Sachi Shah
The finished Romano kitchen: sage green slab cabinets, a white quartz island with tan leather stools, brass pendants and a plaster hood with a walnut band

New Jersey, USA · 2025 · Kitchen renovation · Featured on NBC
Lead Interior Designer & Project Manager, Cabinet Plant

The Brief

The Romanos' kitchen was dated and closed in, with honey-maple cabinets, a cramped peninsula and a post right in the middle of the room. They wanted it opened up and easier to cook in, with a bit of personality. And it had to be done on a TV schedule.

Scope of Work

Design

  • Space planning: removed a partial wall and replaced the peninsula with a centre island seating three
  • Full kitchen design, including plan, elevations and 3D visualisation
  • Cabinetry design: flat-panel slab cabinets in a deep sage green, floor-to-ceiling tall units, and a concealed microwave drawer and trash pull-out in the island
  • Materials and finishes: handmade-look square cream tile, warm veined quartz worktops, terracotta floor tile, and a plaster box hood with a walnut band
  • Appliance specification (Fisher & Paykel)
  • Lighting, hardware and fixtures: brass and black pendants, mixed brass and black bar pulls

Project Management

  • Ordered the cabinetry and managed delivery to meet the production schedule
  • Coordinated the contractor's installation, which was completed on schedule
  • Liaised with the wider interior design team working on the rest of the house to keep colours and finishes consistent
  • Prepared client presentations, ran meetings, and managed the project schedule end to end

Before & After

After: the open kitchen with sage green cabinets, island seating and brass pendants Before: the original kitchen with honey-maple cabinets, tiled floor and a post in the room
After: the new centre island with leather stools beside floor-to-ceiling tall units Before: the closed-in kitchen with maple cabinets and a cramped layout

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Details

Handmade-look cream tile splashback with brass accents, plants and an orchid under the walnut-banded hood
An orchid in soft focus against sage green cabinetry and cream tile Close-up of the range knobs and brass bar pulls on sage green drawers
Veined quartz island edge with tan leather counter stools
Workstation sink with a matte black tap beneath the window The cooking wall: range, plaster hood with walnut band and sage green cabinets

The Outcome

The new kitchen is open and sage green, and it looks like it was pieced together over the years. The island in the middle is where the family ends up gathering. It was finished on time, ready for filming.

Watch the reveal →

Project enquiries

Want to know more about this project? Technical drawings, specifications and further details are available on request.