Before and After: 3 Beautiful Blue-and-White Kitchen Makeovers
These remodels embrace open layouts, nature views, modern blues and warm white hues for better function, form and style
Vibrant blues pair well with warm whites and neutrals to create a calming, comfortable kitchen. Check out these before-and-after photos to see how pros designed three dreamy blue-and-white kitchens with new layouts that function better for the homeowners. Then let us know in the Comments which one you think had the biggest transformation.
Before Photo
After: Whitehorn removed the partition wall and peninsula to open up the kitchen and change its closed-off layout. This added 72 square feet to the kitchen area, enough room for a large island with extra prep space, storage and a sink. Parisian-style bistro chairs with rattan frames and woven navy-and-white seats add space for eating or working at the new island.
Vibrant blue-gray Shaker-style cabinets (Bachelor Blue by Benjamin Moore) give the kitchen a new look and feel that nods to the nearby water views and the home’s new exterior color. “We went through so many colors for the exterior of our house and painted it Bachelor Blue, and decided to paint the cabinets the same color,” Rachel says.
Marble-look white quartz with blue and gray veins covers the island and back wall countertops. Creamy white fish scale tiles with sand-colored grout fill the backsplash. And white shiplap panels on the ceiling and neutral-colored walls balance out the blue.
A new paneled fridge stands at the edge of the kitchen next to the dining room with views of the waterway.
Vibrant blue-gray Shaker-style cabinets (Bachelor Blue by Benjamin Moore) give the kitchen a new look and feel that nods to the nearby water views and the home’s new exterior color. “We went through so many colors for the exterior of our house and painted it Bachelor Blue, and decided to paint the cabinets the same color,” Rachel says.
Marble-look white quartz with blue and gray veins covers the island and back wall countertops. Creamy white fish scale tiles with sand-colored grout fill the backsplash. And white shiplap panels on the ceiling and neutral-colored walls balance out the blue.
A new paneled fridge stands at the edge of the kitchen next to the dining room with views of the waterway.
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Before Photo
Before: The old kitchen featured a narrow entrance that led to dated white laminate countertops, cabinets and white appliances. The wood floor was warping, and the spray-painted cabinet hardware needed some attention.
After: Pantry cabinets with pullouts for dry foods and small appliances surround dual black glass ovens on the storage wall. “This allowed us to have everything within arm’s reach for cooking, and that was key,” Rachel says.
The design team replaced old wood floors with wood-look glazed porcelain floor planks that fill the kitchen and living rooms. The couple wanted something that felt calming yet could withstand wet and sandy feet after being outside.
Satin brass cabinet hardware, a gold-finished range hood and a pair of antique brass pendant lights with white shades over the island add glimmer to the coastal kitchen.
Learn more about this kitchen remodel
The design team replaced old wood floors with wood-look glazed porcelain floor planks that fill the kitchen and living rooms. The couple wanted something that felt calming yet could withstand wet and sandy feet after being outside.
Satin brass cabinet hardware, a gold-finished range hood and a pair of antique brass pendant lights with white shades over the island add glimmer to the coastal kitchen.
Learn more about this kitchen remodel
2. Bold Blue and Bright White
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with two kids and two dogs
Location: Franklin, Tennessee
Size: 192 square feet (18 square meters)
Designers: Erin Hurst of French’s Cabinet Gallery and Weston Blankenship of E35 Design
Before: The family that lives in this Nashville-area home wanted an open kitchen that’s more colorful and better connected to the adjacent living room. Sand-colored walls, countertops and a diamond pattern tile backsplash filled the existing kitchen with earthy tones that weren’t inspiring for the homeowners. Upper white cabinets that sat below the ceiling took away extra inches of storage space for dishware and small appliances. And a marble-topped island with white cabinetry that matched the rest of the kitchen was too small for food prep or presentation during family gatherings.
To make the kitchen work better for their family, the homeowners hired kitchen designer Erin Hurst and interior designer Weston Blankenship to give their space a modern refresh with a large island, better storage and pops of bold blue hues.
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with two kids and two dogs
Location: Franklin, Tennessee
Size: 192 square feet (18 square meters)
Designers: Erin Hurst of French’s Cabinet Gallery and Weston Blankenship of E35 Design
Before: The family that lives in this Nashville-area home wanted an open kitchen that’s more colorful and better connected to the adjacent living room. Sand-colored walls, countertops and a diamond pattern tile backsplash filled the existing kitchen with earthy tones that weren’t inspiring for the homeowners. Upper white cabinets that sat below the ceiling took away extra inches of storage space for dishware and small appliances. And a marble-topped island with white cabinetry that matched the rest of the kitchen was too small for food prep or presentation during family gatherings.
To make the kitchen work better for their family, the homeowners hired kitchen designer Erin Hurst and interior designer Weston Blankenship to give their space a modern refresh with a large island, better storage and pops of bold blue hues.
After: Hurst revamped the closed layout to create a floor plan that made the kitchen and living room more connected. She removed the angled wall and peninsula that separated the two rooms and added a large island with a deep blue base and white Caesarstone countertops with subtle gray notes. A farmhouse sink, a dishwasher and tons of counter space and storage make the island super functional. The structural post attached to the island had to stay put, so Blankenship sheathed it in dark wood and iron strapping.
A mix of colors for the bar stool seats breaks up the expanse of blue from the island. The patterned runner and punchy blue-and-white cement tile backsplash add extra pops of color to the room.
Ivory Shaker-style cabinets on the perimeter balance out the colors in the space. New upper cabinetry tops out at the ceiling with crown moldings that run throughout the kitchen.
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A mix of colors for the bar stool seats breaks up the expanse of blue from the island. The patterned runner and punchy blue-and-white cement tile backsplash add extra pops of color to the room.
Ivory Shaker-style cabinets on the perimeter balance out the colors in the space. New upper cabinetry tops out at the ceiling with crown moldings that run throughout the kitchen.
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Before: The old design was missing a focal point that made the kitchen feel complete. Although the space had mostly white elements like cabinets, crown molding and trim, the homeowners wanted to replace the browns and tans with more daring colors and patterns.
After: They had earth-tone walls painted a soft gray to complement the room’s blue-and-ivory aesthetic. Hurst designed a custom range hood that serves as the focal point on the back wall. Corbels and ivory paint add to the hood’s luxe factor and traditional look. Cabinets that flank the hood feature glass fronts that showcase treasured stoneware.
Blankenship chose the pendant lights over the island, which influenced the cabinet hardware choice. “Those light fixtures mix the metals: They have a gray concrete hood and then an antiqued brass piece,” he says. The perimeter cabinets have nickel hardware, while the island has antiqued bronze pulls.
The team refinished the existing oak floors with a darker stain to complement the kitchen’s new palette.
Learn more about this kitchen remodel
Blankenship chose the pendant lights over the island, which influenced the cabinet hardware choice. “Those light fixtures mix the metals: They have a gray concrete hood and then an antiqued brass piece,” he says. The perimeter cabinets have nickel hardware, while the island has antiqued bronze pulls.
The team refinished the existing oak floors with a darker stain to complement the kitchen’s new palette.
Learn more about this kitchen remodel
Before Photo
3. Wood, White and Baby Blue
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Mukilteo, Washington
Size: 299 square feet (28 square meters)
Designer: Anna Popov of Interiors by Popov
Builder: Makswell Construction
Before: An empty-nest couple in the Pacific Northwest enjoyed scenic views of Washington’s Puget Sound from their eclectic, two-level hillside abode. They wanted an interior just as captivating and refreshing as the views outside. To make this dream a reality in their home, they started with the kitchen.
Dark walls, black countertops and a large hanging pot rack in the middle of the existing kitchen made the space feel top-heavy. The existing peninsula featured an oversize cooktop that took up precious space for the couple to enjoy a meal together. Maple veneer slab-door cabinets, a checkered backsplash and gray floor tiles with thick, dark grout lines made the kitchen feel dim and dated.
The homeowners hired designer Anna Popov and Makswell Construction to give them a redesigned kitchen with more counter space, smarter storage and a cohesive color palette that feels bright, beautiful and modern.
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Mukilteo, Washington
Size: 299 square feet (28 square meters)
Designer: Anna Popov of Interiors by Popov
Builder: Makswell Construction
Before: An empty-nest couple in the Pacific Northwest enjoyed scenic views of Washington’s Puget Sound from their eclectic, two-level hillside abode. They wanted an interior just as captivating and refreshing as the views outside. To make this dream a reality in their home, they started with the kitchen.
Dark walls, black countertops and a large hanging pot rack in the middle of the existing kitchen made the space feel top-heavy. The existing peninsula featured an oversize cooktop that took up precious space for the couple to enjoy a meal together. Maple veneer slab-door cabinets, a checkered backsplash and gray floor tiles with thick, dark grout lines made the kitchen feel dim and dated.
The homeowners hired designer Anna Popov and Makswell Construction to give them a redesigned kitchen with more counter space, smarter storage and a cohesive color palette that feels bright, beautiful and modern.
After: Popov opened up the kitchen by removing the hanging pot rack and upper cabinets. The designer placed a new slide-in range and hood on the back wall, which allowed her to pull the peninsula forward by a foot to elongate the kitchen and add more counter space. White quartz countertops blend beautifully with the room’s existing architectural wood details and light blue maple cabinets (Smoky Azurite by Sherwin-Williams) with dark hardware.
Handmade, textured light gray tile in a glossy finish covers the back wall, and white paint on the sink and refrigerator walls gives the room balance. For extra contrast and depth, Popov used black slate tile with light grout on the floors.
Midcentury modern counter stools at the new peninsula replaced clunky light wood seating. And new shelves for books, knickknacks and mail sit right off the kitchen door.
Handmade, textured light gray tile in a glossy finish covers the back wall, and white paint on the sink and refrigerator walls gives the room balance. For extra contrast and depth, Popov used black slate tile with light grout on the floors.
Midcentury modern counter stools at the new peninsula replaced clunky light wood seating. And new shelves for books, knickknacks and mail sit right off the kitchen door.
Before Photo
Before: Dark track lights above an awkward corner with a double sink had limited counter space, while stark white double ovens and a dishwasher took up much-needed storage space. Dark lower cabinets and warm wood uppers clashed with the dark walls and white appliances.
After: Black puck lights in the wood-paneled ceiling replaced two runs of track lighting in the old design for more layered light. A trio of new industrial-style sconces on the sink wall adds lighting above the expanded counters for easy meal prep.
The kitchen sink was moved from a tight corner to the wall of windows so the couple could enjoy breathtaking views while washing dishes or preparing meals. A new white apron-front sink with a dark faucet features ample counter space on both sides.
Custom glass shelves suspended from dark supports provide open storage for dishware where the old sink used to sit. “This is our favorite part of the kitchen,” Popov says. The shelves provide upper storage without blocking views of nearby flora.
An efficient storage wall on the right makes up for the upper cabinets that were removed from the old design. A built-in French-door fridge, speed oven, coffee station and pullout shelves improve the function of the kitchen.
Learn more about this kitchen remodel
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The kitchen sink was moved from a tight corner to the wall of windows so the couple could enjoy breathtaking views while washing dishes or preparing meals. A new white apron-front sink with a dark faucet features ample counter space on both sides.
Custom glass shelves suspended from dark supports provide open storage for dishware where the old sink used to sit. “This is our favorite part of the kitchen,” Popov says. The shelves provide upper storage without blocking views of nearby flora.
An efficient storage wall on the right makes up for the upper cabinets that were removed from the old design. A built-in French-door fridge, speed oven, coffee station and pullout shelves improve the function of the kitchen.
Learn more about this kitchen remodel
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Find a kitchen designer near you
Shop for kitchen appliances
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Rachel Pintarelli, an event planner; her husband, Kyle, a chef; and their 3-year-old daughter, Emma
Location: Tequesta, Florida
Size: 168 square feet (16 square meters)
Designer: Nicole Whitehorn of Waterview Kitchens
General contractor: Ruck Walsh of Accurate Building Contractors
Before: Kyle and Rachel Pintarelli purchased their Tequesta, Florida, home because of its stunning views of an intracoastal waterway. But its dated kitchen needed a major renovation. A large partition wall and a raised peninsula cut the kitchen off from the nearby living room, and the plain white aesthetic lacked personality.
The couple wanted an open kitchen that reflected their home’s coastal setting. They also wanted a design that would be safe for their 3-year-old daughter, Emma. “The big thing was I couldn’t see my daughter,” Rachel says. “We were trying to keep our eyes on her and it was difficult.”
The homeowners brought in kitchen designer Nicole Whitehorn and contractor Ruck Walsh to create a modern, family-friendly kitchen with clear sightlines to the living room and the beautiful coastal views.
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