Dark Cramped Kitchen Opens Up With a Blue-and-White Palette
A New Jersey couple gets a brighter, better-organized kitchen with an indigo island and full-height cabinetry
When a Lumberton, New Jersey, couple decided it was time to overhaul their cramped, dark kitchen, they came in with a clear wish list: more light, smarter storage, upgraded appliances — and plenty of blue. What they needed was someone to pull it all together. They found that in designer Anne van de Rijn.
The overall footprint stayed intact, but a few strategic moves transformed how the space works. Removing a built-in desk and relocating a double wall oven to the pantry-and-refrigerator wall freed up room for a more intuitive, user-friendly flow. Soft white cabinetry keeps things bright and airy, while an indigo island delivers the couple’s beloved color in a bold, grounding way, adding depth and personality in equal measure. Authentic blue zellige tile on the backsplash bridges the two tones beautifully, playing off new White Ice granite countertops that carry subtle veins of deep blue. The original red oak flooring brings warmth and continuity, tying the whole room together.
The overall footprint stayed intact, but a few strategic moves transformed how the space works. Removing a built-in desk and relocating a double wall oven to the pantry-and-refrigerator wall freed up room for a more intuitive, user-friendly flow. Soft white cabinetry keeps things bright and airy, while an indigo island delivers the couple’s beloved color in a bold, grounding way, adding depth and personality in equal measure. Authentic blue zellige tile on the backsplash bridges the two tones beautifully, playing off new White Ice granite countertops that carry subtle veins of deep blue. The original red oak flooring brings warmth and continuity, tying the whole room together.
After: The remodel started fresh — every appliance, cabinet, and counter and the island were removed to make way for a brighter, harder-working kitchen. Soft white cabinetry now runs all the way to the 9-foot ceiling, maximizing storage and keeping clutter off the counters. “We redesigned the kitchen to have full-height cabinets with organizational pullouts,” van de Rijn says. “We stacked the cabinets and added some glass cabinets to highlight some of the homeowners’ collectibles.”
The new island is where style and function really converge. Its indigo finish makes an immediate statement, while the layout earns the island’s keep: Storage cabinets line the seating side, and a microwave drawer, a wine cooler and additional storage are tucked into the other. “We increased the size of the island but didn’t do a dramatic change,” van de Rijn says. “We did make it deeper to increase the width of the cabinet space, which gave more storage and function.”
Zellige tiles in a 2½-by-8-inch size bring the blue of the island to the full-height backsplash, their natural variation in tone giving the surface a handcrafted depth. Layered lighting completes the picture. Champagne-bronze pendants with obscured glass hang over the island, sconces anchor the sink wall, and LED ceiling lights — some added — keep the whole space evenly bright. “One unique feature was that we installed multicolored lighting in the glass cabinets so [the homeowners] can change the color for each season,” van de Rijn says.The refinished red oak floor anchors the room in warmth.
Cabinetry: Frosty White and Regent Blue, Conestoga Wood Specialties; wall paint: Woodstock Tan, Benjamin Moore
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The new island is where style and function really converge. Its indigo finish makes an immediate statement, while the layout earns the island’s keep: Storage cabinets line the seating side, and a microwave drawer, a wine cooler and additional storage are tucked into the other. “We increased the size of the island but didn’t do a dramatic change,” van de Rijn says. “We did make it deeper to increase the width of the cabinet space, which gave more storage and function.”
Zellige tiles in a 2½-by-8-inch size bring the blue of the island to the full-height backsplash, their natural variation in tone giving the surface a handcrafted depth. Layered lighting completes the picture. Champagne-bronze pendants with obscured glass hang over the island, sconces anchor the sink wall, and LED ceiling lights — some added — keep the whole space evenly bright. “One unique feature was that we installed multicolored lighting in the glass cabinets so [the homeowners] can change the color for each season,” van de Rijn says.The refinished red oak floor anchors the room in warmth.
Cabinetry: Frosty White and Regent Blue, Conestoga Wood Specialties; wall paint: Woodstock Tan, Benjamin Moore
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White Ice granite countertops anchor the color story with a bright white and pale steel-gray base shot through with subtle veins of dark blue. The granite “has just a hint of blue to tie the counter to the cabinets,” van de Rijn says.
The sink wall got a quiet but meaningful upgrade. A single-bowl workstation sink has been paired with a pull-down faucet in champagne bronze, a finish that ties back to the cabinet hardware throughout. An unobstructed window above floods the area with natural light and frames a view of the backyard and pool. Flanking the sink are a new stainless dishwasher to the left and a pullout trash-and-recycling cabinet to the right.
Before and After: 4 Bright Kitchens in 215 to 300 Square Feet
The sink wall got a quiet but meaningful upgrade. A single-bowl workstation sink has been paired with a pull-down faucet in champagne bronze, a finish that ties back to the cabinet hardware throughout. An unobstructed window above floods the area with natural light and frames a view of the backyard and pool. Flanking the sink are a new stainless dishwasher to the left and a pullout trash-and-recycling cabinet to the right.
Before and After: 4 Bright Kitchens in 215 to 300 Square Feet
Set into the counter and flush with it, a 36-inch frameless black glass induction cooktop disappears quietly into the surface. Pullouts flanking the cooktop keep utensils, oils and spices within easy reach, while deep drawers below handle pots and pans. A custom brushed stainless hood commands attention without overwhelming the space. “We needed it tall because of the ceiling,” van de Rijn says. “This was simple and gave a sleek look without being overdone. It gives the space character and a little pop.”
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The interior side of the island packs in serious utility without sacrificing the clean look. A convection microwave drawer and 24-inch wine cooler have been positioned with purpose: The microwave is close to the cooking zone, and the wine cooler is close to the table. A slim cabinet between the two appliances handles the awkward stuff — cookie sheets, cutting boards and other tall items — while a drawer below the microwave corrals serving platters.
10 Kitchen Islands as Hardworking as They Are Handsome
10 Kitchen Islands as Hardworking as They Are Handsome
Eliminating the old desk area opened up a landing spot for the new 30-inch double convection smart electric wall oven, freeing up counter workspace on both sides of the cooktop in the process. Between the oven and a new 36-inch French-door smart refrigerator, a large pantry cabinet with interior rollouts keeps dry goods and small appliances close at hand.
The storage thinking here goes well beyond square footage. “Function was extremely important, so we took extra care with organization and layout,” van de Rijn says. “We considered every cabinet so that all of the kitchen accessories had a proper home. I made sure to include an electrical outlet inside the pantry, so [the homeowners] can plug in their toaster or blender and it remains in a cabinet at all times. You simply roll out the drawer when using it, and roll it right back. Being that it’s just the two of them, there’s plenty of storage.” Upper cabinets handle seasonal and oversize items, while a two-sided pantry pullout to the right of the refrigerator keeps everyday food supplies visible and organized.
The storage thinking here goes well beyond square footage. “Function was extremely important, so we took extra care with organization and layout,” van de Rijn says. “We considered every cabinet so that all of the kitchen accessories had a proper home. I made sure to include an electrical outlet inside the pantry, so [the homeowners] can plug in their toaster or blender and it remains in a cabinet at all times. You simply roll out the drawer when using it, and roll it right back. Being that it’s just the two of them, there’s plenty of storage.” Upper cabinets handle seasonal and oversize items, while a two-sided pantry pullout to the right of the refrigerator keeps everyday food supplies visible and organized.
This view captures what the redesign is really about: a kitchen that flows easily into the breakfast area and, beyond the French doors, out to the patio and pool. “The kitchen went from the darker and warm tones to this bright, open space that opens up the room so much more,” van de Rijn says. “It’s happy to live in.”
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Lumberton, New Jersey
Size: 204 square feet (19 square meters)
Design-build team: Anne van de Rijn (designer) and Nick Zizzamia (project manager) of Cipriani Remodeling Solutions
Before: The former kitchen felt stuck in time. Short, dark wood cabinets — none reaching the ceiling — made the space feel low and cave-like, and creamy beige solid-surface counters did little to lift things. Storage was a constant frustration. “The kitchen was beautiful in its day,” designer Anne van de Rijn says. “I knew it was a quality kitchen when they originally did it, but it needed to be brightened up.”
The island was a particular pain point — slender, matching the dark perimeter cabinetry, with seating for just two and storage on only one side. A pair of small pendants hung too low overhead. The sink location worked, but across from it a refrigerator shared a wall with a built-in desk that had long since stopped functioning as one. “The desk was the first thing you hit when you came in from the garage, so it became a landing space for clutter,” van de Rijn says.
The cooking wall was equally cramped: Two wall ovens squeezed in on either side of a gas cooktop left almost no counter workspace, and a microwave mounted above the cooktop couldn’t properly ventilate the space. “And it just wasn’t pretty,” van de Rijn says. One bright spot the homeowners wanted to keep: the red oak floor, which they knew would bring warmth to whatever came next.