There are two things Mark and Terri Messing love more than anything else: art and traveling. They wanted to ensure both of these passions were reflected in their kitchen during its most recent remodel.
Moving to the Coventry Manor neighborhood in 1996, Mark and Terri were quick to establish their roots in the area. Mark started working as a gynecologic surgeon for local health systems, while Terri began volunteering for the Southlake Arts Council and Art In The Square. Her involvement with the local arts scene grew tenfold when she co-founded the Apex Arts League in 2007. Since then, she’s helped organize live music performances, theater shows and art festivals all around Southlake.
“I’m very involved in the arts community,” Terri says. “I consider myself instrumental with what’s happening with the arts in this part of the Metroplex.”
After their two kids graduated from high school, Mark and Terri were looking to renovate their 27-year-old home, and they agreed the kitchen needed the most attention. Equipped with a butler’s pantry and a raised bar, Mark and Terri wanted the kitchen to match the style of their summer home in Santa Fe with natural wood patterns and earthy hues.
“It’s all about the little details,” Terri says. “We wanted everything in the kitchen to fit with what was already here.”
Enlisting the help of Dallas-based Kitchen Design Concepts, the remodel took four months to complete. Residential designer Katie Bacon says the biggest challenge was mixing all of the different aesthetics together to make it cohesive.
“Santa Fe style has a lot of depth and textures,” Katie says. “It isn’t cookie-cutter. It’s a conglomeration of several different things.”
Luckily, she says Terri has been very collaborative and accommodating to her team throughout the entire process.
“Terri’s been incredibly courageous in mixing all of these different materials together,” Katie says. “I don’t get many clients that are that flexible, so it was really fun to plan all that out and bring it together with her.”
Those mixtures can be seen in the cabinets, which are made with poplar wood, and the backsplashes that utilize a mix of natural greystone and golden glass. The bronze CopperSmith range hood complements the walls and cabinetry, while the dark wood island brings another layer of contrast to the overall aesthetic.
But appearance wasn’t the only thing that was important to Katie — she also wanted the new kitchen to be convenient for the Messings and their guests. That’s why she installed new features such as a wine fridge, a sliding door and rolling shelves for larger appliances inside the pantry.
“If it’s accessible, you’re going to use it more — that’s just a fact,” Katie says. “That’s why we spent a lot of time making sure everything was where it needed to be.”
The finished project didn’t just impress Mark and Terri. It also impressed the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, earning a perfect 15 out of 15 score and winning the Contractor of the Year Award for Residential Kitchen over $150,000.
“They liked how the space transformed from what it was and how we were able to utilize the different angles while making it an open space,” Katie says. “At the end of the day, we really take pride in building something that’s going to serve our clients and work for them.”
That’s exactly what this new kitchen has done for the Messings. Whether she’s cooking a nice meal or hosting a large group of people, Terri says the new kitchen is perfect for any occasion.
“It’s unique, beautiful and so much easier to use now,” Terri says. “I walk into my house all the time, turn on the lights, look and say with pride ‘That’s my kitchen.’ I’m still amazed by it. It does everything that we wanted it to do and more.”