Kitchen of the Week: White, Wood and Blue With a Youthful Vibe
A designer helps a young family create a fresh and fun coastal style with improved storage, openness and comfort
For a young couple wanting a bright, fresh kitchen, their 2007 beige-and-brown space was pretty much the opposite. Large swaths of monotonous tile flooring, granite countertops and diamond-shaped backsplash tile made an underwhelming impression, and the deep red-brown wood cabinets seemed to absorb light. Plus, the unvaried palette made the stainless steel appliances stick out like sore thumbs.
While the location of the main components was fine, the couple decided it was time to brighten the look, improve the storage and create a better connection with the backyard. To achieve their goals, they hired designer Jennifer Wundrow, who started with a warm off-white paint for the walls, ceiling and new custom Shaker-style cabinets. A new navy blue island, engineered white oak flooring and other wood details add coastal touches. And a subtle geometric tile backsplash brings the youthful vibrance the couple were going for.
While the location of the main components was fine, the couple decided it was time to brighten the look, improve the storage and create a better connection with the backyard. To achieve their goals, they hired designer Jennifer Wundrow, who started with a warm off-white paint for the walls, ceiling and new custom Shaker-style cabinets. A new navy blue island, engineered white oak flooring and other wood details add coastal touches. And a subtle geometric tile backsplash brings the youthful vibrance the couple were going for.
After: “The whole kitchen was demoed and we started over,” Wundrow says. “Nothing that was existing remained.”
Wundrow kicked things off with a brighter palette that includes a warm off-white paint (White Dove by Benjamin Moore) for the walls, ceiling and new custom Shaker-style perimeter cabinets. “Painting everything the same color was about making the space feel larger, cohesive and keeping it clean,” she says. Expanding the window helped pull in natural light and views to the vegetable garden.
The cabinetry includes a mix of drawers, solid doors, glass doors and open shelves for specialized storage and display. Wundrow took the cabinets to the ceiling to maximize storage space and minimize maintenance. “I don’t like cabinets that have a dust collector on top, so we always take the cabinets to the ceiling,” she says.
The navy blue island (Hudson Bay by Benjamin Moore) adds a charming splash of color that works with the warm white oak engineered flooring, woven window shade and woven rattan counter stool backs to create a fresh coastal style.
Custom cabinetry: Sandra Bird Designs
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Wundrow kicked things off with a brighter palette that includes a warm off-white paint (White Dove by Benjamin Moore) for the walls, ceiling and new custom Shaker-style perimeter cabinets. “Painting everything the same color was about making the space feel larger, cohesive and keeping it clean,” she says. Expanding the window helped pull in natural light and views to the vegetable garden.
The cabinetry includes a mix of drawers, solid doors, glass doors and open shelves for specialized storage and display. Wundrow took the cabinets to the ceiling to maximize storage space and minimize maintenance. “I don’t like cabinets that have a dust collector on top, so we always take the cabinets to the ceiling,” she says.
The navy blue island (Hudson Bay by Benjamin Moore) adds a charming splash of color that works with the warm white oak engineered flooring, woven window shade and woven rattan counter stool backs to create a fresh coastal style.
Custom cabinetry: Sandra Bird Designs
Find kitchen remodelers near you
White ceramic tiles with dark gray grout create an eye-catching geometric backsplash. “We had a few different ideas but wanted something that felt young,” Wundrow says. “We also liked what the hex shape added to the kitchen and did the dark grout for contrast. We wanted it to pop.”
Wood trim on the custom plaster hood adds a touch of warmth. “We wanted to keep it very simple but with a bit of interest,” Wundrow says. A cooktop sits above a cabinet with pullouts for pots and pans.
A lower corner cabinet to the right includes a lazy Susan that brings small appliances and other items to the front.
The cabinet hardware is a mix of sleek midcentury-style black knobs and pulls. “I love the clean look of the black against the white,” Wundrow says.
Backsplash: Half Hex in white, Heath Ceramics
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Wood trim on the custom plaster hood adds a touch of warmth. “We wanted to keep it very simple but with a bit of interest,” Wundrow says. A cooktop sits above a cabinet with pullouts for pots and pans.
A lower corner cabinet to the right includes a lazy Susan that brings small appliances and other items to the front.
The cabinet hardware is a mix of sleek midcentury-style black knobs and pulls. “I love the clean look of the black against the white,” Wundrow says.
Backsplash: Half Hex in white, Heath Ceramics
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The polished quartz countertops feature white veining and gray flecks on a cool gray background.
Countertop: Alpine Mist, Caesarstone
Countertop: Alpine Mist, Caesarstone
Open upper shelves to the right of the range offer a spot to store cookbooks and display collectibles.
A tall and lean cabinet with a glass front lightens the look around the sink. A full upper cabinet with glass fronts is to the right of the sink.
A tall and lean cabinet with a glass front lightens the look around the sink. A full upper cabinet with glass fronts is to the right of the sink.
In front of the new expanded window, a black pro-style faucet pairs with an undermount stainless steel sink. A spacious prep sink in the island has a black pull-down faucet.
The paneled refrigerator, visible in the foreground at the right, has large black pulls that coordinate with the cabinet hardware.
Wundrow designed the striped wool rug to introduce warm colors and another pattern to the space.
The paneled refrigerator, visible in the foreground at the right, has large black pulls that coordinate with the cabinet hardware.
Wundrow designed the striped wool rug to introduce warm colors and another pattern to the space.
A built-in speed oven and steam oven to the left of the range give the family flexibility when preparing meals. The cabinet above includes partitions for cookie sheets and baking pans.
Ovens: Miele
Ovens: Miele
Three pendant lights with white ceramic shades hang high over the island to keep sightlines open to the updated breakfast area on the right and the family room opposite the island. The kitchen also includes new recessed LED ceiling lights, which were digitally removed from these photos by the photographer to help highlight other design features.
The back of the island features additional storage cabinets. “We always add extra storage when we can,” Wundrow says. “It’s perfect for items you don’t use very frequently.”
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The back of the island features additional storage cabinets. “We always add extra storage when we can,” Wundrow says. “It’s perfect for items you don’t use very frequently.”
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After: This photo shows the same eating area from a different angle. Wundrow added a roomy custom built-in banquette with performance fabric cushions and storage drawers. The wood dining table is custom. The chairs are faux leather.
Wundrow also removed the bookcase and added two operable windows that bring light and views into the breakfast nook.
A pendant light with woven shade complements other woven textures in the kitchen.
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Wundrow also removed the bookcase and added two operable windows that bring light and views into the breakfast nook.
A pendant light with woven shade complements other woven textures in the kitchen.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The updated family room off the kitchen now enjoys improved connection to the backyard with glass bifold doors. The sofa and rug are custom. The patterned chairs at the back (upholstered in indoor-outdoor fabric) can swivel to face the backyard, while the woven-back armchairs coordinate with other woven textures used in the surrounding spaces.
Floor plan: Here’s a detailed look at the updated kitchen with the new island (center) and breakfast nook (right). “The original kitchen was not reflective of them as a younger family,” Wundrow says. “By updating the cabinets and entire aesthetic of the kitchen, it now feels younger and fresher, and that was what we were after.”
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with two kids and two dogs
Location: Novato, California
Size: 220 square feet (20 square meters)
Designer: Jennifer Wundrow Interior Design
Before: The kitchen had an abundance of beige and brown surfaces that created a subdued style and left the stainless steel appliances looking out of place. “With the cherry wood, it made the kitchen as a whole feel dark and heavy,” Wundrow says.
Functional issues stood out too. A small round sink in the island didn’t offer much space to prep food. The island was large but sat only three people, one short for this family of four. “There was also a strange transition between the kitchen and the family room that sits open to the kitchen, because the family room had a wood floor,” Wundrow says.