Name That Room
When interior designer Aubrey Hlavaty was tasked with redesigning a 1990s kitchen and adjacent powder room for a family in Grand Island, New York, she wanted to enhance the flow, update the aesthetics, and provide better functionality.
Design Resources
They named the rooms in their house after places. “I picked places I love around the world,” Lisa said. This was more strategy than sentiment, however. Facing a full-house renovation, naming the rooms helped her with the design process.
A Bit of History
The Samars bought the historic home in 2024, as is, unsure if they would flip it or keep it. It had been sorely neglected, and they didn’t know what they would find until they removed approximately 32,000 pounds of trash (treasure, to the previous homeowner) — including a 1967 calendar still hanging on the wall in the kitchen. After the dust settled, the Samars decided to keep the house and do a complete renovation. They called on Kendal Cavalieri Design to help them with the kitchen and bath remodels.
The Kitchen - Mohonk Mountain
Kendal’s design included removing the wall between the dining room and kitchen to create more space and reconfiguring the layout to make it more functional. For example, they moved the stainlesssteel refrigerator to an outside wall to create a coffee nook nestled among a wall of built-in cabinets, original to the home.
The tile backsplash in the coffee nook and behind the stainless-steel stove vent are handmade in earthy green tones, which the Samars bought from a woman while visiting the West Coast. Other personal touches include a multicolored tiffany table lamp and a chandelier over the island, which were gifts from family. “Their colors and natural elements just fit that space and are a constant reminder of my dad and grandma,” Lisa said.
The overall effect intentionally reminds them of one of their places to visit, Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York. “A place filled with natural beauty,” Lisa said.
The Winter Bath
Buffalo winters are the inspiration for the guest bathroom on the second floor. Ceramic blue, vertically stacked subway tiles in the shower shimmer like ice and provide a stark contrast against the snow-white shower floor. The pendant lights over the pedestal sink look like cracked ice and cast lively shadows on the walls, painted Sherwin Williams Rhinestone. Fortunately, the floor is heated, so the coolness of this room is for looks only.
THE TURKS AND CAICOS BATHROOM
What was once a breakfast nook and then office is now dual-purpose bathroom and dog shower. The couple currently has one dog, an Akita named Duke. Lisa is the owner of Daisy’s Doghouse, a boutique pet store.
The Samars’ love for Turks and Caicos inspired the design for this newly envisioned space. The ceramic tiles in the dog shower are mint green penny rounds on the base and mint green 3-inch by 6-inch subway tiles on the walls. The heated floor is Bakersfield 12-inch by 24-inch ceramic tile in Pumice, and the paint color on the walls is Sherman Williams First Star. A navy blue vanity with quartz top completes the look.
How does Duke like his new shower? “Duke was not amused by the shower!” Lisa said. “Pretty sure he thought we were a little crazy to think he would enjoy a bath.”
THE Italian Bathroom
The couple gave up a bedroom to create a primary bath and laundry room off their primary bedroom. The Samars love Italy, so naturally they wanted authentic Italian materials. The shower walls are Sonoma Terrazza Buglioni (concrete) and the floor is Sonoma Hustle Shimmie in Breakthrough (ceramic). A free-floating white acrylic tub completes the look of a Roman spa. The rest of the bathroom features a large gray vanity topped with white quartz, light gray walls, polished nickel fixtures, and original wood flooring.
To some, the design may look eclectic, but to the Samars each room conjures up fond memories. “I just pick things that feel right,” Lisa said. “I just wanted it to be pretty.”