were added to the kitchen to bring in light, feel bright and inviting.
Living room with two cozy leather chairs facing the tiled fireplace and set of patio doors leading outside.
The hand carved limestone fireplace was an original detail to the home built in 1905.

Project Remodel: What inspired your mood board for creating this space?

Jaclyn: This Tudor style home was built in 1905 and had some absolutely stunning original details like a hand carved limestone fireplace, a wood staircase with beautiful moldings, the original hardwood floors, a wood arched front door, antique brass door knobs and some of the original sconce lighting which myself and the clients both adored. So essentially all of the inspiration already existed in the home. I just needed to build on that, while also adding in some modern touches for this young family, and of course making it as functional as I could to accommodate their needs.

White cabinetry and white countertops to the left of the stove under a window.
Custom millwork and cabinetry allowed details to flow and keep the history of the home while function for modern day living.

Project Remodel: How did you combine both functionality and aestheticism here?

Jaclyn: The ability to do custom millwork throughout the home and some custom furniture pieces were key in combining form and function. We were able to create pieces that look like they had been in the home for many years, but that functioned perfectly for modern day living.

A view into the dining room with 8 chairs and a large painting resting on the wall behind the dining room table.
Custom furniture selections were key to combine form and function.
A closeup of the kitchen vignette by the wood cabinetry that transitions to the white cabinetry. Small accessories and artwork set the stage.

Project Pepperloaf

Smaller kitchen with U shape, wood floors and dark countertops and dark green cabinetry.
The sweet archway into the kitchen sets the tone for the details to come.

Project Remodel: The before and after photos of this project are stunning. The green/grey millwork! The archways! What was the core object for inspiration throughout this project?

Jaclyn: These clients had incredible taste and had done a beautiful job on their own designing their living room, dining room and sunroom. They were a young couple with a toddler and planning to add another child to their family, so it needed to function well but also be a beautiful space for them to display their large collection of vintage items. They are co-owners of a bakery, so a chic light filled kitchen were they could be creative was top priority for them.  We wanted it to feel like a moody Parisian apartment so natural finishes like soapstone; oak and un-lacquered brass fit the bill perfectly.

Blonde wood floors, open shelving, and a vintage rug enhance the space.
Black countertops and dark green cabinetry anchor the kitchen space.

Project Remodel: Lighting is an important element to incorporate within the spaces you design. How did you consider lighting for this project? And how it really enhanced the space?

Jaclyn: Layered lighting is key to creating a beautiful, functional space. In a kitchen it’s important to have task lighting and mood lighting, which is always lovely while entertaining. We scoured Etsy to find some handmade sconces that fit with our collected feel of the room, added some black flush mounts for a hit of contrast and layered in pot lights for when they are cooking or baking and really need to light up the whole space.

A closeup to see the pattern in the countertops and open shelving.
Black countertops with a small grey vein brings a worn yet modern vibe to the space.
Another view of the U shape kitchen looking down to showcase more of the black countertops, brass and wood details.
The U-shaped kitchen keeps vintage details as a highlight in a fully transformed space.

Project Remodel: A lot of natural, beautiful wood elements are incorporated here. What types and textures did you prefer when working through designing this space?

Jaclyn: Natural elements were really important here as we were going for that vintage, collected feel. The countertops are by far my favorite though. It was my first time using this product and I’m obsessed with the matte finish and natural veining.

Open shelving with live plants, cookbooks and wood accessories are showcased in this photo above the countertops.
Open shelving surrounds the space throughout the kitchen.
A dining room with a bench and 3 chairs. A milk glass pendant drapes over the center of the marble table.
The casual dining area is open to the kitchen and creates a larger space for living.

Project Uxbridge

Matte black finishes, white countertops and cabinetry paired with a wood island and floors.
The color palette in this kitchen strikes a modern look while the flow of the space is very fucntional.

Project Remodel: We adore this black, white and blonde wood kitchen. The custom sliding door going into the laundry room is super functional – we love. What other functional elements did you consider and bring into this space?

Jaclyn: Storage and function are always my top priority in a kitchen so incorporating the oversized island with seating for this young family of four was at the top of my list. Drawers at kid height for easy access to snacks, cups and bowls, large floor to ceiling millwork for food storage and a designated bar area for entertaining away from the sink and stove area were some of the functional elements that took top priority.

A look down the galley of the kitchen towards the matte black doorway.
Pairing the blonde wood island with the white cabinetry of the perimeter creates contract and interest in the space.

Project Remodel: What other sustainable and functional tips do you have for people thinking about renovating their kitchen?

Jaclyn: If you’re lucky enough to work with a custom cabinetmaker you are able to get really creative and efficient with elements that are specific to your needs. I’ve put drawers in kick plates to allow for large platter storage, custom racking for spices and oils, large drawers to house compost bins, recycling and garbage storage, custom height shelving for stand mixers, toasters and blenders. The list goes on. Planning out your specific needs ahead of time and discussing them with your designer allow for a tailor made space, and can max out your storage even in smaller sized kitchens.

Vignette of the white paneled cabinetry and open shelving. A live plant and books decorate the area.
The end caps on the open shelving provide a unique solution to showcase a collected and organized aesthetic.

Project Remodel: Where did you find ideas and inspiration for this particular design?

Jaclyn: I was really inspired by Danish and Scandinavian design while working on this project.  My clients wanted a clean, functional space that wasn’t too fussy but felt earthy and approachable.  That perfectly describes those Nordic styles to me so it was fun to incorporate those design elements into this project.

Want to see more?

See more of Jaclyn’s work in the interior design world within the links below:

You can see more of Jaclyn’s work featured in Domino:

Before and After: A Canadian Home Gets a Polished Scandinavian Makeover
This Green Kitchen Ended Up Smaller Than Where It Started

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Project Remodel
2019