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The designers introduced to the dining room new fixtures and furnishings, including a table with stainless steel legs and a bright white quartz top. The console, a piece from Ikea that the homeowners already had, fits in well with the rest of the room. Aria round table: Room & Board; Catifa 46 armless stacking chairs: Arper MorePalatable Palettes: 8 Great Kitchen Color SchemesStash It All: Know the 3 Zones of Kitchen Storagep
Kitchen at a GlanceLocation: PhiladelphiaSize: About 110 square feet (10.2 square meters)Designer: Anthony Miksitz An orange-and-white palette was the starting point for the streamlined space. A quartz countertop wraps around from the stainless steel refrigerator to the end of the peninsula. A mix of recessed and pendant lighting provides plenty of ambient and accent light, while undercabinet lighting illuminates tasks. All this is augmented by natural light from two windows in a dining area opposite the peninsula.Jam sled bar stools: 25.63-inch base, Calligaris; countertop: Sleek Concrete, Caesarstone; cooktop: Bosch; oven and refrigerator: GE Appliances; hood: Zephyr; dishwasher: Miele
AFTER: The updated sink area now includes a stainless steel dishwasher. An open upper shelf to the left of the sink provides a home for the kitchen’s microwave and some of Kochevar’s cookbook collection. The white paint-grade maple cabinets with slab doors and simple aluminum finger pulls offer lots of organized storage. A two-tier lazy Susan sits in the lower cabinet to the left of the sink, where a blind corner once prevented proper storage. A pullout spice rack sits to the right of the sink.Two tall aluminum-framed frosted-glass upper cabinets flank the sink window. “I love putting glass doors on either side of a window because it makes it feel like the outdoors are coming inside,” Nelson says.A stainless steel light fixture Kochevar found provides illumination over the sink. Undercabinet lighting and an updated ceiling fixture also brighten the sink and cooking area. The backsplash of stacked 2-by-8-inch white ceramic subway tile with a light-gray grout offers a clean look and contrast to the orange walls.Cabinets: Holiday Kitchens; cabinet hardware: IKEA; dishwasher: Whirlpool; light fixture over sink: Rejuvenation; ceiling light fixture: AllModern; tile backsplash: Tile By De...
BEFORE: This view of the kitchen prior to the remodel shows a scalloped detail over the sink that made the kitchen feel dated, and a single ceiling fixture that was the only source of light for the sink and cooking areas.
AFTER: Designer Christine Nelson had the idea to use a built-in banquette with lift-up benches with storage inside to replace the table and chairs that at one time sat in the far corner of the kitchen. This allowed for more clearance around the eating area and better traffic flow.The kitchen’s new gray striated sheet Marmoluem floor almost looks like bamboo, adding needed pattern to the room. “Gray is a great color for livability,” Nelson says. “It doesn’t show dirt as much as other colors.”Kochevar found the vintage light fixture over the banquette online, and the framed midcentury paintings seen in the banquette area were done by Nelson’s father, an artist, in the 1950s.Custom banquette: contractor Joe Hamel; table: Knoll; paint color for benches: Super White, Benjamin Moore; paint color for walls: Copper Harbor SW6634, Sherwin-Williams; paint color for trim: Decorators White, Benjamin Moore; flooring: Marmoleum in Grey Granite, Forbo Flooring Systems
They ripped up the linoleum to reveal antique longleaf pine floors consistent with the rest of the home. Moving the oven from underneath the cooktop to a wall helped break up the traffic pattern so it wasn’t all centralized in one location. The homeowners chose an induction cooktop for its energy efficiency and safety around their grandkids. “The new equipment is a blessing,” Harvey says. “It’s amazing how much technology has advanced since 1981.”One of Stacey’s favorite features is the brass rod and ball pendants, which fit the scale and style of the room. Recessed LED lights and undercabinet lighting, all on dimmers, provide additional illumination. “You turn them all on and it’s like daylight in there,” Harvey says. Slide-out shelves next to the oven and numerous drawers that take up the entire bottom cabinetry space make up for the lost pantry storage. Sink: Whitehaven with Smart Divide, Kohler; Extended Reach pull-down faucet: Waterstone; induction cooktop: Jenn-Air
AFTER: New cabinets go all the way to the ceiling to maximize storage. Their country style honors the rural Texas town of Moulton, where the Kloesels reside, as well as the style of the home. “The previous kitchen definitely didn’t,” Stacey says. Paneled appliances also help keep an authentic look. “We didn’t want to see any stainless steel in here,” she says.She showed the homeowners an option for white cabinets and an option for minty green, secretly hoping they’d go for the latter. “Luckily they went with green,” she says. “Diana is really cool in that she takes big design risks. It’s a lot of fun to work with someone like that.”Removing the pantry added the window on the right, but it also created a large blank wall with which to contend. Instead of painting such a large surface area, they decided to go with a floral patterned wallpaper that fit with other wallpaper and ornate furniture throughout the house. Cabinet paint: Clary Sage, Sherwin-Williams; hardware: Mulholland, Amerock; wallpaper: Pimpernel in Bayleaf Manilla, Morris & Co.; Hood classic globe pendants: Rejuvenation
AFTER: Now the couple have a new gas cooktop with custom hood and a microwave-convection oven combination with separate oven. A flat-screen TV mounted on the wall to the right of the cooktop (not pictured) swivels to be viewed from both the kitchen and living room.A large French-door refrigerator paneled to match the cabinets stands to the left. Refrigerator: Benchmark series, Bosch Home Appliances
AFTER: Working with designer Stephanie Dickens, the couple created a brighter and fresher space that incorporates the wife’s favorite color with elegant design details and a bit of bling.Dickens eliminated the short peninsula and a portion of wall with a pocket door that previously divided the kitchen from the living room (located on the left side of this photo). This improved the connection between spaces and allowed natural light from patio doors in the living room to brighten the kitchen.Bright pink walls perk up the mostly white space. “It really pops with the crisp white cabinets and coordinates with the fabric for the banquette upholstery,” Dickens says.The elegant raised-panel cabinets have traditional detailing, with double molding on top, plus crystal knobs with satin nickel trim and satin nickel pulls. The white cabinets work nicely with the kitchen’s light gray porcelain tile floor, which exhibits subtle movement and texture.Dickens had the tiles laid in a herringbone pattern with an off-white grout. “It’s very classic, but also a great way to add visual interest and help visually widen the space,” Dickens says. “The pattern helped the kitchen avoid that bowling alley e...
Photos by Aaron LeitzKitchen at a GlanceWho lives here: A couple and their two children Location: SeattleSize: About 400 square feet (37 square meters)Designer: Sara Imhoff of Imprint Architecture and DesignBringing in as much light as possible was the top priority for this kitchen remodel. Not only did the homeowners want to take advantage of the stunning water views, they also wanted plenty of windows on the other end of the kitchen so they could keep tabs on their children when they’re outside. The house is at the end of a cul-de-sac, and it’s a popular play spot for kids in the neighborhood, Imhoff says.
Half-height, bifolding doors don’t eat into valuable space in the super-functional scullery. The pantry cabinet is equipped with integrated outlets so that smaller appliances can be stored out of sight.Neat copper knobs shine against the rich paint. They tie in with the copper cup handles in the main kitchen.
Well-planned storage is a boon in the scullery. It includes a narrow built-in pantry cabinet and slim pullout racks.
Tall cabinetry maximizes space, with fronts painted in the same deep aubergine shade as the island for visual continuity. The large refrigerator-freezer dispenses ice as well as chilled and fizzy water.
The large central island (about 8 feet, or 2.5 meters, square) with overhanging breakfast bar was at the top of the owners’ wish list, as it provides a casual eating spot for times when they don’t want to use the more formal dining table.“The owners always wanted a dark, strong color, and we also considered a very dark gray,” the designer says. “But they preferred the pop of color [aubergine] gives. They didn’t need any convincing!”The island is a multifunctional piece that also houses an extra oven and cooktop (in addition to the five-oven Aga) plus a sink.Oven and induction cooktop: Miele
Here’s a view from the elegant dining room through to the kitchen.
To subtly separate the kitchen and dining zones, the company created a large glass shelving unit between the two areas — an idea the owners had seen in France. “To provide the open-closed kitchen the couple wanted, we designed open glass shelving along the middle of the room, so the kitchen space is retained in a nice square, but there are still views into the lounge-dining area when they’re entertaining,” Matthews says.The shelves are also perfect for displaying the owners’ large collection of glassware and china.
Kitchen at a GlanceWho lives here: A couple and their two children, plus two dogs, ducks, pigs and horsesLocation: Tonbridge, Kent, EnglandSize: Kitchen-dining area: 59 by 20 feet (18 by 6 meters), plus 13 by 9 feet (4 by 2.7 meters) for the scullery; part of a traditional three-story farmhouse with seven bedrooms and three bathroomsDesigner: Neil Matthews of Lewis Alderson & Co.“The [plan] was to design a large kitchen with a central island,” Matthews says. “The owners wanted the kitchen to be separate from the dining-lounge area, but the design needed to be open enough so it could still be a sociable space.”The handmade cabinets are individual custom pieces made from pippy oak, a type of hardwood, for a warm farmhouse feel. To break it up, the island is hand-painted in a rich aubergine shade, which is mirrored in the scullery.Island paint: Brinjal, Farrow & Ball
Eggplant. A basket of vegetables is a great source of inspiration for kitchen color palettes. This yummy eggplant is made even more beautiful by the warm metallic finishes on the hardware and faucets. And if you’re not ready to paint all of your cabinets, try using your saturated-color choice as a large accent like they did here, where using it on just one wall of lower cabinets was the right dose.Share: Houzzers, what’s your preference in the kitchen cabinet color conundrum? Are you more into light neutrals, white, wood or a particular color? Let’s chat about it in the Comments. Cabinet paint: Wicked C2-001, Philips Perfect ColorsMore8 Great Kitchen Cabinet Color PalettesKitchen Confidential: 7 Ways to Mix and Match Cabinet ColorsFind kitchen cabinet and drawer hardware
Sky blue. This home’s style is a Victorian-bohemian mashup, and it certainly shows in the kitchen. The sky blue paint on the cabinetry is calmed a bit by a waxed finish and complemented by gold and deep-orange hues. Cabinet paint: Spirit in the Sky 676, Benjamin Moore; island paint: Bryant Gold HC-7, Benjamin MooreTour the rest of this home
Pistachio green. A soothing shade of green connects this light and airy kitchen with the outdoors. It also plays beautifully off the gray veins in the backsplash marble. Cabinet paint: Urban Nature AF-440, Benjamin Moore
Kelly green. These homeowners wanted to play with bright color in their lake-house kitchen. A white backsplash and Carrara marble countertops provide a strong contrast to the invigorating hue, while wood floors and a wood island countertop warm things up.Cabinet paint: Bunker Hill Green, Benjamin MooreLearn more about this kitchen design
Lemon yellow is a good choice for a more contemporary kitchen as well. Here, architect Alisa Block chose a yellow that’s bright but does not overwhelm the senses. Cabinet color: Yellow Finch, 2024-40, Benjamin Moore
Fiery orange. A shock of orange runs along the lower cabinetry in this open-plan kitchen, bringing the heat to the work zone without intruding on the rest of the calmer finishes in the adjacent spaces. The paint job was customized by applying many layers and then finishing it with hand polishing. Cabinet paint: Outrageous Orange, Benjamin MooreLearn more about this chef’s kitchen
Tomato red. A Campbell’s soup can made iconic by Andy Warhol is a perfect piece of art for this jazzy kitchen. Even the oven range knobs match the red thermafoil on these cheerful kitchen cabinets.Cabinets: Northern Contours with foil color Red Gloss 8003 (for wood cabinets, a similar paint color is Red 2000-10, Benjamin Moore)Learn more about this kitchen
A new window seat was created in an existing bump-out. The space provides a leisurely dining nook with lush river views. A wall between the kitchen and family room was removed, creating one open space with all new windows from Marvin. “They never spent time in the kitchen before,” Biancini says. “Now they spend nearly all of their time indoors in the kitchen and family room. With all the windows, the space is spectacular in all seasons.”More10 Kitchens That Nail Red, White and BlueHow Blue and White Can Bring Joy to Your Kitchen
A stainless steel pot rack above the gas range provides easy access to pots and pans, with no need to rifle through cabinets while cooking. “We gave [the owner] an eight-page survey before starting the project to learn everything we could about how she would use the kitchen,” Biancini says. “Our goal was to build the kitchen to suit her, for the way she would use it. As a result, the finished kitchen fits her like a fine Italian glove.”
“The client has a good eye for colors. She chose the red, white and blue, which is a strong palette,” says designer and contractor John Biancini. The bold blue walls are covered in Regatta from Sherwin-Williams. Due to the room’s many windows and abundant natural light, the blue paint looks much brighter on the walls than it did in the paint can. The wide-plank pine floors, original to the home, were refinished in a medium brown stain. The new recessed paneled white cabinets feature hardware from Pottery Barn.
Photos by Patti NeilKitchen at a Glance Who lives here: A family of sixLocation: St. Croix, MinnesotaSize: About 400 square feet (about 37 square meters)Designer: John Biancini, Apex Construction ManagementOver the years, and through seven renovation projects, this vacation home has morphed from a rustic cabin to a contemporary “river house” for the family. The latest project was a transformation of the kitchen —from a dark space without any river views in a closed-off corner of the house to an open, spacious room connected to the family room and overlooking the water.
Range hood: “This is a good way people can customize a vent hood themselves,” Flanigan says. She used a wood surround painted to match the cabinetry, then gave it a custom look by having her metalworker add brass straps to match the hardware.Flooring: White oak replaced the tile throughout the house. Butler’s pantry: She also made over the butler’s pantry, which you can catch a glimpse of on the right side of this photo and on the left side of the dining room photo (see second-to-last picture). The space, which connects the two rooms, is used for storage. When the homeowner entertains, he can set it up as a bar and buffet.Appliances: Architect Series, KitchenAid
Saves: The kitchen cabinets look new; in fact, Flanigan reused the existing cabinet boxes and refaced the doors, which saved a lot of money. The paneling on the ends of the cabinet boxes, however, is a new touch. Since the existing layout functioned well, she kept it intact. Splurges: The money she saved on the cabinets allowed her to splurge on items like the herringbone-patterned vein-cut marble backsplash and the Bianco Rhino marble countertops. A 2-inch thickness and an eased edge also give the countertops a modern look. “I love white in a kitchen. It is such a clean surface for serving food and entertaining,” Flanigan says. Lighting: Flanigan brought in the city feeling via ceiling lights throughout the house. Over the island, pendants bring in industrial-loft appeal. They are patinated zinc with brass inside.Paint on cabinets: Hale Navy, Benjamin Moore; backsplash tile: Ann Sacks; hardware: Mission Bin Pull and Mission Pyramid Cabinet Knob with Backplate, Rejuvenation; pendant lights: The Urban Electric Co.; faucet: Purist, Kohler
Before: The kitchen was dark and dated, and the plantation blinds didn’t provide good views to the entertainment area and pool in the yard.
Inspiration: These lime green lights are a fun and fabulous find for this white kitchen. The complementary and colorful fabric choice for the stools amplifies the effect, giving this kitchen a distinct and welcoming feel.
I also love finding ways to repurpose old vintage pieces. For example, you can paint a pendant light you love, giving it a fresh, new look. This one change can create a colorful focal point right in the middle of the room.
4. Lighting. New or revamped light fixtures can keep a room bright and colorful. One of the benefits is that you can swap them out for a new color or style without too much trouble.
Inspiration: This bright and beautiful kitchen, beginning with a calm and neutral scheme, looks more playful with the addition of a sunshine-yellow stove. Kudos to the homeowner for making this bold move.
3. Find a Fabulous Rug The use of rugs in the kitchen is a relatively new design trend, and as a designer, I’ve hopped right on board. As someone who spends lots of time enjoying my kitchen, I just love the feel of a comfy carpet under my feet when I’m doing my daily kitchen prep.
Inspiration: This sleek and contemporary kitchen is given a unique and colorful boost with these mix-and-match bar stools, accentuating the focus on this cool and unconventional sitting space.Find chairs and barstools
You can paint some old chairs from a dated breakfast set or buy some fresh ones to add into the mix.DIY Project: Sit Pretty with Mismatched Chairs
Colored stools will freshen the look of the space and give your kitchen a more contemporary vibe. They are a great way to make the best of your kitchen without changing the design or spending too much.
AFTER: The new custom cabinets, from Bellmont Cabinet Co., are painted a minty green. They include a wastebasket pullout to the right of the sink, rollout shelves in all the standard base cabinets and six glass door fronts, which Lambert included to make the space feel more open.
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