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The Big Reveal: An Interior Designer Unveils Her “No Ordinary Kitchen” MakeoverView 9 Photos

The Big Reveal: An Interior Designer Unveils Her “No Ordinary Kitchen” Makeover

In partnership with Signature Kitchen Suite, designer Amber Lewis trades her old-school country kitchen for sleek, Scandinavian style.
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Spend some time with Signature Kitchen Suite’s line of luxury appliances, and you’ll understand just how fully the brand embodies the concept of the "No Ordinary Kitchen." Not only does it boast top-of-the-line performance and functionality, but it also uses Wi-Fi-enabled technology to give users control over their appliances wherever they happen to be. Dedicated to innovation, craftsmanship, and around-the-clock customer service, Signature Kitchen Suite empowers the homeowner to create a kitchen that is truly a stage for life. The company’s partnership with Los Angeles-based designer Amber Lewis showcases how the right appliances can help transform a space and influence a lifestyle. In an earlier post, we documented the progress of her "No Ordinary Kitchen" renovation. Hot on the heels of its completion, Lewis was eager to reveal the kitchen to her family, friends, and fans.

As a child, Lewis would accompany her father on construction site visits, an experience that kindled her interest in interior design and home renovation. Following a stint in fashion school, a few semesters in the UCLA interior design program, and a gig as an assistant at an interior design firm, Lewis launched her own business. The rest, as they say, is history: Amber Interiors is now a design-build firm with clients all across the country. Lewis’s distinctive aesthetic favors clean white walls, colorful textiles, brushed metals, and nature. With a robust online following, she has also launched a furniture and home goods line, an e-commerce business, and a brick-and-mortar store.

As a child, Lewis would accompany her father on construction site visits, an experience that kindled her interest in interior design and home renovation. Following a stint in fashion school, a few semesters in the UCLA interior design program, and a gig as an assistant at an interior design firm, Lewis launched her own business. The rest, as they say, is history: Amber Interiors is now a design-build firm with clients all across the country. Lewis’s distinctive aesthetic favors clean white walls, colorful textiles, brushed metals, and nature. With a robust online following, she has also launched a furniture and home goods line, an e-commerce business, and a brick-and-mortar store.

Before the remodel, Lewis’s kitchen was dim and uninviting, outfitted with wooden, scallop-edged cabinets and outdated tiles. It wasn’t only the furnishings that needed an update, either. Says Lewis, "It felt so tiny and closed off. I wanted a space where we could cook and entertain guests at the same time—we love a game night with friends!" Though the undertaking would leave Lewis with the kitchen of her dreams, the process was no walk in the park. She had moved into the home in Calabasas with her husband, Mike, and their daughter, Gwyneth, no longer than a week prior to the kitchen being stripped down to its pink insulation. The ongoing construction meant that the family frequented restaurants or made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at home.

Lewis draws back the curtains to reveal her "No Ordinary Kitchen." True to her style, she chose a muted material palette to create a comforting and relaxed kitchen environment, from the white oak floors to the polished marble countertop on the island. Oil-rubbed bronze cabinet hardware provides a pop of contrast while stainless steel appliances by Signature Kitchen Suite make a sleek aesthetic statement.

Lewis draws back the curtains to reveal her "No Ordinary Kitchen." True to her style, she chose a muted material palette to create a comforting and relaxed kitchen environment, from the white oak floors to the polished marble countertop on the island. Oil-rubbed bronze cabinet hardware provides a pop of contrast while stainless steel appliances by Signature Kitchen Suite make a sleek aesthetic statement.

A 30" Gas Slide-In Range and 30" Hood deliver powerful results. The stovetop’s brass RapidHeat™ burners don’t just add metallic flair—they reach up to 18,500 BTUs for quick and powerful heat, saving prep time in the kitchen. The oven comes equipped with professional ProHeat™ Convection technology, which evenly distributes heat for sumptuous, perfectly cooked meals, and when it comes time to check on the food, the Easy Swivel Handle™ prevents your hand from getting burned on the door. Above, the hood features an LED light control display, 4 fan speeds, and a clean filter indicator.

A 30" Gas Slide-In Range and 30" Hood deliver powerful results. The stovetop’s brass RapidHeat™ burners don’t just add metallic flair—they reach up to 18,500 BTUs for quick and powerful heat, saving prep time in the kitchen. The oven comes equipped with professional ProHeat™ Convection technology, which evenly distributes heat for sumptuous, perfectly cooked meals, and when it comes time to check on the food, the Easy Swivel Handle™ prevents your hand from getting burned on the door. Above, the hood features an LED light control display, 4 fan speeds, and a clean filter indicator.

Lewis and the team rejuvenated the kitchen with new flooring, cabinets, and an island. They also upgraded the windows and exposed the wooden ceiling beams to create an airy, spacious feel. With added square footage, Lewis had room to build a banquette seating area. When it came time to install the appliances, her designer's eye appreciated how well they integrated into the space: "The Signature Kitchen Suite appliances are built-in, which afforded me the opportunity to create a seamless look with my semi-handmade cabinetry. Plotting out the space in the kitchen is important, so having the range, sink, and fridge in close approximation is all part of that seamlessness in design and efficiency."

As the dust began to settle and the project neared completion, she fantasized about the new capabilities of her "No Ordinary Kitchen," telling her blog readers: "It will be well worth the wait for a kitchen with innovative capabilities (I’m talking Wi-Fi-enabled appliances) to bring my wildest culinary dreams to life!" Finally, with much fanfare, Lewis posted the before-and-after photos for an admiring audience.

Lewis’s guests marveled at the 42 inch Built-In Side-By-Side Refrigerator, whose impressive capacity is due to a SmartSpace™ system that embeds the ice dispenser in the freezer door. ''The refrigerator is spacious, and has a really great function that maintains the temperature even when I have the fridge open for a longer period of time when unpacking my groceries,'' says Lewis. The flexible system of cantilevered shelves can be easily adjusted at the touch of a button. An LED touch control panel hints at the appliance’s technological bent: the Signature Kitchen Suite App allows Lewis to monitor energy use, delay defrosting, and check on the fridge’s performance with Smart Diagnosis.

Lewis’s guests marveled at the 42 inch Built-In Side-By-Side Refrigerator, whose impressive capacity is due to a SmartSpace™ system that embeds the ice dispenser in the freezer door. ''The refrigerator is spacious, and has a really great function that maintains the temperature even when I have the fridge open for a longer period of time when unpacking my groceries,'' says Lewis. The flexible system of cantilevered shelves can be easily adjusted at the touch of a button. An LED touch control panel hints at the appliance’s technological bent: the Signature Kitchen Suite App allows Lewis to monitor energy use, delay defrosting, and check on the fridge’s performance with Smart Diagnosis.

Lewis relished the decorating process, arraying the floating shelves with ceramics, art, and plants. Now that her kitchen renovation is complete, she jumps at the chance to host. One caption on her Instagram feed jokes, "We are basically just finding any reason at all to invite our friends and family over to cook and entertain. ‘Oh you made it to work on time today?!...Great, come on over, we will cook something for you."

Lewis relished the decorating process, arraying the floating shelves with ceramics, art, and plants. Now that her kitchen renovation is complete, she jumps at the chance to host. One caption on her Instagram feed jokes, "We are basically just finding any reason at all to invite our friends and family over to cook and entertain. ‘Oh you made it to work on time today?!...Great, come on over, we will cook something for you."

To commemorate the occasion, Lewis also invited her closest family and friends to come experience her "No Ordinary Kitchen" for themselves. Tasty hors d’oeuvres and champagne made it a festive affair. "We had such a blast geeking out on all my new appliances," writes Lewis on her blog. "They couldn’t get over how much space I had in my fridge for drinks, and I was like—who needs a drink fridge!?" Having guests over not only broke in the new space, but it also gave Lewis the opportunity to put the features of her new appliances to use: when someone made a request for tea, she was able to make it within seconds with the help of RapidHeat™ burners on the stovetop. "I felt like the cool kid in school for having brand new Wi-Fi-enabled appliances that are both pretty and functional," she continues.

Wi-Fi-enabled appliances are a game-changer for Lewis and her husband, whose schedules are often in gridlock. "We can preheat [the oven] from the car on my way home from a client, and throw dinner in soon after I walk in the door," says Lewis. "It even allows us to keep an eye on the food from other rooms, so we can play with our daughter, Gwyneth, and cook dinner at the same time with ease." The Signature Kitchen Suite App also lets Lewis check the status of her cooktop, so she’ll never have to deal with the sneaking suspicion that she left the burners on once she's left the house.

Wi-Fi-enabled appliances are a game-changer for Lewis and her husband, whose schedules are often in gridlock. "We can preheat [the oven] from the car on my way home from a client, and throw dinner in soon after I walk in the door," says Lewis. "It even allows us to keep an eye on the food from other rooms, so we can play with our daughter, Gwyneth, and cook dinner at the same time with ease." The Signature Kitchen Suite App also lets Lewis check the status of her cooktop, so she’ll never have to deal with the sneaking suspicion that she left the burners on once she's left the house.

"We are basically just finding any reason at all to invite our friends and family over to cook, entertain, and celebrate." -Amber Lewis

A white undermount sink and a matte black faucet are functional, refined elements. "The one thing I did love about the previous kitchen was the large window over the sink, and that's the only design element we chose to keep," says Lewis.

A white undermount sink and a matte black faucet are functional, refined elements. "The one thing I did love about the previous kitchen was the large window over the sink, and that's the only design element we chose to keep," says Lewis.

Lewis is still reeling from the change. "This kitchen has been quite the project since we moved into our new home in June!" she writes on the blog. "As you all know, I jumped right into it thanks to my awesome partnership with Signature Kitchen Suite, and now I’m left with the prettiest and most innovative dang kitchen in town!" The "No Ordinary Kitchen" not only reflects Lewis’s personal style, but it gives her family the freedom and capability to lead the lifestyle they want. And, should a problem arise, the Kitchen Concierge is just a tap away through the Signature At Your Service™ app. The service handles everything from installation to routine maintenance and repairs, so Lewis is free to dedicate her time to what she loves best—outstanding design.

"The system even conducts regular diagnostic checks to ensure everything is in top notch shape," says Lewis. "So that’s one less thing I have to worry about, which I really appreciate. I can always count on my kitchen to perform at its best."

"I don’t even have to scrub off the plates these days," writes Lewis. "This dishwasher does it all for me with its PowerSteam™ technology and the versatile QuadWash™ Spray Arm." The dishwasher also features a SmartRack™ system with adjustable holders and an optional thick rack, accommodating larger and more efficient loads. Lewis can monitor washing cycles on her phone, and even download more options through the Washing Cycle Download.

"I don’t even have to scrub off the plates these days," writes Lewis. "This dishwasher does it all for me with its PowerSteam™ technology and the versatile QuadWash™ Spray Arm." The dishwasher also features a SmartRack™ system with adjustable holders and an optional thick rack, accommodating larger and more efficient loads. Lewis can monitor washing cycles on her phone, and even download more options through the Washing Cycle Download.

"Our kitchen is the center of our home—I love being able to talk about the day’s events while my husband cooks and Gwynnie does her homework. It’s the perfect place to unwind and relax," says Lewis.

"Our kitchen is the center of our home—I love being able to talk about the day’s events while my husband cooks and Gwynnie does her homework. It’s the perfect place to unwind and relax," says Lewis.

For homeowners about to embark on their own kitchen renovation, Lewis has some sound advice: "Design in consideration of cooking and entertaining efficiently. I hardly design spaces where there’s not a family room adjacent to the kitchen. It’s the perfect space to entertain in and make everyone feel right at home."

Jenny Xie
Dwell Contributor
Jenny Xie is the author of the novel Holding Pattern, a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 Honoree. She’s received fellowships from Bread Loaf, Yaddo, and MacDowell, among other organizations.

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