There are two types of TV show Devotees – those who binge-watch the latest season before raving about it to all their friends, and those who increase their devotion even further.
It’s safe to say that Reston, Virginia residents Leslie and Phil belong to the latter camp when it comes to the hit show Only murders in the buildingIn fact, her entire kitchen redesign was based on the series.
THE INSPO: Charles-Haden Savage’s apartment on screen in Only murders in the buildingwith light green cabinet surfaces and a multi-colored floor.
Their architect, TJ Monahan of Kensington, Maryland-based firm Designed Happyhad never seen the show (“I don’t even have a Hulu subscription!” he says, laughing). Despite this initial lack of context, Monahan was eager to realize his clients’ vision of transforming their home into one inspired by Charles-Haden Savage’s (played by Steve Martin) colorful New York home. They were particularly taken with Savage’s kitchen, which featured striking green cabinets and multi-colored geometric flooring.”White kitchens are fine for other people, just not for us,” the homeowners informed Monahan.
When the couple moved into the building about ten years ago, they weren’t necessarily looking to follow the latest kitchen trends. The open-plan space was defined by pale yellow walls, wood paneling, generic light fixtures, and the typical small kitchen appliances like a toaster and blender on the countertops. But in this new chapter, as parents with three grandchildren, they wanted to take a cue from Charles-Haden Savage’s aesthetic and take their kitchen to a new, stylish level.
BEFORE: Before the renovation, the owners’ kitchen had light wood floors and exposed appliances.
Achieve the bravest Floor was the couple’s first priority. “We literally found the same floor (from Mirth Studio), made in South Carolina,” says Monahan. After the kitchen was brought up to Steve Martin’s approved level, it was time to think about the Cabinets.
“Steve Martin’s apartment has yellow paint (outlining) the closets, and they wanted a streamlined, clean look. So we did this pretty cool thing that I’ve never done before. The space between their closet doors is (now) brushed and sheathed in metal,” says Monahan, who worked with the luxury remodeling company BOWA on the project.
AFTER: The kitchen received elegant emerald green cabinets, top-of-the-line appliances and light floor tiles – all inspired by Only murders in the building.
During the renovation (which also included a redesign of the living room with a striking marble surround for the fireplace), there were moments when the couple questioned their design choices. To which Monahan had a simple response, which is also the unofficial modus operandi of his design firm: “I said, ‘Look, I’m never going to wash a dish in your kitchen. So we’re going to make it turn out the way you want it.'”
It’s safe to say that the new kitchen is exactly what the clients wanted. Today, the couple walks around beaming in front of their sleek Sub-Zero kitchen. Refrigeratorspace-saving pull-out shelves and brass fittings. There is also a framed print of a poultry feed sack – a nod to a grain company Phil’s family owned in Oklahoma, and a much more personal touch than Charles-Haden Savage’s Ed Ruscha-PrintThe kitchen is certainly well used, especially when the couple’s grandchildren come to visit or when they entertain guests (Leslie and Phil are in charge of the building’s social affairs and often organize events such as clam suppers).
And as for Monahan, he has since hosted every episode of Only murders in the building and is now also a fan.
Stacia Datskovska, Assistant Digital Editor at ELLE DECOR, covers design, decor, and architecture with an eye for trends and culture in general. She has written for USA Today, the Boston Globe, Teen Vogue, Apartment Therapy, and more.
