Nature-Inspired Great Room by Fiorito Interior Design

This gorgeous, nature--inspired Great Room--comprised of the kitchen, dining area, and sitting room—was reimagined for some wonderful repeat clients, beginning with a small, treasured piece of art.

Their large 1950s ranch house nestled into a gentle hill surrounded by orchards of fragrant orange, lemon, and cherry trees initially featured a too-small kitchen adjacent to a warren of small spaces with low ceilings serving as a dining and sitting area. They dreamed of a more spacious, light-filled layout.

A complete redesign of the home not only resolved spatial constraints but also embraced the beauty of the home’s natural surroundings. By removing walls and creating an open-plan layout, we enhanced the flow and connectivity between the kitchen, dining, and sitting areas, seamlessly integrating the outdoors with the indoors.

The relocated kitchen now faces the backyard, to facilitate outdoor entertaining and features a large island, serving as a welcoming focal point for both cooking and socializing. I designed a distinctive ceiling feature above the island, crafted from planks of the adjacent vaulted ceiling, mirroring the shape of the island below. This feature adds architectural interest and visually connects the flat kitchen plane with the vaulted plank ceiling of the sitting area, creating a harmonious sense of continuity and warmth.

A beautiful, prized painting of a bird on a branch created the direction for the color and texture palette. An intriguing yellow-green-tan background in the art guided my choices for the backsplash tile (an iridescent version mimics light glinting on water) and countertops. The kitchen's soothing color palette features various shades of natural green, while the dining area introduces feather-blue tones through chair upholstery and rug. Just steps away, the inviting sitting area features a rebuilt fireplace clad in cut, polished Haisa marble tiles in a vertical pattern. The soft, generous seating creates a comfortable spot for movie nights or cozying up by the fire on a cold winter evening. The elegant, simple silhouettes of the furniture enhance the serene and calming atmosphere of the space.

After photos: Bernardo Grijalva and Fiorito Interior Design

Happy designing!