Mehrl kept the pendant lights over the island simple, smaller and more modern than the other elements in the room. “These bridge the gap between styles and eras,” she says. “Also, with the three rooms open to one another, it was important to keep the lighting in each space from competing too much.” There’s also undercabinet LED strip lighting.

“Because the style of the room is traditional, we wanted a bridge faucet,” Mehrl says. “We were able to find one with the modern convenience of a pull-down sprayer.” The island also contains a trash pullout, a cutting board pullout and extra storage on the work side.

When choosing the counter stools, Mehrl kept the new open plan in mind. “In order to keep a comfortable amount of space between the sectional sofa in the living room and the island, we needed stools that would tuck under the counter,” she says. These stools have simple, traditional style, and their padded leather seats provide comfort.

Faucet: Weymouth bridge pull-down, Moen

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