My clients' kitchen had great bones and solid cabinets, but the 1980's oak cabinets and granite tile counters were dark and dated. We decided to reface instead of replace. My cabinetmaker replaced all the door and drawer fronts with slab faces, allowing a large surface for bold hardware. All perimeter cabinetry was painted out in a crisp white and the island was lacquered in a charcoal gray. The counters were replaced with quartz and the backsplash was brightened up with a white matte ceramic oversized subway tile. The laundry room was a complete "redo" and was gutted. We added custom walnut cabinetry with special features to house an office, a craft center/sewing area, lockers for the kids, a hidden door for the cat litter box, the dog crate and, oh yes, the laundry area. To save money, we used laminate for the counters and a glossy, handmade ceramic subway tile as a bold backsplash. Walls are painted a light warm gray and porcelain large format tile in a taupe color warm up the floor.