Happening doctor gets bungalow to match

By Candice Olson

Jason is a happening bachelor. And a busy doctor to boot. He'd just purchased his first home, but the small bungalow was outdated and cramped -- no place for a progressive single guy to entertain his friends (and certainly no place to bring the ladies).

It was cute, but cute was not the look this modern doc was going for. Enter Divine Design with our own special prescription for change.

The rooms were claustrophobic, the furniture was outdated and the colors were bland. The place required a complete physical: walls, cabinets, countertops, furniture and appliances -- you name it. I couldn't stand to see the house in pain, so I called upon my team of experts to breathe new life into it, stat, and turn it into a contemporary open-concept living space.

The main challenge in this project was to create the illusion of space, and design a more efficient layout that had a seamless flow from room to room. Everything had to be reworked -- from top to bottom. To accomplish this I knocked down all of the walls separating the tiny kitchen from the boxy living room and dining room areas to make one large, lounge-like space. I then went room by room to ensure everything worked together with matching fabrics, accents and furniture.

The colors for the house were chosen for their chic, yet decidedly masculine, appeal -- warm woods, neutral tones and metallic accents. The drapes consisted of striped panels and sheers, and the furniture and accent pillows picked up on the home's new metallic elements and soft shades. The look is sophisticated, yet neutral enough to grow with Jason as he adds his own personal touches to his new pad.

Jason's 1950s-style kitchen was small and didn't have much personality. I tore out the bland, white cabinets and countertops, eliminated the appliances and transformed the room with warm wood cabinetry, chic countertop surfaces, a faux stainless steel backsplash and modern stainless steel appliances. The floors were also ripped up and replaced with sleek graphic flooring.

I made the crowning glory of this room a large island -- a focal point that helps to differentiate the kitchen from the rest of the open-concept area, and a place Jason's friends can sit and sip cocktails while he is whipping up dinner in his trendy new kitchen. Above the island bar, I installed an elegant wooden canopy with recessed lighting and hip, hanging fixtures.

The living room and dining room in this bungalow also needed some healing. Working with the main color scheme, I added some new furniture and gave new hope to some of Jason's older pieces. These included his white metal chairs with ratty upholstery that soon became ebony seats with new modern striped cushions and a long, bland coffee table that got a new surface of replica stainless steel and glass.

Lastly, I added a variety of accents, including small stainless steel kitchen appliances, an assortment of vases and bowls, a contemporary rug and even a modish, artichoke-like fixture to bring a warm glow to the space.

After undergoing several weeks of reconstructive surgery, this old bungalow had the modern facelift it needed, complete with an efficient layout, new fixtures and finishes, and modern furniture and fabrics. By upping the sophistication, eliminating the outmoded and disguising the dated, Dr. Jason now has a stylish pad with the much-coveted bachelor seal of approval. I'm sure the ladies will find it quite divine.

Interior decorator Candice Olson is host of Home & Garden Television's "Divine Design."