Before and After: 4 Uplifting Blue, White and Wood Kitchens
Chase away cooking space doldrums with shades of ocean and sky paired with classic colors
We all know how beautifully wood and white can work together in a kitchen. But when you want an even livelier and more personal design, adding a splash of color is just the thing. With spring in mind, we’ve plucked four kitchens that have a white-and-wood base boosted by breath-of-fresh-air blues — designs that will go on lifting spirits long after the last spring blossom is gone.
After: Nguyen and her team knocked down a wall and expanded the kitchen into an unneeded powder room, adding 34 square feet. This made room for an island with plenty of space between it and the cabinets for easy flow. The back of the island has a built-in bench next to a dining table and chairs.
Powder blue cabinets set an uplifting coastal tone, with the color carried through to the bench cushion, metal chairs and subtly patterned marble mosaic backsplash tile. Bright white upper cabinets and walls, white oak cabinets and island base and red oak flooring in a light matte finish cede the spotlight to the blue features.
Cabinets: EHL Kitchens; cabinet paint: Yarmouth Blue (lower) and Moonlight White (upper), both by Benjamin Moore; chairs: distressed green-blue metal indoor-outdoor stackable, Flash Furniture
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Powder blue cabinets set an uplifting coastal tone, with the color carried through to the bench cushion, metal chairs and subtly patterned marble mosaic backsplash tile. Bright white upper cabinets and walls, white oak cabinets and island base and red oak flooring in a light matte finish cede the spotlight to the blue features.
Cabinets: EHL Kitchens; cabinet paint: Yarmouth Blue (lower) and Moonlight White (upper), both by Benjamin Moore; chairs: distressed green-blue metal indoor-outdoor stackable, Flash Furniture
Read more about this project
Photos from Tara Lenney Design
2. Calm and Bright
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Ken and Nikki Gill and their middle school twins
Location: Dallas
Size: 400 square feet (37 square meters)
Designer: Tara Lenney Design
Builder: David Marcus of DSM Construction
Before: A plethora of one-note beige cabinets left this Dallas kitchen with a humdrum feel, while dark tile, countertops and flooring seemed to consume the limited natural light. The layout wasn’t working for the homeowners either, so they brought in designer Tara Lenney to give the kitchen a brighter and more stylish look and a better-functioning setup.
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2. Calm and Bright
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Ken and Nikki Gill and their middle school twins
Location: Dallas
Size: 400 square feet (37 square meters)
Designer: Tara Lenney Design
Builder: David Marcus of DSM Construction
Before: A plethora of one-note beige cabinets left this Dallas kitchen with a humdrum feel, while dark tile, countertops and flooring seemed to consume the limited natural light. The layout wasn’t working for the homeowners either, so they brought in designer Tara Lenney to give the kitchen a brighter and more stylish look and a better-functioning setup.
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After: Lenney first added space by getting rid of the soffit and peninsula, raising the ceiling by a foot, altering some wall portions and expanding the kitchen into the former breakfast area. That allowed for a generously sized island with seating, plenty of storage and an induction cooktop. She also rearranged the appliance layout, added counter space and enlarged the window.
Next came an aesthetic makeover starring soft and soothing blues against a clean white-and-wood backdrop. The island base is a contemporary blue-gray, the pendant lights are in a color called Pool, and the island stool color is Ocean Blue. Even the backsplash was pulled into the act, with blue-gray grout between the geometric white tiles.
Island paint: Blustery Sky, Sherwin-Williams; island stools: Domino in Ocean Blue, Industry West; pendant lights: Ray in Pool, 17 inches, Schoolhouse
Learn more about this makeover
Next came an aesthetic makeover starring soft and soothing blues against a clean white-and-wood backdrop. The island base is a contemporary blue-gray, the pendant lights are in a color called Pool, and the island stool color is Ocean Blue. Even the backsplash was pulled into the act, with blue-gray grout between the geometric white tiles.
Island paint: Blustery Sky, Sherwin-Williams; island stools: Domino in Ocean Blue, Industry West; pendant lights: Ray in Pool, 17 inches, Schoolhouse
Learn more about this makeover
“After” photos by Abigail Jackson
3. Fresh Take
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with two kids
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Size: 363 square feet (34 square meters), including a breakfast nook
Designer: Kristyn Bock
Before: While this North Carolina kitchen worked well enough, the homeowners disliked its dated and flavorless look, two-tiered island, low-hung cabinets and other elements. They hired designer Kristyn Bock to create a bright and timeless design that better suited their tastes.
3. Fresh Take
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with two kids
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Size: 363 square feet (34 square meters), including a breakfast nook
Designer: Kristyn Bock
Before: While this North Carolina kitchen worked well enough, the homeowners disliked its dated and flavorless look, two-tiered island, low-hung cabinets and other elements. They hired designer Kristyn Bock to create a bright and timeless design that better suited their tastes.
After: Bock kept the kitchen’s footprint but updated everything else. The cabinets, walls, countertops, island and dining table are a clean white; the ash flooring was refinished in a darker stain; the island stools have mahogany legs and seagrass backs; and the glossy backsplash tiles are various shades of blue. Other shades of blue pop up in the decorative items.
Paint: Simply White (cabinets and island base), Calm (walls) and Oxford White (trim), all by Benjamin Moore; main backsplash tile: Peat, Wizard Enterprise
Learn more about this remodel
Paint: Simply White (cabinets and island base), Calm (walls) and Oxford White (trim), all by Benjamin Moore; main backsplash tile: Peat, Wizard Enterprise
Learn more about this remodel
“After” photos by Thomas Kuoh Photography
4. In the Navy
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: Deep red-brown cabinets amid a sea of beige tile made for a fusty look in this Northern California kitchen, and the stainless steel appliances struck a dissonant note. The homeowners wanted something more vibrant and youthful, as well as better storage, and called in designer Jennifer Wundrow for the makeover.
4. In the Navy
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: Deep red-brown cabinets amid a sea of beige tile made for a fusty look in this Northern California kitchen, and the stainless steel appliances struck a dissonant note. The homeowners wanted something more vibrant and youthful, as well as better storage, and called in designer Jennifer Wundrow for the makeover.
After: The completely redone kitchen is buoyed by fresh coastal style. A navy blue island acts as the focal point, set off by walls, cabinets and a ceiling in a warm off-white. Engineered oak flooring, a woven window shade and woven rattan counter stool backs enhance the warmth and bring in organic touches. And geometric white backsplash tiles with a dark gray grout add a lively note.
Gone are the clashing stainless steel appliances. The new refrigerator is paneled in white, the range hood is white with a wood band for warmth and interest, and the cooktop metal is minimized by a white cabinet below.
Paint: Hudson Bay (island) and White Dove (walls, ceiling and perimeter cabinets), both by Benjamin Moore; backsplash: Half Hex in white, Heath Ceramics
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Gone are the clashing stainless steel appliances. The new refrigerator is paneled in white, the range hood is white with a wood band for warmth and interest, and the cooktop metal is minimized by a white cabinet below.
Paint: Hudson Bay (island) and White Dove (walls, ceiling and perimeter cabinets), both by Benjamin Moore; backsplash: Half Hex in white, Heath Ceramics
Read more about this transformation
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
1. Coastal Delight
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple and their son and dog
Location: Milford, Connecticut
Size: 130 square feet (12 square meters)
Designer: Lana Nguyen of Design by the Jonathans
Before: Wood cabinets from the 1990s, along with beige tile flooring and brown granite countertops, gave this Connecticut kitchen a bland look. Plus, the U-shaped layout didn’t make the most of the space’s 96 square feet. The homeowners tapped designer Lana Nguyen to give them a bigger kitchen with a more functional layout and a breezy look.
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