Whole Home · Saint Petersburg

16th Ave Whole Home Renovation

Original terrazzo restored; U-shaped kitchen reimagined

The Brief

A whole-home rework centered on a reimagined U-shaped kitchen. We stripped the dated pony-wall peninsula, preserved and refinished the original terrazzo, and wrapped new shaker cabinetry around a peninsula that keeps the kitchen open to the living area — no island, just better proportion.

The Challenge

The original kitchen was a closed, U-shaped galley hemmed in by a partial-height pony wall and a metal railing that cut it off from the adjacent living space. Flat-front cabinetry, mint-green laminate counters, and aging appliances sat atop mid-century terrazzo that had been covered and forgotten. The home's best asset — that terrazzo floor — was buried under a layout that no longer served a modern household.

The Resolution

Rather than chase the island trend, we honored the home's existing footprint: a U-shaped kitchen anchored by a peninsula rather than a freestanding island. We removed the pony wall and railing to open the kitchen to the living area while keeping the cabinetry run continuous. The original terrazzo was uncovered, restored, and polished to run unbroken from kitchen to gathering space. New white shaker cabinetry, stainless appliances, white quartz counters, and a tiled backsplash modernize the kitchen without erasing its character.

Before

After

The Chronicle

From blueprint to final dwelling.

Discovery began on the floor — once we confirmed the terrazzo was salvageable, the entire design moved around preserving it. Demolition removed the pony wall, railing, and dated cabinetry while protecting the original slab. With the terrazzo restored and polished, we rebuilt the U-shaped run with new shaker cabinetry and a peninsula that defines the kitchen without walling it off. Stainless appliances, quartz counters, and recessed lighting completed a kitchen that reads as original to the home, only better.

The Details