Collier Street Kitchen

Introduction

What do you get when you combine a luxury pillow designer, eight weeks, and a kitchen in great need of a renovation? Eight short weeks. Fifty-seven days. May 7 to July 1. A really tight timeframe for a complete kitchen renovation. Wood cabinets from 1999. A leaky sink with a broken garbage disposal. Ugly multi-colored tile backsplash and Formica countertops. A luxury pillow designer, blog writer and marketer for luxury brands to interior designers. This is the perfect setting for the One Room ChallengeTM. 

Deborah Main, also known as The Pillow Goddess, took on the task to renovate her kitchen in eight weeks as a Guest Participant in the biannual One Room Challenge (ORC) Spring 2020. In its 18th season, the One Room Challenge invites 20 specially selected designers to take the challenge and transform a residential space in the allotted time frame. Guest Participants can share the process for their projects by linking their blog or social accounts. More than 4,400 rooms have been transformed through this unique event over the years.

The  Story

Main took on the ORC with full gusto despite many unexpected challenges that compounded the complications of such an unusual project. The early stages of the kitchen remodel revealed black mold in the space that would have to be remediated, as well as the need fix the main water valve. These required updates came on top of expected renovation tasks such as choosing a new sink, selecting a fresh countertop design, and deciding on a tile backsplash. On top of all that, Main managed the entire project in the middle of the international COVID-19 pandemic that caused some delays in the supply of materials.

As Main developed her kitchen design, she took influence from a few sources to create her color palette, texture, and style. During the Fall 2019 ORC, Main had renovated her breakfast nook, and the design of that area offered great inspiration, as she wanted to the spaces to have a harmonious blend. 

“I’ve always loved tile because of the color and texture and multiple applications in the home. I think it is a very important design decision in any kitchen or bath remodel,” said Main.

After much thought and consideration, Main selected Crossville’s Convergence collection in the deep, rich Indigo and Peacock hues for the backsplash in the new kitchen. Convergence’s look of end-grain wood cast in polished glass with a dramatic, lustrous effect offered the perfect circular pattern to echo the fabric of the breakfast nook’s cushion. 

“I love the texture it exudes and how the pattern is different in each individual tile,” added Main.

Crossville’s Convergence collection is offered in eight luxurious hues in the 4”x4” mosaic that are mesh-mounted on 12”x12” sheets and are suited for use on interior walls in wet or dry applications, in commercial or residential settings. Throughout her kitchen renovation journey, Main expressed how it is sometimes difficult to keep the kitchen clean, especially with her husband who enjoys cooking. With the Convergence glass tile backsplash, Main will be able to simply wipe down the backsplash surface to keep it clean.

Main also noted the importance of Crossville’s ongoing support of The Common Thread for the Cure, the non-profit organization uniting the interior design and furnishings industry in the battle against breast cancer. A percentage of the proceeds from each sale of Convergence are donated to fund Helping Hand Grants that provide practical assistance to those facing the struggles of breast cancer.