Homeowner Corner: Remington Avenue

Image: Negro Marquina Black Marble Kitchen Countertop & Backsplash for Remington Avenue from Arizona Tile

Mysha Bolen, designer and home dweller for Remington Avenue describes herself as a “design lover, fanatical DIYer, renovator, bargain hunter, and wannabe chef!” Originally focused on fashion for people, her niche developed into interior design. Mysha is the mother to four children, so she truly understands that function and beauty must meet, and she uses this as her lens while designing. When designing her modern French country kitchen, she had specifics she wanted, and that included a focal countertop. Thanks to Arizona Tile, she now has stunning marble and quartz countertops that create a show-stopping design.

French Country Modern Kitchen…

This is how Mysha describes the kitchen in her new home. Fortunately, there is no “one size fits all” for design and Mysha makes it known that she isn’t going to “follow suit” when it comes to what she envisions for her home. She says, “If everyone chooses white Carrara marble, I gotta choose black!” And that is just what she did—she created a stand-out piece in her kitchen with majestic black marble. She chose Negro Marquina black marble quarried from the western Pyrenees on the border between France and Spain. Distinctively black with white veining, Negro Marquina gave Mysha the bold feeling she desired. Plus, not only did she use it on her kitchen countertops, but she also had a farmhouse-style sink made from this black marble. She also used it to create a stunning swoop detail to the backsplash behind the range. When selecting this black marble, she opted for the honed finish, as opposed to polished, because the honed finish muted the formality and alleviated the amount of reflective light.

Another large element Mysha needed was a large island to accommodate her family—immediate and extended. She designed a 10’ island, but finding a marble slab that size almost fails at practicality. Therefore, Mysha selected New Carrara quartz for this multi-purpose area (similar products are Carrara Barolo and Renoir). Not only would she be entertaining in this space, but it’s also where she would do meal prep and help her four kids with their homework, so having a very durable surface is paramount. Our Della Terra Quartz has a sophisticated aesthetic and the longevity to match.

Image: Negro Marquina Black Marble Kitchen Hutch Countertop for Remington Avenue from Arizona Tile

About the Details

She says that the swoop detail and the full black marble farmhouse sink are two of her favorite features in the kitchen, but there is so much detail to be entranced by, from floor to ceiling. With a beadboard texture ceiling and swoop design toe kicks that boast a warm light, there is no element that Mysha left untouched or without careful design details.  A stunning built-in hutch boasts decorative cabinet fronts adorned with wire mesh in a diamond pattern, which also matches the diamond detail along the side of the island. She uses a mix of finish colors that all play off each other well between the faucet and cabinet hardware—all seeming to illuminate the area in just the precise way.

To bring our focus back around the black marble and that swoop detail she loves behind the range, looking at the brick backsplash Mysha installed is so well-integrated with her modern French kitchen. She has a magical design touch to seamlessly dress the entire room while creating a flawless flow. If you love her brick backsplash with German Schmear, she will gladly help you navigate the project with her DIY tutorial!

Where You Can Find Her

There is a lot to love about what Mysha has created in her home. She likes to give real-life design tips and DIY tutorials, all with a dose of family fun. Luckily for us, she is easy to follow on social media:

• Instagram @remingtonavenue
• TikTok @remingtonavenue
• Pinterest @remingtonavenue
• Remington Avenue blog

We thank Mysha for collaborating with us and for all the information she has shared, and you can read her post for more photos and kitchen design inspiration: French Country Modern Kitchen with Black Marble Counters.

Crafting the right kitchen design can be tough—there are so many factors to consider from layout to materials, colors to appliances, etc. So, to help you on your journey to a great design, hopefully, our collaboration with Mysha and her Remington Avenue project will give you some inspiration. Browse through our Inspiration Corner and Homeowner Corner, for information geared to inspire. These sections highlight some stunning Arizona Tile products that have been used in projects to create a designer’s dream, which, in turn, inspires you.

Our desire to offer you the best tile and stone products doesn’t stop there, when you have found some options you love, check out our Just Imagine- Tile Visualizer. For a more tactile experience, visit an Arizona Tile store or slab yard to see our products in person. Our helpful and knowledgeable staff is always here to help as well, so don’t hesitate to reach out.