How Christina Hall Transformed Her Kitchen From Robotic To Natural & Organic

What interior designers do in their own homes often showcases the current biggest trends. With this in mind, ultra-modern and sleek might be on its way out. The style, marked by clean lines, smooth surfaces, and a monochromatic color scheme, has often been called cold and austere. Christina Hall, from HGTV's "Christina on the Coast" and "Christina in the Country," seems to agree.

Hall, who recently created her dream home with her husband, Joshua Hall, was determined to make the kitchen feel less "robotic." "Josh and I bought our house about a year ago, knowing that we wanted to renovate the kitchen," Christina Hall says in an episode of HGTV's "Christina on the Coast." "The kitchen was too modern for our taste, and all the cabinets opened automatically. It felt like we had robots living in our kitchen."

Beyond the aesthetic transgressions, the kitchen was also not functional and unfit for a family. The cabinets were so small that a dinner plate wouldn't fit inside. One plate even broke when the couple tried to close a cabinet door. Since the cabinets are electric, if the home lost power, they wouldn't be able to access anything inside.

These are valid problems that have led Hall to opt for more natural finishes during the renovation. The designer replaced the sleek, shiny, white cabinets with more natural white oak floating shelves and stained oak cabinets with a white marble countertop.

After a lengthy renovation, the new kitchen is finally complete with blonde wood on the front of the island that matches the bar stool chairs and complements the other wood accents on the ceilings and the windows. The addition of the black-stained cabinets on the back end of the kitchen creates a dynamic feature that also helps make the space feel defined and modern. The addition of natural details like live plants breathes some life into the space. Ultimately, Christina and Josh Hall's new kitchen is an elevated yet comfortable room for the family to gather.

Though Hall's kitchen design is featured in "Christina on the Coast," the move towards more natural interiors can be seen in many cases. When contemporary modern design rose to prominence, homes had gray-toned wood floors, white walls, and simplistic clean lines. A major critique of the style was that it was cold, unwelcoming, and far too common. In response, natural materials began to gain popularity.

Many people opted for authentic, natural, and sustainable material options, whether with furniture or design details like cabinets. Real wood, for example, is much more warm, comforting, and inviting, making a house feel like a home. Wood is also often more timeless, allowing it to look on-trend no matter what's currently in. Using natural materials in the home also allows us to connect with nature, which can help induce feelings of calm.

There are undeniable benefits to bringing nature into your home, but exactly how to do it can be a balance. One of the easiest ways is to use natural materials, which Christina Hall does when she swaps the sleek white counters for wood. For hard surfaces, such as floors, cabinetry, and furniture, consider natural wood tones and stones. Hall's kitchen even features concrete light fixtures above the island to bring in more texture and visual interest. As for soft surfaces, consider materials that come from nature, such as cotton, linen, and wool. Using a mix of these materials throughout your home adds plenty of texture and warmth.

Plants, flowers, and greenery are another great way to literally bring nature into your home. Consider houseplants or fresh-cut flowers in each room. Hall has a potted Ficus Audrey and Ficus Elastic in the kitchen, bringing in a little bit of color and texture to the space. Also, focus on bringing in natural light to illuminate your home. Not only will it help brighten your space, but it'll also help show off the details of your home. Large picture windows also help connect the outdoors with the inside by decreasing the barrier between the two. Hall's kitchen is sandwiched between two floor-to-ceiling windows that allow plenty of sunlight to flow inside the home and provide views of the landscaped yard.