The kitchen is a room for everything from family gathering to entertaining, so it’s no wonder that homeowners and interior designers alike say the kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s also not surprising then that Cheryl Tiegs is so passionate about her new kitchen. When asked about her recent remodel with Cambria she said, “I'm over the top excited about it, and everyone wants to know ‘how do I do this to my kitchen?’ ”

Recently acknowledged as one of the top 100 interior designers in the world by Architectural Digest, Martyn Lawrence Bullard helped create Cheryl’s dream kitchen and describes the design challenge by saying, “The kitchen was a little out dated; it needed a more modern look; something warm and contemporary.”

The renovation focused on replacing the countertops, floor tile, backsplash and painted surfaces. By keeping the original Balinese-style cabinets they were able to limit the construction and impact on the overall structure of the house. One of the biggest challenges was removing the custom Italian tiles on the floor, backsplash and countertops. Although stained and pitted by everyday use, the tiles were more than suitable for re-use in other areas of the home. In keeping with Cheryl’s 'green' advocacy, the construction crew was able to salvage nearly 80% of the tile.

When the project began, Cheryl was both excited and uncertain about the change saying, “I really loved the look of the tiles, but they were so difficult to take care of.” In addition to the significant expense of professional cleaning and resealing every six months, the thought of preparing food on countertops cleaned and sealed with harsh chemicals had begun to bother her, not to mention the adverse affects those chemicals were having on the air quality throughout her home.

Inspired Design
Martyn describes the transformation by saying, “We replaced the busy, multicolored tiles on her countertops with a smooth, neutral color to create a calm, Zen-like feel.” For the floor tiles, Martyn designed an 18th century pattern - inspired by a design he discovered in a French Chateau. “All the countertops are an ‘oatmeal’ color (Dover™) that acts as a neutral backdrop; a blank canvas that could be decorated with colorful accessories and accents. And for the floor pattern we incorporated a complementary ‘chocolate brown’ color (Hazleford™),” said Martyn.

Martyn adds, “The way the industry is changing, designers and homeowners now want to use products that are safe for the environment, which is why I was so happy to use Cambria. We replaced the tiles with a product that does not off-gas anything into the air, and is easily maintained with just soap and water.” Cheryl added, “It’s great because if I spill something - It doesn't matter. I can live freely in this house, enjoy it and be happy.”

The Design Flows…
As a designer, Martyn Lawrence Bullard was also happy to have discovered the versatility of Cambria for this project. Using Cambria allowed him to create an integrated design that flowed from the kitchen to the adjoining laundry room… and beyond, creating a design movement that is spreading throughout Cheryl’s home. “With the fabulous color palate and the many uses of Cambria, it’s much more versatile than granite,” he said.

With the modern, simplified kitchen now complete, Cheryl was motivated to update other living spaces. Together, Cheryl and Martyn decided to immediately tackle the small pool house just outside the kitchen. An unused space for several years, it would become a music oasis for Cheryl’s teenage son who is an avid jazz drummer. They chose Cambria for the floor tile that flowed from the single main room into the bathroom and shower area. Using the same color on the floor and shower surround helped create a unified design. “The ‘elephant grey’ (Fieldstone™) tiles have a kind of masculine, yet calming effect,” said Martyn. “I like the fact that it’s beautiful and practical,” added Cheryl. “Gone is the old musty carpet and shower. Now we have a place that will stand up to the wear and tear of active teenagers.”

After two months of construction crews, take-out meals and disruptive dust, Cheryl is delighted to have her home back to the “normal” pace of an active household. “I can't wait to come in here and make a mess while I'm cooking. My new kitchen represents me, and it makes me happy,” she said.