Spotlight on Jessica Conner: Award-Winning Interior Designer
Jessica Conner is a talented designer of distinction. Her award-winning work, featured in numerous publications, is respected and admired by industry leaders in the kitchen and bath industry, fellow designers, clients and followers on social media. After scrolling through her Instagram account, it’s not difficult to discern why she is so highly regarded and awarded titles such as “Kitchen Designer of the Year” by Viking in 2018. Her design work is thoughtful, innovative, and always includes a touch of the unexpected. Jessica is the owner and interior designer at Jessica Conner Design and Interiors in the Birmingham, Alabama area. Jessica’s work includes a new construction project in Homewood, a small historic area just South of Birmingham, AL. According to Jessica, the couple building the home wanted a clean and modern kitchen that was approachable and easy—being that it was located in the heart of the home with connection to the living room. The classic white cabinets were complemented with clean Alba Vera marble countertops. The same Alba Vera marble was used in tile form for the counter to ceiling backsplash and clad the custom hood over the 36” Viking Range. The Viking refrigerator and dishwasher anchored the kitchen without overpowering the light and airy feeling of the space. Open shelving was used to keep the space open and clean. Black sconces replaced the typical island pendants. Brass finish Waterstone faucets and hardware added a glamorous element to complete the space. We asked Jessica to tell us more about the project, why she incorporated Waterstone products and what it took to ensure that the outcome would be something worthy of the Jessica Conner seal of approval. What was your end goal for the design? We were going for a casual glam feel. The polished brass fixtures and marble mixed with the open shelves make the space feel luxurious but also a place where people felt comfortable hanging out. Was there anything funny or unexpected that transpired during the renovation? This was a new construction project. But we did need to modify the plans from the architect due to the grade of the lot. The corner of the kitchen was supposed to lead to a mudroom but we lost that with the modification and we gained the corner open shelves that I think made the space. Which elements did you want to include and why? The marble. We fell in love with the Alba Vera marble at the fabricators’ shop and we found out we could get the same stone in a tile format so we wanted to use it as much as we could. So we clad the walls and the range hood with the same stone as the countertop. How did you find the right contractor and/or team to help bring this vision to life? The contractor, Saunders Bradford, is my go-to contractor. We actually share an office now because we work so well together. Their standards of quality are unsurpassed and they deliver when/what they say. It’s hard to come by in this industry. What made you choose Waterstone products for your kitchen, as opposed to any other brand? We wanted something unique and loved the rounded details, the polished brass finish of the Waterstone traditional pulldown, pot filler, and bar faucet. Which products and finishes were incorporated? The Traditional PLP Pulldown Faucet 5500, Annapolis Bar Faucet, & Traditional Wall Mounted Pot-filler in Polished Brass. You can see more of Jessica’s flawless design work and current projects by visiting her website or following her on Instagram: @jessica.conner.design. A special thank you to Jessica for graciously taking the time to chat with us and provide us with stunning photos of her work. General Contractor: Saunders Bradford www.saundersbradford.com Waterstone Faucets Used: PLP Pulldown Faucet: https://waterstoneco.com/plp-pulldown-faucet-5500-4 Annapolis Bar Faucet: https://waterstoneco.com/annapolis-bar-faucet-1300/ Traditional Wall Mounted Potfiller: https://waterstoneco.com/wall-mounted-potfiller-3100/
