The Beauty of Casual Simplicity: Everything You Need, Nothing You Don’t

When it came time for this homeowner to create her dream home, she knew exactly what she wanted: simplicity. Her philosophy was “everything you need, and nothing you don’t”, which worked great with the designer, Linda Banks, of Banks Design Associates Ltd./Simply Home in Falmouth, Maine. The two collaborated to draft up intentional kitchen space. The homeowner, who frequently hosts pool parties to book clubs, knew the design needed to be focused on entertaining.

Keep it Casual

The kitchen layout began with Bank’s oversized, signature twin cabinets, versus littering the wall space with many cabinets. The designer prefers as few cabinets as possible, to keep the space open and simplified. They then sandwiched the stove in between the tall units, which Banks finds highly functional for their waist to eye level storage. No one has to stand on their tippy toes and play hide and seek to find anything.

They next opted for a large kitchen island to stand comfortably in the wide-open room. The homeowner loved having a setup which would accommodate friends and family who could relax with a glass of wine, while the host prepared the meal. Once the layout was established, it was time to begin layering textures and surfaces to bring the room to life.

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Many Shades of White

When it came time to select the color palette, they opted for many shades of white to give subtle depth and character to the room. The room was finished in “Dove White” by Benjamin Moore, which compliments the “Lace” Brookhaven Cabinets and Cambria Torquay Quartz countertops. The textured, New England shiplap wall and brushed Carlisle wide plank White Oak hardwood flooring brought some history into the room, while contemporary cabinet fixtures and touches of black anchored the room for a more modern look.

What’s Missing

What’s the only thing missing from this design? Clutter. The homeowner reflected on the final, finished space saying, “I did cry when we left that first house our kids grew up in, but they love this new house, and now they have their own places. This is our Zen place.” And Zen it is, from its soothing color tones to its highly functional layout, distinct finishing touches, and ample seating, we can see why friends and family would love to be in this space. This collaboration produced an impressively stylish layout that is crisp, clean and welcoming while also remaining practical for hosting friends and family.

Get the Look

This project featured Carlisle’s Weekend Cottage, one of six options in our Casual Collection, which perfected the color palette with its beach sand hues. This White Oak hardwood is a renowned species characterized by its striking grain patterns and organic color variation. The raw material is milled and then lightly brushed, which gently removes the soft, summer wood and reveals the rich, slow grown timber in each board. The naked boards are coated with Carlisle’s Natural finish, where the color is buffed into the tannins of the wood, and layered for a dramatic look. The floor is sealed with an extra matte finish that has very little light refraction, allowing the true organic character of each plank to shine. And as an added bonus, this floor is kept consistently warm for bare feet, through the use of radiant heat.

This homeowner’s kitchen was thoughtfully put together in partnership with Linda Banks, of Banks Design Associates and W. Gray Construction, LLC.