Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food and Recipes
  • Culture and Lifestyle
  • Style
  • Holidays & Occasions
  • Home
  • Gardening Ideas
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      Here are the haircuts you'll be seeing everywhere this year. Read More
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More
    • 50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      Not sure what to write in a thank you card? Here's how to show your gratitude with a handwritten note. Read More
  • Food and Recipes

    Food and Recipes

    See All Food and Recipes
    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    It’s not all in the senses, but they sure can help.
    • Recipes
    • Quick and Easy Dinner
    • Kitchen Assistant
    • Casserole
    • Holiday and Occasion Food
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Healthy and Light
    • Side Dishes
    • Party Food and Drink
    • Appetizers
    • Meat
    • Breakfast
    • BBQ
    • Drinks
    • What's Cooking
  • Culture and Lifestyle

    Culture and Lifestyle

    See All Culture and Lifestyle
    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    Let your besties know how much they mean to you with these unique nicknames.
    • Quotes and Sayings
    • Biscuits and Jam Podcast
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Healthy Living
    • Coastal Living
  • Style

    Style

    See All Style
    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The beginning of a new year often has us all feeling like starting off fresh by taking on better habits, getting rid of old ones, and—most commonly—changing up our look. While others are hitting the squats and going into the salon for a pixie cut, why not start slow and steady with a cozy winter manicure in a color that feels new to you? It takes only a little courage to step outside your usual OPI Lincoln Park After Dark or Essie Bordeaux, which is all you need to kick 2022 off on a fanciful foot.  From new wintry takes on classic dark nail colors to unique pops of color that'll have you feeling the opposite of boring, these are the best nail colors to try this January and tick off all the way into spring. 
    • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Fashion
    • Short Hairstyles
    • Nails
    • Medium Hairstyles
    • Skincare
    • Long Hairstyles
  • Holidays & Occasions

    Holidays & Occasions

    See All Holidays & Occasions
    • Thanksgiving
    • Gifts
    • Christmas
    • Mother's Day
    • Hanukkah
    • New Year's
    • Easter
    • Mardi Gras
    • 4th of July
    • Weddings
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    There's no denying how the pandemic fundamentally changed the world—including how we live (and work) inside our homes. An overall trend toward celebrating the history and originality of our homes is displacing ultramodern aesthetics and sharp lines as we all look to create cozier, colorful, more personalized spaces that better suit our lifestyles. We're turning away from big-box stores and toward vintage items—first, out of necessity due to supply-chain issues, and now, for design reasons—to add charm and character to every room in the house, including the kitchen. Here, interior designers from around the South share their predictions for what's trending in kitchen design for 2022 and beyond.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Kitchen Design
    • Before & After Photos
    • Bathroom Design
    • Curb Appeal
    • Bedroom Design
    • DIY Home Decor
    • Color Palettes & Paint
    • House Plans & Builders
    • Inspired Communities
  • Gardening Ideas

    Gardening Ideas

    See All Gardening Ideas
    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    Plus a few strategies for keeping them out-of-doors
    • Container Gardening
    • Gardening Flowers
    • Fruit, Vegetable & Herb Gardens
    • Garden Pests
    • Plant Guides A-Z
    • Indoor Plants
    • Fall Plants
    • Landscaping Ideas
    • The Grumpy Gardener
  • News

    News

    See All News
    • Celebrities
    • Local News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. Home
  3. Home Decor Ideas
  4. A Southern Chef's Kitchen

A Southern Chef's Kitchen

By John Currence
Skip gallery slides
FB
Kitchen Island
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn
Chef John Currence invites us inside his 12th (yes, 12th) kitchen renovation—this one at his antebellum home in Oxford, Mississippi. 
Start Slideshow

1 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Before

John Currence Kitchen Before
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

The goal of the kitchen project was simple (on paper): Maintain the space's original architectural integrity and open the kitchen back up to the rest of the home by reworking a previous renovation, which had left it secluded from other rooms.

1 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

After

John Currence Kitchen After
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Beautiful industrial appliances and a classic floor inspired by New Orleans' famed Galatoire's add the restaurant influences in this kitchen, which is, quite simply, the one that John has always dreamed of building for his family.

2 of 11

3 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Before

John Currence Fireplace Before
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

John tore down walls on both sides of the fireplace. Taking down these interior walls opened the kitchen to the formal dining room and a newly created casual dining space in the home's repurposed center hall.

3 of 11

Advertisement

4 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

After

Kitchen Island
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

A double-sided, coal-burning fireplace became a cooking fireplace, and the original wood (cut from trees in the yard) was remilled for shelves and countertops.

4 of 11

5 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Proper Lighting

Clear Glass Shade Lighting
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Well-lit spaces are key in restaurant kitchens. John maximized lighting in his home by using clear glass shades throughout the kitchen and dining areas.

5 of 11

6 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Repurposed Materials

Wine Cellar with Wood Shelves
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

In his wine cellar, John used the 15% surplus of kitchen tile (a typical amount left over) on the floors and remilled the original wood for shelves.

6 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Open Shelving

Open Shelving
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

John prefers to keep a lot of things out on display, such as his liquor collection shown here. He believes this forces you to keep your life a little more tidy.

7 of 11

8 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Extra Seating

Antebellum Home Casual Dining Area
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

The wide center hall of John's antebellum home became a casual dining area. Guests peer into the kitchen through sliding windows, as you can in many restaurants.

8 of 11

9 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Commercial Appliances

Industrial-grade stainless steel refrigerator
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

An industrial-grade stainless steel refrigerator with ample storage and a glass-front door resembles those in the kitchens of John's restaurants, which include City Grocery and Snackbar in Oxford.

9 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Spirited Colors

Cherry Red Range
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

A cherry red Lacanche range anchors the island and is surrounded by navy cabinetry. Appropriately, these are the school colors for Oxford's Ole Miss. Built-in nooks keep cutting boards handy.

10 of 11

11 of 11

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

What John Did

Chef John Currence
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Shortened Steps: "When I design, I place things strategically to limit my range of movement around the workspace," says John.

Mixed Materials: "I like to create a feast for the eyes using surfaces that are easy to clean," he says. "In here, the wood-topped island softens and warms the room."

Splurged on Appliances: John says, "I'm not insisting that you buy the most expensive of everything, but research all options. If you need to spend a few extra bucks for quality, do it. These are the building blocks of your kitchen."

Deeply Considered His Floor: "With traffic, food, and grease, the kitchen floor is the hardest one in a house to keep clean," he says. "We knew we'd have to be diligent with the black and white hex tile, but the darker grout does help hide dirt."

11 of 11

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By John Currence

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 11 Before
    2 of 11 After
    3 of 11 Before
    4 of 11 After
    5 of 11 Proper Lighting
    6 of 11 Repurposed Materials
    7 of 11 Open Shelving
    8 of 11 Extra Seating
    9 of 11 Commercial Appliances
    10 of 11 Spirited Colors
    11 of 11 What John Did

    Share & More

    Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print
    Southern Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Books from Southern Living
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    MeredithSouthern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Southern Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    A Southern Chef's Kitchen
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.