“It just so happened that the homeowner is the closest thing I have to a sister,” says Los Angeles designer Sapna Aggarwal. “It was amazing, [she and her partner] were buying and renovating a home, and it was obvious I was going to be the one to help them.”
Sapna’s relationship with the homeowner meant she was intimately acquainted with her personality, tastes, and aesthetic, which added depth and meaning to her overall vision. In particular, the kitchen was inspired by a many-years-long dream. “She was always really attracted to green kitchens. I wanted to create something that would be unique and have personality but also be timeless,” Sapna says. She chose what she calls an “earthy green” and paired it with equally earthy neutrals, creating a tapestry of tones and textures that is cohesively soothing, fresh, unique, and modern all at once.
“I really like mixing a bunch of materials in a space, and then having it all come together where it looks intentional,” Sapna says. “I want people to stop being scared of bringing character and personality into spaces and thinking it’s going to be loud. [A room] can be beautiful and zen and have personality, texture, and character.”
The before: “It was just stuck in a different time,” Sapna says. She notes the house was built in the 1950s, and it may or may not have been remodeled in the 1980s. “The kitchen was very outdated and very closed off. I’m not opposed to each room having its own space—it doesn’t always have to be an open concept—but it just felt really secluded, there wasn’t much light coming in. It really needed some modern love.”
