Before and After: 4 Welcoming Green, White and Wood Kitchens

1. Earthy Green and Soft White

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of four
Location: St. Charles, Illinois
Size: 352 square feet (about 33 square meters); 16 by 22 feet
Designers: Laura Irion and Laura Peacock of Laura Design (interior design) and Wendy Franz of Studio 912 (cabinet design)
Contractors: Matt Coan and Mark Thill of Streamline Craftsman

Before: A poor layout, old cabinets and unsuitable lighting meant this family kitchen in the Chicago suburbs was no longer up to the job. The island was too small and had no useful storage, and the owners disliked the soffit and can lights. The peninsula formed a barrier between the kitchen and dining area.

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After: The new kitchen follows a similar layout, minus the peninsula and with numerous improvements. Laura Irion and Laura Peacock of Laura Design, whom the homeowners found on Houzz, along with kitchen designer Wendy Franz of Studio 912, chose timeless inset cabinet doors, which immediately upraded the look.

The team paired white upper cabinets with gray-green lower ones. “I think that was just a really neat way to have a hit of color and some colored cabinetry without feeling like it was scary,” says Irion, who used Houzz Pro software throughout the process for proposals and invoices. A hand-painted terra-cotta tile backsplash in the new arched stove alcove unites the green and white beautifully.

The alder wood island features open storage on the end to create an attractive view from the dining area. Shallow (4-inch) ceiling beams stained to match the island add decoration, while white and gold pendant lights that complement the cabinetry replace the can lights.

StarMark cabinet colors: maple in Marshmallow Cream (uppers), maple in Moon Bay (lowers), alder with Oregano stain (island)

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Before: The old kitchen didn’t have a designated spot for trash and recycling, a particular irritation. The backsplash tile could no longer be sealed, so the grout looked terrible.

After: The team installed the longed-for pullout for trash and recycling to the left of the new apron sink. Handmade zellige tile in pale beige tones replaced the previous dark backsplash.

Open wood shelves that complement the island give a lighter look than the previously solid upper cabinets and offer a chance for display as well as storage.

Tile: Casablanca, 2 by 6 inches, Zia Tile

Read more about this kitchen remodel

2. Deep Olive and Warm Oak

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: An empty-nest couple
Location: Bloomington, Minnesota
Size: 170 square feet (about 16 square meters)
Designers: Amy Jants, Alisa Dragt-Hoffman and Katie Slick of McDonald Remodeling

Before: The original kitchen in this 1942 house could be summed up as worn and cramped, and it certainly wasn’t making the most of the spectacular Minnesota River Valley views. The wall on the right separated the kitchen from the living room, and the peninsula chopped up the space.

After: The homeowners asked designers Amy Jants, Alisa Dragt-Hoffman and Katie Slick of McDonald Remodeling to create an airy, sophisticated entertaining hub. To do that, the team removed the wall between the kitchen and the living space and built a vaulted-ceiling addition, foreground, to create an eat-in kitchen and family room.

Though the space has an open floor plan, the designers gave the kitchen a strong identity with flat-panel white oak and dark green cabinets that complement the home’s surrounding woodlands. “We went with colors inspired by nature,” Jants says. “Green is also a time-tested comfort color.” Three brass-and-onyx pendant lights further delineate the area.

Matte black cabinet pulls add a modern, graphic touch, while creamy tonal porcelain tile and a white refrigerator break up the darker shades. A terra-cotta niche holding mugs brings in a bold, warm touch that links with built-ins in the dining area.

Cabinet paint: Dark Olive, Benjamin Moore; nook paint: Cavern Clay, Sherwin-Williams; backsplash: Coco collection in Canvas, Ceramic Tileworks

Before: This little eating nook in the old kitchen was the only dining space in the home. The laminate countertop and ceramic tile floor were worn.

After: There’s now room for a large dining table, with chairs upholstered in colors that echo the kitchen palette. Red oak flooring unifies the open floor plan. Two tall pullouts, largely used to store small appliances, are on the right.

The island countertop has two heights. The standard-height white quartz section extends into a seating area, and a raised section topped with dark gray quartz screens the sink and makes a good spot for serving drinks and appetizers.

The island has plenty of storage, with nine drawers on the living area side, and a dishwasher, two cabinets and a 24-inch pullout for trash, recycling and organic waste on the kitchen side. As a final touch, the island legs sit on acrylic globes. “They’re different and an uncommon decorative element,” Jants says. “They’re like salt. They season the design.”

Read more about this kitchen remodel

After: Having searched Houzz for inspiration, the owners hired designer Britt Mee and builder Bill Wockenfuss to create a brighter and more open space for cooking and entertaining.

With the old cabinets, appliances, surfaces and, crucially, peninsula removed, the team redesigned the space with a far better layout. “Having the island instead of the peninsula allows the flow to be a lot more natural and allows those lake views,” Mee says.

The green-blue island complements the water outside and creates a focal point against the white perimeter cabinets. The once dark and dented wall paneling has been repaired and painted in a warm greige.

The pine ceiling has been refinished and paired with rustic pine flooring to keep the warmth of the wood. The natural surrounds on the upgraded windows and door link the two surfaces.

The polished white marble-look quartz countertops and backsplash contain gold and rust veining that ties in with the wood tones.

Island paint: Composed, Sherwin-Williams; wall paint: Grége Avenue, Benjamin Moore

After: Lorber removed the walls between the kitchen and dining room and the kitchen and family room to open up the space. To make up for the loss of the dining room, she designed a 4-by-10-foot island with seating on three sides.

The owner’s desire to have green in the kitchen determined the color palette, with an energetic hue covering the island base. It’s combined with white cabinets and wooden elements in the butcher block countertop, range hood and open shelves.

Lorber moved the sink out of the corner and placed floating shelves over it for a more open feel. A mosaic tile backsplash in white and gray-green links the island and cabinets.

Island paint: Rookwood Jade, Sherwin-Williams