Decorating & Design
March 9, 2020
Tour Jo Alcorn’s Family-Friendly Kitchen Renovation
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HGTV celebrity designer Jo Alcorn worked with lifestyle blogger Gracie Carroll to create a smart, family-friendly kitchen and dining room. Working with a small-scale layout, featuring an alley kitchen and compact dining room, Jo incorporated savvy Whirlpool appliances into the modern space for the first-time mom and cooking enthusiast. Tour the space and discover why Whirlpool’s appliances, including a smart range, dishwasher and fridge, are a must-have in any kitchen!
After six years in their home and with a newborn in tow, Gracie and her husband were ready to upgrade their galley style kitchen. “This was a much-needed facelift and appliance upgrade project, in a small city dwelling with not much space to play,” says Jo. Gracie wanted to keep the granite countertops, which was the jumping off point for incorporating Whirlpool Black Stainless Steel appliances in this makeover.
“We were very keen to add white cabinets to help the narrow space feel bigger and brighter. We also wanted to add storage anywhere possible!” says Gracie. Jo left the original lower cabinets to keep the granite counter intact, and replaced the uppers with clean, white cabinets to modernize the space.
An inexpensive hack to make the space look luxe? “[Jo] swapped the old handles with a modern black option that updates their look and ties in really well with our new Black Stainless Steel appliances from Whirlpool.”
Whirlpool 6.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Slide-in Electric Range with Frozen Bake™ Technology (YWEE750H0HV), Whirlpool 30” Range Hood with the FIT System (UXT2030ADW), Whirlpool Stainless Steel Tub Dishwasher with Total Coverage Spray Arm (WDT750SAHV), Whirlpool 30” Wide French Door Refrigerator (WRF560SEHV)
Gracie and her husband are cooking and hosting enthusiasts, so the Smart technology in their Whirlpool range has changed their kitchen game. This appliance learns, adapts and customizes cooking settings based on your habits. This way, Gracie can pop in her hit
party dishes without missing a beat with her guests, or easily cook dinner for her family of three.
Whirlpool 6.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Slide-in Electric Range with Frozen Bake™ Technology (YWEE750H0HV)
The newest addition to the Carroll family is destined to be a sous chef in no time! “I can’t wait until she can start cooking with us for fun,” says Gracie. For now, touchscreen settings on their Whirlpool range makes juggling responsibilities a breeze. Plus, there’s no need to worry about friendly fingers making a mess, with Whirlpool’s collection of Fingerprint-Resistant appliances – with just a quick wipe, surfaces are smudge-free!
Whirlpool 6.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Slide-in Electric Range with Frozen Bake™ Technology (YWEE750H0HV)
Smart features will transform the way Gracie and her husband cook for years to come. “Ensuring our space got a modern update that was still timeless was very important to us since we don’t plan on updating again anytime soon!” says Gracie. An array of element sizes makes room for any and all cookware so every meal can come together at once. Plus, an easy-to-navigate touchscreen that can be controlled from the mobile app, makes cooking, hosting and parenting come together seamlessly.
Whirlpool 6.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Slide-in Electric Range with Frozen Bake™ Technology (YWEE750H0HV)
The black countertops led Jo to look at Whirlpool’s Black Stainless Steel suite of appliances for their functionality and as a nice tie-in to ground the space. “The kitchen is small, so by adding white gloss uppers it helps reflect the light, making it seem more open. I introduced 40’ uppers for more storage, as well as painted out all the walls white for a seamless look. From there everything else fell into place,” explains Jo.
Whirlpool Stainless Steel Tub Dishwasher with Total Coverage Spray Arm (WDT750SAHV), Whirlpool 30” Range Hood with the FIT System (UXT2030ADW)
When it came to this busy family with a love of cooking, choosing the right appliances was a big task. “Truly understand what your needs are and what you are not willing to compromise on. That will set the stage for your budget and lend way to your design directions,” suggests Jo.
Thankfully, Whirlpool’s French Door Refrigerator offers adjustable door bins, humidity-controlled crispers and other savvy features to optimize storage.
Whirlpool 30” Wide French Door Refrigerator (WRF560SEHV)
“The biggest challenge of cooking with a baby has been the constant stop and start to tend to her needs. I love that the smart technology in our new Whirlpool range allows me to control the oven and cook settings from anywhere in the house through the Whirlpool app,” says Gracie.
Learn more about Connected Appliances with Whirlpool’s smart home appliances.
Jo was strategic in her plan for the dining room. A wooden credenza and white walls with black accents mirror the kitchen design to create a seamless flow from room to room. “Ensuring our space got a modern update that was still timeless was very important to us since we don’t plan on updating again anytime soon!” says Gracie.
“The client’s style is retro and timeless so it was easy to mix into the design directions,” explains Jo. For both spaces Jo used classic large furniture with easily updated accessories to create a timeless space the homeowner’s love and can build off of for years to come.