Classic meets contemporary in Deanna and Jeff Pizitiz’s sunny new kitchen. Its light and bright modern feel has subtle flairs of Jeff’s appreciation for antiques that complement their classic Mountain Brook house.
### BeforeThe original kitchen was completely gutted. It was a small, dark 1960’s style kitchen and simply had to go. Deanna said when they were first married, she was trying to cook a nice homemade meal for her husband. **While trying to work at the old stove, it was so dark that she would use a headlight like a miner trying to see in a cave!** She knew something had to change. More like it all had to change!
### **After**They kept the windows, which are a beautiful element of their historic home, but everything else was completely updated. Jeff tried to convince her to keep the 25-year-old GE fridge, but his attempt was unsuccessful. Deanna had to talk Jeff into getting the white marble because he was worried it was too soft. But with the gentle care they need, they’ll last for ages. **Deanna’s favorite pieces are the double dishwashers and how much light pours through the leaded glass antique windows.** A big problem they also had was the flooring. They tried hard to match the color of the old slate floors, but that turned out to be impossible so they went with a wide wood plank. In the end, Jeff said they should’ve gone with something totally different but he also shrugged it off knowing they’re their own worst critics. One of Jeff’s favorite features is how they designed all the appliances to have their own space in the cupboards. The Keurig, microwave, etc. are all built-in and kept off the countertop space, which helps the kitchen always look clean and open. Deanna has renovated a few houses before, so when she says it’s her favorite kitchen she’s ever done, that really means something. She loves how versatile, functional and simply livable this beautiful space turned out to be. One of the most unique features I noted was the built-in dog kennel in the kitchen island, which was Jeff’s idea. Talk about functional! This dog kennel keeps Kingston out from underfoot but he can still be a part of all the festivities.
*The wrought iron came from mid-19th century exterior doors. They weren’t able to salvage the wood, but decided to have the iron refinished and fashioned onto their new doors. They were able to combine her love of neutral colors and his love of antiques for a special piece of character to add to their kitchen. *
The couple debated on granite vs. marble. Marble is softer and requires a minimal amount of maintenance. But ultimately, the purity of color, and elegance of the marble was chosen.
*Some of the world’s purest and whitest marble is found in Alabama. Quarries in Talladega County are known as the Alabama Marble Belt. For over 160 YEARS, it has been used to clad buildings such as THE U.S. Supreme Court and the Lincoln Memorial.*
