The Chapins, Gary and Lindsay, did a gut renovation on their home in 2016 and used all Waterstone faucets in the kitchen. The exterior of the home is a traditional English cottage, so they wanted to maintain that timeless, traditional style throughout. They chose Waterstone faucets for their kitchen because, in Lindsay’s words, “ the product fits so perfectly with the look we were going for.”
The charming Los Angeles home was built in 1926, with a traditional English Cottage exterior, so the goal for the design was to remain true to the “old Hollywood bungalow” aesthetic, which happens to be one of the couple’s favorites. Since Lindsay was a child, she’s had an obsession with all things old Hollywood. Remodeling the home with that time period in mind, and getting to select every detail was a dream come true for her. The timeless simplicity, combined with modernism and haute fashion that the art deco movement was built upon, is seamlessly translated into the full line of Waterstone’s kitchen faucets, making them a perfect choice for any homeowner or designer looking to create a luxurious aesthetic for the kitchen. Both Gary and Lindsay love art deco lines, structure, and unique details, so the unanimous vision for the design was almost instantaneous. After that, it became just a matter of finding all the materials and finishes to satisfy the vision.
The most unique and also challenging thing about this project was that the Chapins did the entire remodel from across the country. Gary and Lindsay were living together in New York when they decided to start shopping for homes in Los Angeles. Their broker showed them a charming house in Los Angeles and Lindsay says that as soon as they walked through the gate, there was a magic and energy that was immediately palpable and suddenly the little house on the corner felt like home. The house was already beautiful, and for the most part, move-in ready, aside from a few updates and small changes. However, once the contractor started working, one thing led to another, as most remodels do, and eventually, the whole renovation project was born. And, as anyone who has ever started a renovation project knows, other necessary updates arose as they moved forward. Each discovery quickly turned into “Might as well while we’re here.”
The layout updates made to the kitchen were the biggest game-changer. According to Lindsay, “the kitchen is the heart of every home.” The original kitchen had one island floating in the middle, with wasted open space between the dining room and a set of french doors that lead to the patio. Between this space and the formal living room was a solid wall, which the Chapins decided to open up, giving the nearly 100-year-old home a great room, which is very unusual for older homes. This decision completely changed the layout and was probably the best decision from a design perspective. The designer, Karen, was very instrumental in the layout of the kitchen, as she turned one island into two, which the couple utilizes heavily every day and has proved great for entertaining. Karen moved windows and laid out every cabinet angle and dimension with equal thought given to aesthetics and functionality. Gary and Lindsay knew that they wanted a white kitchen, and loved the look of Calcutta marble, but didn’t want the maintenance. After looking at about 1,000 slabs of granite and quartz, they couldn’t find anything white enough to match that elegant and bright look of Calcutta, they were introduced to the porcelain slabs that mimic the look of marble. The veining was so well done, nobody would know it isn’t real stone. The result was a beautiful look of marble without the maintenance.
Every aspect of the kitchen was carefully selected, from the linear cabinet design to showcase the Chapins’ love of art deco, to the traditional polished chrome cabinet handles, the custom ventilation hood by Modern-Aire and, of course, all of the Waterstone faucets! As Lindsay recalls, “When we walked into the area where all the kitchen faucets were displayed, my husband spotted the large Waterstone fixture and proclaimed, ” That’s the one.’ We knew we didn’t want anything too modern, just bold and elegant, which Waterstone certainly was.” The sales rep told them that Waterstone was not only beautiful, but the best quality, so they installed the PLP Pulldown Suite at the main farm sink, vegetable sink, and wall-mounted pot filler above the stove. Lindsay says, “We couldn’t be happier with the look and function of our stunning faucets. Additionally, my father, who is more meticulous than anyone I know, ordered custom pieces of polished stainless steel and adhered them to the edge of every baseboard and cabinet in the kitchen which serves as protection of the edges, but also adds a little extra shine.” And thus…kitchen greatness was born.
The General Contractor, Steve Stilwell, came on a recommendation by Lindsay’s great uncle Russell, who is a Los Angeles native and has been building spec homes with Steve in the Pacific Palisades for many years. Karen Whitney, the Designer, works closely with Steve on many of his projects, so he brought her in to help lay it all out. They were both integral parts of the entire process. “Having a great designer and honest and organized contractor are the make-or-break factors in any project, new build, or remodel,” Lindsay emphatically states. “Great business relationships have turned into great friendships and we are very lucky to have them both.”
Lindsay says that the home was a true labor of love. “Nothing expresses more who we are as a people and as a couple as the elements of this home. Truly every aspect from the baseboards to the light bulbs was carefully selected with our souls and hearts in mind, and we couldn’t be more proud of the finished product.” The Chapins have been living in their gorgeous home for a little over two years, and, according to her, “the magic is not gone, and I don’t think it ever will be. When the lights are low in the evening, the jazz music is playing, and the candles are lit, we still sit back in awe that we get to live in this historical jewel in our little piece of old Hollywood.”
A very special thank you to Lindsay Chapin for her amazingly detailed recount of their journey and provision of the photos.
Credit:
General Contractor: Steven Stilwell http://stevenstilwellconstruction.com/
Designer: Karen Whitney
Real Estate Broker: Gregory Masi. https://www.gregorymasi.com/
who is currently filming a real estate show with the American Dream Network, https://americandreamnetwork.tv/.
Waterstone Faucets Used:
PLP Pulldown suite at main sink: https://waterstoneco.com/plp-pulldown-faucet-5500-4
Hampton prep faucet: https://waterstoneco.com/hampton-prep-faucet-4900/
Wall mounted pot filler: https://waterstoneco.com/wall-mounted-potfiller-3100/
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