A kitchen as white as a wedding dress for a couple of wedding photographers

Anca and Victor Doldor from White Ruffles Photography (see their Instagram or Facebook) are that visionary couple of photographers you can invite to document your very special events, for example, a wedding in an exotic destination.

They have always sought to combine their passion for traveling with the profession of photography in order to visually capture their experiences. After all, what is life if not a collection of memories, documented in verbal, written, or visual form?

The two work with digital equipment, but also with analog film. They are passionate about natural light, the best ally of the photographic eye for amazing scenes, and approach each project on a personal level, looking for a story that will put memories in the best light.

We met Anca and Victor when they reached the „Custom kitchen” chapter in their interior design project for a new home. Following the birth of their first child, the two decided that it was necessary to have more residential space.

We got together for a post-project conversation with Victor to find out some details about how things went in the theater of operations called home. Before the discussion, we asked Victor to photograph the kitchen we delivered after it was installed in the house, and in order to understand the general context, we received an entire album with the complete interior design of the house.

What was the most difficult part of the interior design process?

The most difficult part was to synchronize with the construction workers and the suppliers due to very long delays. Budgeting has also taken its toll on us, but the budget is always a rather difficult topic for everyone. The most important chapter in the development of the design was „The Kitchen”, but after we made the decision to collaborate with MyKitchen Studio, everything became much easier.

Living room & Dining room

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What was the most enjoyable stage of work?

The most pleasant part was the delivery and assembly of various pieces of furniture, as only then we could see how the individual puzzle pieces came together for the general look.

Kitchen

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Materials:

What were your creative criteria for the kitchen design? We see that white is a dominant color, and the transition between the living room and the kitchen follows this dominance of white for the furniture, appliances, sink, countertop, and wall cladding.

From the start, we wanted to have a kitchen island, even if the space was limited. For this reason, we felt the need for a much brighter space. White was the obvious choice in this situation. The wood accents make the connection between the spaces, and the white-matte/dark wood contrast looked very interesting to us.

The countertop accentuates the impression of a larger space, along with the long borders on the wall. In order not to distract from this perception, we chose white appliances that merge with the white furniture and overall white look.

What inspired the color palette (white-gold-wood) and the neo-classical style of the house (walls and ceilings with decorative moldings)? Did you start with a concept or did you develop a concept along the way?

We love very bright spaces with natural light, especially minimalist spaces, that show only what is essential and hide the rest, to which we have added some classic elements. Our favorite colors are pale shades of cream, but we also chose some dark wood and brass accents.

Bedroom

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Did you work on the design with an interior design team? Did you manage to synchronize the ideas in practice with the work teams on-site?

We didn’t work with a design team, we did everything on our own, but as we said earlier, it was more difficult to synchronize our arrangements with the construction workers, thus we’ve developed some details along the way.

Little girl’s room

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How was the accommodation in the new kitchen? Does the snack table island configuration work in practice?

We like it very much and it is even more practical than we expected! The concept of a kitchen island has its well-deserved place.

What advice can you give for those who are just starting with the renovation and interior design?

I think the most important piece of advice is to be patient because it is worth the effort. It is important to think about as many details as possible from the beginning because subsequent changes also increase costs. Obviously, the construction team and the way you coordinate the team matter a lot.

Bathroom

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What did you learn about yourselves during the design work?

We found out we very much like to do this. The only problem is that we have finished the project, but now we will deal with the development of the parents’ and family’s homes.

What would you have done differently if you had to take it again from the beginning?

We would have considered even more details from the first stages of the process, there were many hiccups and some things were more difficult to implement along the way. And maybe now, considering our experience, we’d allocate a bigger budget for future projects.

Did you fit into your original budget? Have you reached a balance between the quality of materials, decorative objects, furniture, and related prices?

We didn’t have a very well-established budget. In any case, it is very easy to exceed the budget when it comes to interior design. Details that you didn’t think mattered too much make for a pretty big list for the bottom line, but somehow in the end you feel it’s worth it.

How does the house feel like in everyday life?

We got used to it very quickly, sometimes we don’t even know what it was like before. It makes you appreciate all the effort, and we have a completely different understanding of the expression „going the extra mile”.

Photography credits:

Victor Doldor, White Ruffles Photography

Let’s see what works for you. 

In the design consulting sessions, we can help you define your way of working in the kitchen, to define your aesthetic and practical criteria, your favorite materials, and functionality so that you can choose the ideal solutions for your kitchen.