Before & After: This Dated Kitchen Now Looks Like a Chic French Bistro

Sometimes it takes a household mishap to kick a renovation into high gear. For Josh Levinson, it was a pipe bursting in the kitchen. This damaged some cabinets in the 1950s New Jersey home he shares with his family, which meant the existing countertops would need to be removed to repair and repaint. The cook space had been renovated once during a whole house remodel, but 16 years had passed since. The family had done a lot of living and entertaining in their kitchen, so they took this as a sign that it was time to refresh for many more years to come.

The stage for the redo was set with Paonazzo Marble countertops and full-height marble backsplashes to match; Levinson is, after all, the CEO of Artistic Tile. So gorgeous, dramatic stone is his speciality, and a kitchen is one of the best places to showcase it. “The goal of the remodel was to create a room that was unique,” Levinson says. “The way the slabs come together above our stove showcases the unique veining, creating a beautiful moment of natural artistry.”

The Levinsons enlisted designer Shelley Cekirge to guide them through the renovation process, where they’d build a luxe, soothing, largely white, cream, and gold color scheme around the stunning stone counters and backsplash that are punctuated with purple and rust veining. Picking the marble for the counters and backsplash proved to be a little tricky, though, only because the stone floors throughout the space were going to stay the same (they run throughout the dining area and entry, too). “The existing stone floor tile is gold, very earthy with a lot of movement,” Levinson says. “We wanted a veined marble, so particular care was put into the stone selection.”

With the countertop and backsplash plans decided, everything began to fall into place. The Levinsons actually kept a lot of the original elements of their kitchen. They just gave certain items a facelift with paint and brought in some newer fixtures and finishes. 

The layout and location of the 400-square-foot kitchen also stayed the same. Most of the work was cosmetic; no walls came down. But the space is fairly open to the main floor’s social and entertaining areas anyway. And the island had to stay on the narrower side for flow, since all of the bedrooms are accessed through the kitchen. You hardly notice its size, though; the gorgeous stone in the waterfall design commands all the attention. 

Rich purple Holly Hunt wallpaper went up in the eat-in area to play off the stone’s veining, while all-new Visual Comfort lighting — the Alo X-Large Linear Chandelier and Alo Medium Chandelier — and coordinating cabinet hardware got installed to introduce extra warmth into the space. “We painted the kitchen table and bought chairs (Roche Bobois’ Circa) that worked with the wallpaper that also complemented the stone,” Levinson says. 

The Levinsons also invested in a Brizo SmartTouch Litze Faucet and even clad the window with marble for an extra luxe detail. With remnants from the countertops, they had a marble dog bowl fabricated for their beloved pup, Maggie. “It matches our countertops and turns a typically unsightly situation into a great conversation piece,” Levinson says.

Cekirge kept the project on track and made sure all of the elements worked together, especially since the Levinsons kept certain things and changed others. Her first goal was to ground the space, which came relatively easy thanks to all the stone. 

Visual balance was key, though, and that’s what took her expert eye. “In a situation where there is such a strong visual statement that hits you right away (the stone), we have to be very intentional about what we add,” she says. Ultimately, though, the mix completely works, and the result? A unique spot where people want to linger — both the homeowners and their guests.  

“It is not the same thing they might see in every other kitchen on the block,” Cekirge says. “I want them to feel like they have just been transported to a Parisian café or bar. Instead of just cooking and leaving, they hang out here and see what the evening brings.”

Levinson couldn’t be happier with the finished product. “The redo feels clean, warm, and inviting,” he says. “I love the waterfall detail on the island, the striking veining of the stone, and the simplicity of the backsplash where the beauty of the natural stone speaks for itself.”