This Kitchen Renovation was Centered Around One Special Family Heirloom

Photography by Mac Jamieson, Styling by Kim Chiselko

Text by Hannah Nance

When Elizabeth and Christopher Frost decided to renovate their kitchen a few years ago, they didn’t have a specific style in mind. “We wanted something lighter than what we’d had,” Elizabeth recalls. One thing was certain, though: it would be centered on their family.

Photography by Mac Jamieson, Styling by Kim Chiselko

The couple purchased the home in 2008, but it wasn’t until years later that the idea to renovate popped into their heads. “It all started with some old cypress wood on [Elizabeth’s] parents’ farm,” Christopher says about their kitchen redo. During a hurricane, Elizabeth’s parents lost a few trees on their beloved family farm where she grew up. Instead of tossing the downed trees, though, her father decided to have them milled into wood planks. “Every time we visited, he told us we could have them, and when we decided to redo the kitchen, we centered all of it around that wood,” Elizabeth says. 

Photography by Mac Jamieson, Styling by Kim Chiselko

To help with the renovation, the couple enlisted good friend and designer Shea Bryars. Knowing that bringing in the wood from the family farm was an important feature to the design, Shea decided to keep the rest of the kitchen fixtures light and airy. The cabinets were painted, and two different types of marble were installed, a more neutral finish on the perimeter countertops and Carrara marble on the island. The centerpiece, and Shea’s favorite feature, comes into play over the stove. Hexagonal glass tiles with a dark grout create a statement as the backsplash, and a white range hood accented by a wood plank alludes to the reclaimed wood in the breakfast nook just a few feet over. 

Photography by Mac Jamieson, Styling by Kim Chiselko

The breakfast nook is open to both the kitchen and the living room but is set off as its own space thanks to the milled wood from Elizabeth’s family’s farm. A large farmhouse table anchors the space, with a wall of windows accented with ticking stripe roman shades above the dining bench. An exquisite yet rustic chandelier hangs over the table. 

Photography by Mac Jamieson, Styling by Kim Chiselko

As the couple started renovating the kitchen, the living room and dining room also fell into the mix. The family room now showcases French influence, even though the couple admits the style wasn’t exactly what they were going for originally. “We knew we wanted a sophisticated cottage feel, but we didn’t know exactly what style,” Elizabeth says. “But now, I definitely see myself drawn to French style.” Christopher adds, “I’d describe our style as French country. Not just French and not just country, but both together.” 

Photography by Mac Jamieson, Styling by Kim Chiselko

One of the most noticeable features of the home is the abundance of antiques. In every room, there’s a piece with a story, from the pew in the kitchen that was a wedding gift to the bookcase from Christopher’s parents to the art from Elizabeth’s grandmother. “We’re blessed to have heirlooms from both sides of the family,” Elizabeth says. 

Photography by Mac Jamieson, Styling by Kim Chiselko

The emphasis on family is fitting for the Frosts. One of their most-loved features is the secluded street the home sits on, the perfect place for their children to play with friends. They designed every room with their three kids in mind. Even when Elizabeth describes her favorite part of the home, the kitchen, it comes back to her father and the farm. “I love having the kids coming in and out,” she says, “and I can see the wood from my family, and it makes me think of them and so many memories I have with them.”  

Photography by Mac Jamieson, Styling by Kim Chiselko

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