“Serendipity can be defined as making desirable discoveries by accident – and a series of serendipitous events helped lead to a gorgeous kitchen remodel in a Gibsonia home”
Prior to moving into their house in Gibsonia, Megan and John were living in a townhouse in Mars. Megan, a lover of interior design, was perusing a home and garden magazine when she spotted a kitchen project that struck a chord. “I said, ‘J, look at this kitchen,’” she says. “‘If we ever buy a house or do a renovation, I want this guy, Mike Santa, to do the kitchen.’” Fast forward a couple years and they are a family of three that is looking for daycare. At a work meeting, Megan meets someone who is sending her child to a daycare center in their neighborhood. They start sending their son to this daycare, and one day the center’s owner, Linda Santa, mentions to Megan that her son does kitchen remodels. “And then it clicked – that’s the Mike Santa I saw in the magazine,” Megan says. “And then, ironically, Mike was walking in to pick up his daughter. I said, “ Hi Mike, it’s nice to meet you. Listen, some day I’m going to hire you.”
Santa delivers something special
That some day came this past June. Mike and his crew from Santa’s Kitchen and Home, along with designer Ranee Edinger, went to work just three days after the family moved into their outdated home in Gibsonia. “From the moment I saw his work in that magazine years ago, I knew that’s who I wanted to work with, just because you can see the attention to detail,” Megan says. Having a look that will stand the test of time, the ability to efficiently cook on a regular basis and the space to entertain guests were some of the homeowners’ goals going into the kitchen overhaul. “One of the biggest things for us was that in five years we don’t want to look at it and say, ‘I wish we didn’t do that because it’s out of style now,’” Megan says. “Everything we picked, from the cabinets to the countertops to the backsplash to the appliances, aren’t going to be out of style or look dated in a few years.”
A showpiece in the kitchen
For the appliances, Megan wanted the range to be a showpiece – and she got just that with a 48-inch ILVE range from Don’s Appliances. The range was very customizable, allowing her to choose the knobs, decorative feet and color. Megan’s creation, a stainless steel range with brass hardware, summons a vintage look and plays well off the brass hardware and faucet in the kitchen. They also selected a Sharp microwave drawer and a Whirlpool dishwasher. Both items don’t have outside handles, creating a more seamless look. A Maytag refrigerator rounded out their appliance choices from Don’s. Completing a classic look Megan cooks at home every night, calling herself and John “health nuts,” so they wanted something that would last when it came to the countertops. “There’s a lot of cooking going on and a lot of entertaining.
I wanted something durable,” she says. Santa recommended quartz countertops because of their durability and the homeowners agreed. Frosty white cabinets and a marble backsplash pull together a final look that Megan calls “classic.” The last goal – having the necessary space and equipment to entertain – perhaps was the most important. “We’re so excited to have all of our family here. I get to really use these appliances,” Megan says. “It’s a really great entertaining space and we have enough room for everyone to be here, so we’re really excited about that.”