5 Welcoming Kitchens With Soft Color Palettes
Muted colors and materials help create warm, inviting and elegant kitchens
In an August article on 10 rising design trends, we pointed out that kitchens with soft color palettes are rapidly growing in popularity. And the following five kitchens — all featuring subdued colors, finishes and stains — are more evidence that things are going to the soft side.
2. Gorgeous Grays
Designer: Erika Gervin of South Harlow Interiors
Location: La Jolla, California
Size: 290 square feet (27 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Relocate the kitchen to another part of the house and create an open floor plan with lots of natural light.
Soft palette. The perimeter cabinets are painted in Crushed Ice by Sherwin-Williams. The island paint is Foggy Day, also by Sherwin-Williams. The pantry is natural oak in a reeded design with a clear glaze. The countertops are white quartz in a velvet finish. “Since the house itself is a modest size, we really wanted to keep it light and bright,” designer Erika Gervin says. “However, rather than white, we wanted to create a soft, timeless look with muted tones and textures. The goal was to add some traditional elements in the design, as the client really loves a traditional home.”
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Designer: Erika Gervin of South Harlow Interiors
Location: La Jolla, California
Size: 290 square feet (27 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Relocate the kitchen to another part of the house and create an open floor plan with lots of natural light.
Soft palette. The perimeter cabinets are painted in Crushed Ice by Sherwin-Williams. The island paint is Foggy Day, also by Sherwin-Williams. The pantry is natural oak in a reeded design with a clear glaze. The countertops are white quartz in a velvet finish. “Since the house itself is a modest size, we really wanted to keep it light and bright,” designer Erika Gervin says. “However, rather than white, we wanted to create a soft, timeless look with muted tones and textures. The goal was to add some traditional elements in the design, as the client really loves a traditional home.”
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Other special features. Glossy subway tile backsplash. “I am in love with both the countertop and the backsplash we selected here,” Gervin says. “They complemented the gray tones and added a layer of texture we wanted to help create warmth.”
Designer tip. “There are a few details in this space we incorporated that we feel truly make it special,” Gervin says. “The windows sit low on the countertops. It really works to create a cozy and connected space. Also the reeded detail on the oak cabinets with corresponding oak floating shelves. Finally, the Dutch door. I love this little addition — charm, character and function all in one.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “As the kitchen cabinets were being installed, it occurred to me that they hadn’t been designed to accommodate an apron-front farm sink, which the client had selected,” Gervin says. “It was definitely an ‘uh-oh’ and a little hold-up. We go into these projects knowing that hiccups are inevitable, but solutions are always available. In this case, having a great relationship with the cabinet team was key. They were willing to take the cabinet back and modify accordingly. Everything was solved in a matter of days.”
Cabinets: Trueline Woodworks
Designer tip. “There are a few details in this space we incorporated that we feel truly make it special,” Gervin says. “The windows sit low on the countertops. It really works to create a cozy and connected space. Also the reeded detail on the oak cabinets with corresponding oak floating shelves. Finally, the Dutch door. I love this little addition — charm, character and function all in one.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “As the kitchen cabinets were being installed, it occurred to me that they hadn’t been designed to accommodate an apron-front farm sink, which the client had selected,” Gervin says. “It was definitely an ‘uh-oh’ and a little hold-up. We go into these projects knowing that hiccups are inevitable, but solutions are always available. In this case, having a great relationship with the cabinet team was key. They were willing to take the cabinet back and modify accordingly. Everything was solved in a matter of days.”
Cabinets: Trueline Woodworks
3. Welcoming Woods
Designer: Katelyn Gilmour of KBG Design
Location: Los Gatos, California
Size: 371 square feet (34 square meters); 26½ by 14 feet
Homeowners’ request. “Our clients wanted a bright and classic white kitchen with touches of warm gray and accents of marble, brass and natural wood elements,” designer Katelyn Gilmour says. “They wanted to keep the color palette neutral so that colorful accessories could be swapped out during various holidays throughout the year.”
Soft palette. White cabinets (Cool December by Dunn-Edwards Paints). Island base in a custom stain to match the light engineered wood flooring. Honed Carrara marble backsplash tile. Quartz island top that mimics Calacatta marble, with ribbons of warm gray and gold tones. Polished-brass plumbing fixtures and shelving.
Designer: Katelyn Gilmour of KBG Design
Location: Los Gatos, California
Size: 371 square feet (34 square meters); 26½ by 14 feet
Homeowners’ request. “Our clients wanted a bright and classic white kitchen with touches of warm gray and accents of marble, brass and natural wood elements,” designer Katelyn Gilmour says. “They wanted to keep the color palette neutral so that colorful accessories could be swapped out during various holidays throughout the year.”
Soft palette. White cabinets (Cool December by Dunn-Edwards Paints). Island base in a custom stain to match the light engineered wood flooring. Honed Carrara marble backsplash tile. Quartz island top that mimics Calacatta marble, with ribbons of warm gray and gold tones. Polished-brass plumbing fixtures and shelving.
Designer tip. “If you want to do away with an eat-in kitchen table, make sure you have plenty of room for seating at your island, and be mindful as to where those are placed,” Gilmour says. “Pay close attention to keeping guests out of the kitchen’s main work triangle, the connection between the sink, fridge and cooktop. I often place the refrigerator right at the transition between the public and private space of the kitchen, just like [in] this kitchen. That way guests can access the refrigerator without crossing through the cook’s work triangle.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “This island is so large — 7 feet, 8 inches by 10 feet — that it was larger than any single available engineered quartz material,” Gilmour says. “So we opted to source a manufacturer that makes consecutive slabs. You’d never know it, but this island has a seam. It’s unnoticeable in real life and in pictures.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “This island is so large — 7 feet, 8 inches by 10 feet — that it was larger than any single available engineered quartz material,” Gilmour says. “So we opted to source a manufacturer that makes consecutive slabs. You’d never know it, but this island has a seam. It’s unnoticeable in real life and in pictures.”
4. Light Wood and Warm Brass
Designers: Clint Pearson of Symmetry Architects and Rebekah Leal of Laura Lee Clark Interior Design
Builder: Clay Grasso of Ellen Grasso & Sons
Location: Dallas
Size: 372 square feet (35 square meters); 24 by 15½ feet
Homeowners’ request. A transitional-meets-Mediterranean-style home with lots of natural light and a kitchen that leans a bit more contemporary.
Soft palette. Cabinets and island in a custom mix of light gray paint (Ellie Gray by Sherwin-Williams). White Macaubas quartzite countertops and slab backsplash. White oak timber beams and light wood floors. Brass faucet, cabinet hardware and banding on the custom vent hood. Custom all-white oversize island pendants.
Designers: Clint Pearson of Symmetry Architects and Rebekah Leal of Laura Lee Clark Interior Design
Builder: Clay Grasso of Ellen Grasso & Sons
Location: Dallas
Size: 372 square feet (35 square meters); 24 by 15½ feet
Homeowners’ request. A transitional-meets-Mediterranean-style home with lots of natural light and a kitchen that leans a bit more contemporary.
Soft palette. Cabinets and island in a custom mix of light gray paint (Ellie Gray by Sherwin-Williams). White Macaubas quartzite countertops and slab backsplash. White oak timber beams and light wood floors. Brass faucet, cabinet hardware and banding on the custom vent hood. Custom all-white oversize island pendants.
Other special features. Custom steel windows.
Designer tip. “The large size of the island — 12 feet long — made this room a success,” says designer Rebekah Leal, who used this Houzz ideabook of inspiration photos to collaborate with her clients on the design of this home. “This size of island helped anchor this room where it didn’t feel lost, and it became the heart of the home for our clients.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Lots of those,” Leal says. “I would say our most challenging moment was the detail and accuracy of the kitchen hood. Achieving this to fit perfectly in between the two cabinets took a team effort and unforeseen adjustments.”
Island pendants: Solara Custom Doors & Lighting; steel windows and doors: Santiago Iron Works
Designer tip. “The large size of the island — 12 feet long — made this room a success,” says designer Rebekah Leal, who used this Houzz ideabook of inspiration photos to collaborate with her clients on the design of this home. “This size of island helped anchor this room where it didn’t feel lost, and it became the heart of the home for our clients.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Lots of those,” Leal says. “I would say our most challenging moment was the detail and accuracy of the kitchen hood. Achieving this to fit perfectly in between the two cabinets took a team effort and unforeseen adjustments.”
Island pendants: Solara Custom Doors & Lighting; steel windows and doors: Santiago Iron Works
5. Serene in Green
Designer: Tecola Robinson of Tecola Camille Interiors (while at About Space Studios)
Location: Rolling Hills Estates, California
Homeowners’ request. An open-plan kitchen with a dramatic island as the focal point.
Soft palette. Soft green backsplash tile. Blue-gray island base. Painted white perimeter cabinets. Light wide-plank oak floors. “The soft colors were selected so that the dark island popped and became the focal point,” designer Tecola Robinson says.
Other special features. Dark quartz island top with waterfall edge.
“Uh-oh” moment. “The ‘uh-oh’ moment for this project was realizing I’d designed an island that was too big for the material we’d selected,” Robinson says. “We had all fallen in love with the material and then realized that it would take more than a single slab to create it. Our options were to seam the material, select something new that was available in a larger size or redesign the island to make it smaller. We opted to keep what we originally designed and the original material selected. The fabricator was able to work it out in the end, and everyone was happy.”
More on Houzz
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Designer: Tecola Robinson of Tecola Camille Interiors (while at About Space Studios)
Location: Rolling Hills Estates, California
Homeowners’ request. An open-plan kitchen with a dramatic island as the focal point.
Soft palette. Soft green backsplash tile. Blue-gray island base. Painted white perimeter cabinets. Light wide-plank oak floors. “The soft colors were selected so that the dark island popped and became the focal point,” designer Tecola Robinson says.
Other special features. Dark quartz island top with waterfall edge.
“Uh-oh” moment. “The ‘uh-oh’ moment for this project was realizing I’d designed an island that was too big for the material we’d selected,” Robinson says. “We had all fallen in love with the material and then realized that it would take more than a single slab to create it. Our options were to seam the material, select something new that was available in a larger size or redesign the island to make it smaller. We opted to keep what we originally designed and the original material selected. The fabricator was able to work it out in the end, and everyone was happy.”
More on Houzz
7 Tricky Questions to Ask When Planning Your New Kitchen
Get more kitchen design ideas
Find a kitchen designer near you
Shop for kitchen products
Designer: Phoebe Schuh of PS & Daughters
Location: Bronxville, New York
Size: 400 square feet (37 square meters); 20 by 20 feet
Homeowners’ request. “They wanted a cohesive palette for the kitchen that was a continuation of the formal living spaces,” designer Phoebe Schuh says. “The theme of this house was blues, gray, brass accents and historical elements for grounding all the new furnishings.”
Soft palette. Creamy off-white cabinets with a touch of yellow (Vanilla Ice Cream by Benjamin Moore). The walls are Cloud White, also by Benjamin Moore. Soft gray quartz island top. Vintage gray pendant lights. The perimeter countertops and slab backsplash are honed Carrara marble.
Other special features. The floors are stained a custom color that’s 75 percent ebony and 25 percent walnut.
Designer tip. “We decided the surround counters and backsplash should be a honed Carrara marble,” Schuh says. “The bones of the house are very traditional, and we didn’t want the kitchen to be a total departure from that style. So this element of natural stone reads more old-world, along with the antique pendant lights.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Using a honed marble behind the range seemed like a bad idea,” Schuh says. “Grease spots — how bad will they be? Will they drive me crazy because it will never look clean? We decided to calm all of our nerves by using a classic subway tile behind the range, and all was right with the world.”
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