Cozy, Quietly Stylish Kitchen Made for Family Life
Custom cabinets, a new island and luxe stone turn this once-dated space into a bright and functional hub
When the owners of this 2002 traditional rambler in Shakopee, Minnesota, wanted to refresh their beige-and-brown kitchen with its short cabinets and angled peninsula, they turned to design-build pros Steve McDonald and Angela Barnhart. With a large blended family of six young adults and another home in Florida, the owners had a clear vision. “They wanted their Minnesota home to feel more cozy, updated and modern,” Barnhart says.
A simple refresh wouldn’t cut it. The team recommended a full cabinet replacement and key layout changes to deliver a truly transformative space. Removing the awkward peninsula made way for a new island with custom rift-cut white oak cabinetry, adding seating, storage and better flow. Perimeter cabinets painted a warm neutral stretch to the ceiling, creating depth and contrast. A refinished wood floor, upgraded appliances and striking Mona Lisa granite for the countertops and backsplash complete the brighter, more sophisticated kitchen that now meets the demands of modern family life.
A simple refresh wouldn’t cut it. The team recommended a full cabinet replacement and key layout changes to deliver a truly transformative space. Removing the awkward peninsula made way for a new island with custom rift-cut white oak cabinetry, adding seating, storage and better flow. Perimeter cabinets painted a warm neutral stretch to the ceiling, creating depth and contrast. A refinished wood floor, upgraded appliances and striking Mona Lisa granite for the countertops and backsplash complete the brighter, more sophisticated kitchen that now meets the demands of modern family life.
Before Photo
After: The design-build team removed the old appliances, cabinets, countertops and angled peninsula, opening the space for a more functional layout. With the peninsula gone, a spacious 9-by-4½-foot island now anchors the kitchen, offering seating, storage and improved circulation. “They entertain a lot and we wanted to have a focal point in the kitchen that was functional and beautiful,” Barnhart says. “It’s a workhorse in this kitchen.”
The range and refrigerator stayed in place, while a new 30-inch electric oven and built-in convection microwave moved to the opposite end of the range wall. “This allowed for more natural light to enter the space, make the kitchen feel more open and have better workflow overall,” Barnhart says.
Perimeter cabinetry in a warm neutral (Natural Cream by Benjamin Moore) stretches to the ceiling, maximizing storage with clean, modern lines. “It’s the perfect color choice to lighten the space without the starkness of a true white kitchen,” Barnhart says.
The island’s base features custom rift-cut white oak cabinetry with a custom stain that adds warmth, depth and organic texture. Creamy off-white walls (Shoji White by Sherwin-Williams) create a welcoming backdrop that highlights the cabinets and the maple floor, refinished to a lighter, natural maple tone. “We tried to bring it to what natural maple looks like,” Barnhart says.
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The range and refrigerator stayed in place, while a new 30-inch electric oven and built-in convection microwave moved to the opposite end of the range wall. “This allowed for more natural light to enter the space, make the kitchen feel more open and have better workflow overall,” Barnhart says.
Perimeter cabinetry in a warm neutral (Natural Cream by Benjamin Moore) stretches to the ceiling, maximizing storage with clean, modern lines. “It’s the perfect color choice to lighten the space without the starkness of a true white kitchen,” Barnhart says.
The island’s base features custom rift-cut white oak cabinetry with a custom stain that adds warmth, depth and organic texture. Creamy off-white walls (Shoji White by Sherwin-Williams) create a welcoming backdrop that highlights the cabinets and the maple floor, refinished to a lighter, natural maple tone. “We tried to bring it to what natural maple looks like,” Barnhart says.
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Upholstered wood stools provide casual seating at the island. Open shelves on one end keep cookbooks within easy reach. A contemporary LED pendant light in a natural aged brass finish hangs above, illuminating the space and serving as a stylish focal point. “We looked at a bunch of different lighting options,” Barnhart says. “She fell in love with it. It was the perfect scale for this space and gave them that modern feel they were going for.”
Undercabinet LED strips and new recessed ceiling lights round out the kitchen’s lighting. (The latter were digitally removed from these photos to let other design details shine.) Off to the left, a cozy seating area doubles as a reading nook, with its built-in bookcase refinished to match the kitchen and windows that look out to the backyard.
Light fixture: Blossom LED pendant, ET2
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Undercabinet LED strips and new recessed ceiling lights round out the kitchen’s lighting. (The latter were digitally removed from these photos to let other design details shine.) Off to the left, a cozy seating area doubles as a reading nook, with its built-in bookcase refinished to match the kitchen and windows that look out to the backyard.
Light fixture: Blossom LED pendant, ET2
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The island includes a 32-inch granite composite sink in soft white with a roomy single bowl, perfect for maneuvering large pots and pans. Its pull-down faucet offers a two-function spray head and docking technology. “The existing plumbing from the peninsula was nearby, so it made moving it to the new island not too expensive,” Barnhart says.
On the cooking wall, a 36-inch gas range with four burners and an infrared griddle takes center stage. The hood, seamlessly integrated with the surrounding cabinetry, includes an LED-lit insert and a powerful blower to keep smoke and odors contained. Glass-front upper cabinets flank the range, brightening the back wall while providing display space for favorite dishes and glassware.
Faucet: Components in vibrant polished nickel, Kohler
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On the cooking wall, a 36-inch gas range with four burners and an infrared griddle takes center stage. The hood, seamlessly integrated with the surrounding cabinetry, includes an LED-lit insert and a powerful blower to keep smoke and odors contained. Glass-front upper cabinets flank the range, brightening the back wall while providing display space for favorite dishes and glassware.
Faucet: Components in vibrant polished nickel, Kohler
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Polished Mona Lisa granite covers the full-height backsplash, island and perimeter counters, adding sophistication and visual depth. Its creamy background is accented with intricate swirls of gray, gold and brown veining. “We went back and forth on a lot of different countertop options,” Barnhart says. “This creates a clean, modern flow and it’s just so pretty.”
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Open shelves integrated on either side of the range hood provide easy access to cooking essentials and everyday dishes. “It was an evolution,” Barnhart says. “We wanted to break up that giant wall of cabinetry and create a special moment. They’re easy to access so you can get to your plates and cups right there.”
The cabinet doors have round knobs and the drawers have large 9-inch pulls in polished nickel with subtle knurling. “There’s a subtle knurling detail on the faucet as well, and we wanted to carry that detail elsewhere in the kitchen,” Barnhart says.
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The cabinet doors have round knobs and the drawers have large 9-inch pulls in polished nickel with subtle knurling. “There’s a subtle knurling detail on the faucet as well, and we wanted to carry that detail elsewhere in the kitchen,” Barnhart says.
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Before Photo
Before: The angled peninsula made the kitchen feel boxed in, creating a traffic bottleneck. The white double sink in the peninsula added to the pinch. “The functionality of it was difficult, right in the prime area where people were gathering,” Barnhart says. An arched doorway to the dining room felt crowded by cabinetry on both sides. The arched doorway to the right leads to the home’s front entry.
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After: The new island improves circulation in and around the kitchen. On the refrigerator side, cabinetry stops a few inches short of the existing arched doorway, making it feel more open. “I did that to give more room in and out of the kitchen,” Barnhart says. “Plus you have heavily used appliances there with the oven and microwave. We didn’t lose much by doing that.”
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The side of the island facing the range houses a dishwasher, sink cabinet and a pullout trash and recycling center. A four-door smart French door refrigerator remains in the same spot as the previous fridge. “It logistically made sense there,” Barnhart says.
Large pantry cabinets beside the refrigerator feature pullouts for dry goods, bulk items and small appliances. An upper cabinet includes dividers for cookie sheets and baking pans. At this end of the island, an additional stool increases seating. “Just to maximize the number of people that can fit at the island at any time,” Barnhart says. “We also added legs on the island to make it feel big, inviting, custom and furniture-like.”
The more functional, open kitchen with abundant storage now provides a brighter space for cooking and gathering. “I think this project is a great example of what you can do with an existing space without moving any walls,” Barnhart says. “We were able to give them a kitchen that feels bigger, brighter and fresher.”
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The more functional, open kitchen with abundant storage now provides a brighter space for cooking and gathering. “I think this project is a great example of what you can do with an existing space without moving any walls,” Barnhart says. “We were able to give them a kitchen that feels bigger, brighter and fresher.”
More on Houzz
Read more stories
Browse photos for ideas
Find home professionals
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with a blended family that includes six young adult kids
Location: Shakopee, Minnesota
Size: 238 square feet (22 square meters)
Designers-builders: Steve McDonald and Angela Barnhart of White Birch Design
Before: The kitchen’s short cherry cabinets, beige walls and brown granite countertops made the space feel drab and dated. “They just wanted to add cabinets that go to the ceiling and add an island and paint everything, but that wasn’t solving problems for the kitchen itself,” Barnhart says.
The awkward angled peninsula with the sink cut the kitchen off from the family room. “You had to go all the way around the peninsula to get in and out of the kitchen,” Barnhart says. “When you entertain and have a bunch of people there, it becomes very difficult.”
A large stainless steel refrigerator jutted past the cabinetry, and a pair of wall ovens with a TV above them crowded the space even further. The homeowners liked the maple floor but not its dark stain, and they wanted to keep the charm of glass-front cabinets above the range wall in the updated design.