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Before & After: Finding the Perfect Pink in a Barcelona Kitchen
Barely-there pink acts as a warm neutral in a new open-plan Spanish kitchen, replacing dark cabinets and drab finishes
“This is a kitchen that conveys a feeling of calm,” says the owner, Nadia Minassien, whose renovation journey began in 2021 when she found interior designer Cláudia de Sousa on Houzz. Initially, Minassien and her partner may not have envisioned a pink kitchen. But despite their initial concern over the unusual colour choice for the cabinetry, the family is thrilled with the subtle, warm result, which acts as a gentle neutral shade and changes with the light throughout the day.
The kitchen cupboards were custom-made by the studio’s trusted carpenter in lacquered MDF. The upper cabinets are in a slightly lighter shade.
“This is a kitchen that changes according to the light. It’s lively and in harmony with nature,” says de Souza.
Is a kitchen renovation on the cards? Find reviewed kitchen designers in your area and see their projects
“This is a kitchen that changes according to the light. It’s lively and in harmony with nature,” says de Souza.
Is a kitchen renovation on the cards? Find reviewed kitchen designers in your area and see their projects
The original kitchen was outdated and separated from the rest of the house. “We suggested tearing down the walls of the entrance hall and [removing] the built-in [cupboard] in that area, which blocked the space, [plus] the dividing wall between the kitchen and living room,” says de Souza.
The designer rearranged the floor plan to create a kitchen that now opens to the hall via an arched doorway (pictured at the end of this story), with a peninsula bench that connects the kitchen to the living/dining room.
The designer rearranged the floor plan to create a kitchen that now opens to the hall via an arched doorway (pictured at the end of this story), with a peninsula bench that connects the kitchen to the living/dining room.
The space is now much brighter. “The owners say they often leave the garden door open so they can be cooking [while enjoying the view of] the plants outside,” says de Souza.
The sink is now positioned under the window. Finding the right tap was particularly difficult, because the owners needed one that was not only brass coloured, but that could also easily be moved to allow them to fully open the window. In the end, they chose a model from Plados that can be folded down.
The sink is now positioned under the window. Finding the right tap was particularly difficult, because the owners needed one that was not only brass coloured, but that could also easily be moved to allow them to fully open the window. In the end, they chose a model from Plados that can be folded down.
The new kitchen is a light, airy space that flows into the rest of the house. “In modern homes, the kitchen and living spaces are more and more connected,” says de Souza. “In our studio, we design kitchens that are extensions of the living room. This is the space in a house where life happens.”
Browse more beautiful kitchens with peninsula-bench layouts
Browse more beautiful kitchens with peninsula-bench layouts
The kitchen cabinet handles, from Italian brand Formani, are slim and elegant, adding the perfect touch of warm gold to the scheme and complementing the other brass-hued fittings.
The designer highlights the brightness and elegance of the finished space, as well as a feeling of glamour, thanks to the colours, handles and the gold-toned pendant light above the island.
The designer highlights the brightness and elegance of the finished space, as well as a feeling of glamour, thanks to the colours, handles and the gold-toned pendant light above the island.
“As the furniture is custom-made with plenty of storage, you get the feeling of being in a living space, not a kitchen,” she says.
In the rest of the living area, the walls have been painted in a warm white to complement the soft-toned kitchen, with one wall highlighted in a bold, tropical-print wallpaper from Casamance. The ceiling lighting and wiring have also been updated.
The client requested flooring that would connect the spaces and is also durable, so de Souza installed an imitation-wood vinyl floor. Now, the same flooring runs throughout the entire kitchen and living space, emphasising the connection between the rooms.
Your turn
What do you love about this kitchen transformation? Share your thoughts in the Comments, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the renovation conversation.
More
Keen to see another great makeover? Don’t miss this Before & After: Colour Blocking & Pattern Nod to Nature in Rome
The client requested flooring that would connect the spaces and is also durable, so de Souza installed an imitation-wood vinyl floor. Now, the same flooring runs throughout the entire kitchen and living space, emphasising the connection between the rooms.
Your turn
What do you love about this kitchen transformation? Share your thoughts in the Comments, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the renovation conversation.
More
Keen to see another great makeover? Don’t miss this Before & After: Colour Blocking & Pattern Nod to Nature in Rome
Who lives here: Nadia Minassien, her partner and their daughter
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Kitchen dimensions: The kitchen is nine square metres and the whole open-plan space is 40 square metres
Designer: Cláudia de Souza of Cláudia de Sousa Interior Design
In order to settle on the colour of the cabinets, de Souza tested a range of paints. Finding just the right shade of pink was especially important, as Minassien wanted a colour with personality, while her partner preferred something more neutral. Pictured here is the compromise – a soft, pale pink.
The new kitchen opens to the living/dining room, which has lots of natural light. “What I like most about the … area after the renovation is that, as the kitchen is open, everything flows – the light, the movement of people, the colours … Everything is very well integrated,” says Minassien.