Warm, Timeless, Inviting
New York Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and his wife, Sarah, “wanted to create a timeless, warm home that prioritized their family and entertaining,” says Oklahoma City-based designer Taylor Stallard.
Stallard, who owns the firm Blonde + Blue Design, worked with the family and Tulsa-based custom home builder SixthDay Homes for the design and build of the 4,300-square-feet project in an up-and-coming neighborhood in Owasso.
“Their family is really special,” Stallard says of the couple and their four kids and two dogs. “They bring a lot of warmth to people around them. They love opening their home up to others and serving people around them.”
This kitchen’s sleek, all-black pantry displays family dishes.
Kitchen
In the kitchen, which is the busiest room in the house, the cabinets are repose gray and feature brass hardware.
“We did a custom-plastered hood to introduce a soft finish,“ Stallard says. “The white oak floors, vanities and island bring a richness and Old World feeling to the home.”
Almost every element was hand-selected to add a warm layer to the finishes throughout the home, Stallard says.
The kitchen’s all-black pantry displays Sarah’s family dishes. This area also features a four-seat island and quartz countertops, and it opens into the dining room, which has a double-sided fireplace shared with the living room.
“The coffee bar in the kitchen turned out really beautiful,” Stallard says. “It’s a dark vertical shiplap with a white oak base and brass accents. It added so much warmth to the space.”
Primary Bath
The primary bathroom features a floating tub with chrome and brass finishes. For additional visual interest, there is a wet bar in the primary suite near the bathroom.
“We really wanted to mix metals to add a layer into the design so it didn’t feel flat,” Stallard says.
Two Dynamic Spaces
Kitchen
Space and functionality were the goals for this Edmond kitchen remodel by EKB Home.
“It was a big transformation,” says Brenda Helms, co-owner of the Edmond-based design firm with her husband, Robert.
The family’s design goal was “a neutral, California-modern space with a little bit of a rustic feel,” Helms says. “Clean layout, very straightforward, no wasted space.”
The walls were painted ‘Agreeable Gray,’ the floors are an engineered, white oak hardwood and the countertops are manmade quartz. The expanded kitchen now features “the whole package of Thermador appliances, including a paneled refrigerator and a 48-inch range,” Helms says.
The goal of this kitchen remodel was a neutral, California-modern space with a rustic feel.
The 12-foot vanity offers ample drawer space.
Niches near the stone tub offer extra convenience. Bathroom photos by David Cobb Photography
Another feature Helms is excited about is “a spice ledge above and behind the range,” she says, which allows the homeowners to easily access frequently-used spices.
On one side of the kitchen is a cabinet with glass that has a linen texture to it, Helms says.
“It’s just beautiful,” she says. “It’s casual, but has a touch of elegance.”
Helms mentions that she is also especially proud of the banquette, for which her firm designed the upholstery, and a glass shelving unit created to disguise a load-bearing column.
Primary Bath
In northeast Oklahoma, this primary bathroom is the gem of a new build. The Helms served on the design team for the expansive project.
“It’s a modern home, and they wanted a warm, modern bathroom,” Helms says. “We mixed very modern elements with some warm woods and warm colors, yet very luxurious features.”
The bathroom features a 12-foot vanity with ample drawer space. The medicine cabinets are by Robern, which offer integrated outlets and USB ports. The countertop is lit and the sinks are also integrated.
“All of this was done in a flush installation,” Helms says. “The walls had to be built to allow that.”
The steam shower has all the bells and whistles. There’s a Kohler DTV sound system, multiple shower heads and a chromotherapy light panel, all digitally controlled.
The luxurious stone tub keeps the water warm, Helms says. The bathroom also features an ethanol fireplace and a television screen.
Helms was joined on the EBK Home design team by Megan Greve, Maureen Befort and Addie Helms.
Charm and Elegance
A harmonious blend of vintage charm and contemporary elegance “preserve the soul of the 1970s roots while ushering in a sophisticated, modern flair” in a midtown Tulsa home, fully renovated by Tracy Huntington, owner of Huntington Interior Design in Tulsa.
“It’s a thoughtfully curated space that effortlessly connects family and friends, making every corner feel like home,” she says.
All photos of this project by Sarah Baker Photography
Primary Bath
“This home showcases many standout features, including the expanded primary bathroom,” Huntington says.
In this area, Huntington and her team “created a sense of spaciousness by choosing soft, understated materials that exude elegance,” she says. “The vanity, crafted from white oak with a clear finish, introduces a warm, natural element that guides the eye. A single, cohesive tile runs from the bath floor to the backsplash and up the shower walls – enveloping the space in a serene, spa-like ambiance that feels both expansive and calming.”
Kitchen
The remodel also included “the dramatic transformation of tearing down the wall between the kitchen and library, seamlessly connecting the two spaces,” Huntington says. “By removing these visual barriers, we created a more open and expansive feel, enhancing the flow and functionality of the home’s layout.”
The highlight of the project, Huntington says, “was working with a client who embraced the journey with enthusiasm and trust. Their willingness to explore innovative design concepts and their appreciation for the final styling touches made the experience truly rewarding.”
Modern Flair
The clients of Bailey Austin Bird, owner of Bailey Austin Design of Tulsa, purchased a home with French Country influences, “and we were excited to update it to reflect their more modern taste,” Bird says.
Primary Bathroom
The primary bathroom is “undeniably the showstopper” of Bird’s whole-house remodel for Ronak and Zena Shah, CEO and CFO, respectively, at Galaxy Home Recreation in Tulsa.
“The clients wanted a hotel-like feel and were fully on board with a slab shower,” Bird says of the couple. “We extended the stunning marble slabs from the shower to the bathtub area, creating a seamless and truly luxurious experience. It does feel very spa-like.”
For the powder bath, tucked beneath the stairs, “we repurposed remnants of the stunning green quartzite used on the formal living room fireplace to craft a mitered waterfall vanity,” Bird says.
Kitchen
In the kitchen, “the hood is the gem and focal point. We wrapped the hood in brass, which beautifully contrasted with the dark green cabinets. The warm brass adds a touch of elegance, while the rich green grounds the space, creating a balanced and eye-catching focal point.”
The existing kitchen cabinets were well-built, but didn’t match the client’s style.
“We refaced them and painted them in Farrow & Ball’s moody ‘Studio Green’ with a semi-gloss finish,” says Bird. “The island was updated with a full waterfall quartzite countertop and pale white oak doors, accented by brass hardware for a modern touch.”
The family, which includes two young sons, fills up the two seating areas in the kitchen as well as the large dining room when they entertain, Bird says.
“They wanted seating that’s easy for entertaining, and fabrics and materials that are also very family-friendly.”
Bird says the contractors were Tim Yardy and Bill Benton, with cabinets by Woodstock, countertops by Surfaces and windows and doors by One Source, all of Tulsa.
Local Project Spotlight
Both photos courtesy Tulsa Home and Design
Innovation with National Brands
Countertops That Last
Quartz countertop brand Cambria offers surfaces that combine innovative design and durability for a lifetime of beauty.
A popular Luxury Series quartz, Annaleigh, offers honey accents, cool charcoal gray veins and ebony flecks to add depth. Patrons can choose either the luxe version – with high shine and a polish finish – or matte – which presents a subtle sheen and a silken feel.
Another quartz option is the Macbeth, described as having “subtle honey shading” which “adds warmth and depth to a serene, cool white background, while soft taupe veins gently melt into the organic surface.”
A Shower Haven
Your shower should be an escape after a long day – or the place you can prepare for the hours ahead. Kohler believes every shower is a canvas, and offers the gadgets and design elements to make it a masterpiece.
Take the Anthem digital valves and controls, which can monitor up to six outlets with a single interface. This allows the user to have complete control over water temperature, volume and so much more. Not to mention, the valves and controls are sleek, easy to use and beautiful, too.
Cooking Made Easy
If you’re in the market for a kitchen remodel, the handcrafted ranges at Lacanche are an excellent investment.
Take the Cluny Range, which offers double ovens and dual fuel. A traditional French oven size, the Cluny helps to retain your food’s moisture by eliminating excess oven space. Aside from its aesthetic appeal, the Cluny allows full customization – you can opt for two gas ranges, two electric, or one of each.
Another option is the Sully Range, which offers larger capacity ovens and a streamlined cooktop with countless configurations. Even better, the electric oven can change from static to convection with the touch of a switch.
Timeless, Dramatic, Eye-Catching
Kitchen appliance and furniture manufacturer Nobilia North America is redefining modern kitchen design. Following the trends, Nobilia USA sees that homeowners are gravitating towards bold, dramatic aesthetics – which has spurred them to create Easytouch ranges in a graphite black matte color.
This ultra-matte finish, combined with sleek aluminum frames, offers a sophisticated, eye-catching look that transforms kitchens into visually striking spaces. Blending cutting-edge design with sustainability and customization, Nobilia ensures that kitchens are not just trendy – but also timeless and practical.
The New Generation of Cooling
Looking for a refrigerator and freezer that will change your cooking game? Luxury home appliance company Gaggenau can help.
Consider The New Generation of Cooling. This Gaggenau line enhances both aesthetic design and performance with a furniture-like and dark toned appliance that doesn’t skimp on functionality. The meticulously crafted refrigerator-freezer blends effortlessly into surrounding cabinetry, offers warm lighting options, dark brushed stainless steel and complete elegance.
A Sleek and Unobtrusive Range
Cooking aficionados can rejoice with the release of appliance manufacturer Miele’s new cooktops. Models within the KM7000 series offer the same excellent performance but with a sleek, unobtrusive look, without a stainless-steel frame that lends itself to a seamless design.
Aesthetics aside, the cooktops offer a variety of benefits including a PowerFlex area that can be used as an individual cooking space or combined to provide a larger cooking surface, a consistently cool cooking surface, auto-off and pan detection with Wi-Fi connectivity, and higher air quality without the use of heat and flames.
