Western Living Magazine
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A beachy coastal home by Jenny Martin Design uses natural materials to achieve old-world charm.
Like many renovations, the design of this beachy coastal home in beautiful Oak Bay started in the kitchen. For Jenny Martin of Jenny Martin Design, making this modern build feel timeless meant using natural materials like brass and marble for an old-world charm that, over time, would take on a life of its own. “We picked a lot of the materials that had a more handmade feel and were imperfect by nature,” says Martin.
By adding materials that age gracefully—like the unlacquered brass handles on the cabinets that will darken and patina over time, or the marble countertops that will stain and scratch—the designer brings in an imperfection that gives a home its own characteristic beauty.
“Every one of those little stains or marks is a story; it gives your house memories,” says Martin. “You go to Europe and you see a baker’s counter that they’ve been using for hundreds of years and it might have divots from all the work that has happened on it. But the patinas that it has are exactly what makes it so beautiful.”
READ NEXT: 5 More Beautiful Kitchens to Inspire Your Next Renovation
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