
this is a short but sweet before & after from melissa van zee of van zee design in the SF bay area. melissa updated her seal beach home kitchen which now serves as part homework zone, dance floor, art studio and cooking headquarters. great work, melissa! i love all the hanging lighting…
[have a before & after you'd like to share on d*s? just shoot me an email right here with your photos]

35 Comments
so they just changed the counter tops?!?!
j/k. looks great. love the backsplash.
OH WOW! What an amazing and intense transformation!
How did they even do that? Are there any details that she can give us? What was/is the size of her kitchen? I am in desperate need of a reno!
the light fixtures are stunning.
LOVE that chandelier!! It really adds that something to the space. Beautiful job!
amazing change.
Do you know where I can find bar stools that look like that (on a budget?!). They would be perfect in my kitchen…
Love the tile walls…love the color placement there. Love the lighting design! Great job.
All that I can say is wow…this is a stunning makeover.
This is stunning. What a great job transforming an out of date space into a place where you really want to spend time. A+
would love to know where the small pendant light in back is from
lovely reno
Wow, muy lindo! I love the tiles on the backsplash!
thank you for sharing this beautiful kitchen! we’re starting to look for a house and i am so entirely turned off by all the hideous kitchens i see! i like your backsplash tiles. :)
Can you find out where she got those cabinets (what brand). I am about to redo mykitchen, and those are the perfect cabinets! Txs.
Oh! I’m in love….. :)
what a stunning transformation!!!!!
Uh. WOW.
One more for the WOW. The brick pattern of the tile really works here. Can you imagine having the “before”? Yikes!!! I am impressed with the vision to see beyond that mess. The outcome is perfection.
Amazing! upgrade times a million.
wow everyone.
thanks for all the wonderful commentary.
i think i just burst a couple of buttons!
those bar stools like like Bertoia. You might be able to find some reproductions for a couple hundred bucks a piece.
the counter stools are indeed bertoias.
i would encourage everyone to spend a couple of extra bucks to buy the licensed reproductions available through sites such as http://www.hivemodern.com and NOT buy knockoffs.
Seconding the request for sourcing info on the cabinets, absolutely stunning! Great job!
Beautiful. Love the backsplash, the bar stools and the horizontally placed handles on the cabinets. Great job.
Fabulous doesn’t do justice to the work of art performed…..what a talented designer…..must try to incorporate some of her genious in my new home.
What a gorgeous transformation. I love the entire look. Melissa, you are an incredible artist. I miss you in No. Cal.
LOVE!!!
Amazing! I’d love to see more images, because her Before kitchen is the exact layout of my kitchen. (Must have been the same builder) And would love to see an After picture shot from the same P.O.V. as the Before picture.
The first photo is what my kitchen counters look like right now, I so hate cleaning, but tomorrow is my day off so the maid must get to work.
This is beautiful. I am interested in what they did themselves and the cost and time frame.
Also, I love the first comment.
All I can say is “you go girl”! Your talent is an extrordinary gift!! Your parents must be something??
This outstanding kitchen transformation is only the beginning. Rock on!
Were the cabinets refinished or replaced–can you source them please? Great job–more details please!
wow. cabinet clamoring.
you all must be starved for great carpentry.
so here’s the scoop…..
the cabinets were replaced. this kitchen was GUTTED and rearranged. the before and after pics are from the same general point of view.
the cabinets were designed by me, http://www.vanzeedesign, and built by a local commercial furniture manufacturer, http://www.dependablefm.com, who builds kitchens for their designer friends/clients. but any local cabinet maker can make the kitchen of your dreams as long as you have a solid design and the right selection of finishes.
these cabinet are natural quartered walnut.
hope that helps and inspires some gorgeous new kitchens!
-m
what a sassy kitchen! it’s like a party with good food, all day every day!
That is amazing. The new kitchen is beautiful. I want one!
WOW! What an amazing transformation! Has a very modern retro and glam vibe.
Love it and want it!
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