Case Study: Kissing Camels—Solving the House Before Styling It
At Kissing Camels, the house had gone decades without a comprehensive renovation. The finishes were dated, but the bigger challenge was how the rooms worked.
A wall separated the kitchen from the living room. Closets occupied valuable family-room space. The primary bathroom devoted square footage to a tub the homeowners didn’t use, while the shower needed more room.
The renovation became a series of practical questions: What should open up? What storage needed to stay? What could we change—and what would be smarter to work around?
Open the kitchen without losing the storage
Removing the wall between the kitchen and living room created the connection the main level was missing. An oversized island added generous seating for big game days and family gatherings, bringing people into the kitchen without putting everyone directly in the cook’s path.
But a bigger, more open room still needs places to put things.
We converted an underused closet beside the kitchen into substantial pantry storage. That allowed the kitchen to feel open while giving food, supplies, and small appliances somewhere useful to live.
An old, leaking garden window presented another opportunity. Rather than replacing it in the same location, we removed it and made the cooking wall the focal point, centering an impressive hood above the cooktop.
The hood vents outdoors, too. Its job description extends beyond looking impressive.
These decisions worked together: remove the separation, establish a focal point, provide seating, and make sure the storage could support it all.
Give each space a better job
Two closets in the family room weren’t the best use of their locations. We transformed those spaces into an office nook and a wet bar, adding functions that supported everyday work and entertaining.
Elsewhere, we were careful to preserve storage that mattered.
The mudroom needed a good linen cabinet. Rather than lose that function or force an awkward closet into the plan, we introduced cabinetry that made better use of the space.
In the primary bathroom, we applied the same thinking. The tub didn’t fit the homeowners’ routines, so we removed it and enlarged the shower. We also created a private water closet without sacrificing closet storage.
A successful layout isn’t measured by how many features we can squeeze into it. It’s measured by how well those features serve the people using them.
Sometimes the most useful selection is the thing we decide to leave out.
Work with the constraints—and find better alternatives
The fireplace required a different kind of problem-solving.
We discovered old brick material that couldn’t simply be removed without opening up more complicated code considerations. Taking everything out would have expanded the scope considerably.
Working with the GC’s assessment, we revised the façade and surrounding shelving to accommodate what needed to remain. The finished composition could still feel intentional, even though the construction behind it had influenced the design.
Downstairs, ventilation requirements created another design challenge. We needed airflow through certain doors, but conventional louvered doors weren’t the look we wanted.
I sourced an alternative that looks like a Shaker door, with concealed ventilation openings. We could maintain the cleaner appearance while accommodating the ventilation the space required.
Very satisfying. The door does its job without dressing like a utility closet.
These are the decisions that rarely get their own photograph. They still make a substantial difference to the finished home.
Make the improvements you can’t decorate around
Failing windows were replaced. The kitchen ventilation was routed outdoors. Bathroom exhaust ventilation was added to meet code.
Yes, the fart fan was part of the renovation. Some improvements earn their place through sheer usefulness.
This project had fewer design changes during construction than some, but it still delivered surprises behind the walls. The GC handled those construction issues, and we coordinated the design around the conditions that affected the finished spaces.
That distinction matters. A renovation benefits from a contractor who can resolve the building issues and a designer who understands how those resolutions affect the layout, materials, proportions, and overall result.
At Kissing Camels, the transformation came from hundreds of connected decisions. Opening one room meant planning storage elsewhere. Removing an unused fixture created room for a better daily experience. An existing construction constraint prompted a different fireplace design. A little product research solved an aesthetic problem without ignoring a practical requirement.
The finished home feels cohesive because those decisions were considered together.
Beautiful selections matter. Knowing how to make them work in a real house is a large part of what you’re hiring me for.
See more of the completed home in the Kissing Camels project gallery.
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