The Kitchen is a multifunctional and communal space used for cooking, gathering, cleaning, flower arranging, coffee drinking etc etc. But just because it serves utilitarian purposes, doesn’t mean that you have to skimp on style! The most practical of pieces can be an opportunity to choose ecologically conscious, handmade, or natural materials. Keep reading for a breakdown of some of our favorite kitchen projects and how we put an emphasis on sustainabilty.

Rolling Vines Ranch, Santa Ynez

The previous kitchen had good bones but just needed some updates to fit the style of the rest on the house. By utilizing the existing base cabinets, we saved the amount of unnecessary waste and then updated the countertops, backsplash, and switched out the cabinet hardware. So, if you’re looking to freshen up your kitchen space, embarking on a cosmetic renovation is is a great way to go about it!

For the black splash, we used a natural zellige tile from clé. These tiles are artisan made in Morocco from locally sourced materials where artisans hand form each tile as they have since the 10th century. Once dry, the tiles are hand dipped in a glaze (or they can be fired unfinished for a matte look) then placed in an earthen kiln to fully cure. The end result is a collection of perfectly imperfect earthy tiles. By choosing zellige, we are investing in a prized art form that supports the local Moroccan community and using a material that is organic and natural.

The hardware we used is from Sun Valley Bronze Hardware where they use a minimum of 85% recycled bronze content sourced from recycling yards to the general public. They even sweep up bronze scraps from the floor to melt down and reuse! They are committed to sustainability starting from the raw materials throughout the entire manufacturing process.

We styled this kitchen with handmade bowls, bread boards, a vintage kettle, and an eclectic mix of ceramic dishes. Here’s a roundup of some similar items for you to recreate the look at home!

Alston Road, Montecito
This bright and airy kitchen renovation was still able to feel warm and welcoming through the use of wood paired with handmade ceramic elements, and vintage finds.
The ceramic funnel lights are handmade by artist Natalie Page who creates ceramic lighting, tile, paintings, and decorative art. No two lights are exactly the same which adds so much character to the space. On the floating shelves, we styled several ceramic pieces by our local favorite Klapp Ceramics along with some vintage finds sourced from Character Supply.
We used beautifully handcrafted and sustainably made bronze hardware for the cabinets by Rocky Mountain Hardware. They’ve been in business for almost thirty years and work out of a LEED gold certified facility that uses post-consumer recycled products and strives to be zero waste!
Here’s a lineup of goods to style your kitchen the GA way:

Pine Avenue, Manhattan Beach

This project was a full remodel and gave us several styling opportunities to choose vintage, handmade, and sustainable decor.
We used a hand painted terracotta tile for the backsplash by Tabarka. And above on the open shelving, we displayed collections of vintage vessels and heirloom glassware, while the glass cabinets house handmade ceramic dishes. The eat-in island is surrounded by four handmade barstools by Casamidy that we sourced secondhand.

Updating your kitchen cleaning supplies is a great way to start incorporating eco friendly products to your home. In this kitchen, we used a handmade ceramic soap dispenser by Gopi Shah Ceramics paired with a handmade scrubber brush and soap dish. There are a lot of online marketplaces that sell eco friendly cleaning supplies like, Grove Collaborative and Well Earth Goods, but also see if your local community has any similar stores or refill shops! Check out some of our picks below to achieve this kitchen look: