Kitchen of the Week: Bold Black Style With Nods to ‘Star Wars’
A designer helps a young couple create an open kitchen with a large island and a dramatic look with fun sci-fi roots
This young Detroit couple with a baby on the way bought a condo in their building with more space for their growing family. But the unit’s small, brown-heavy kitchen lacked openness, style and energy. The couple wanted a more modern and airy kitchen that reflected their vibrant but laid-back personalities, as well as their mutual love of Star Wars.
For help, the couple turned to designer Rachel Nelson and her team at Concetti. Nelson removed walls and expanded the footprint by 140 square feet, creating room for a large island with seating. She channeled the couple’s sci-fi leanings with a bold, futuristic yet elegant style that combines black walls, cabinets and countertops with accents of blue, white and gold.
A keen Star Wars fan can’t help but see the connections to George Lucas’ classic films in the kitchen’s subtle details. The black-and-blue color scheme is reminiscent of the interiors of the movies’ spaceships. A circular brass range hood recalls the droid C-3PO. The shape of a mirror conjures images of the droid R2-D2. And even to someone who isn’t a Star Wars buff, it’s clear the style force is strong with this one.
For help, the couple turned to designer Rachel Nelson and her team at Concetti. Nelson removed walls and expanded the footprint by 140 square feet, creating room for a large island with seating. She channeled the couple’s sci-fi leanings with a bold, futuristic yet elegant style that combines black walls, cabinets and countertops with accents of blue, white and gold.
A keen Star Wars fan can’t help but see the connections to George Lucas’ classic films in the kitchen’s subtle details. The black-and-blue color scheme is reminiscent of the interiors of the movies’ spaceships. A circular brass range hood recalls the droid C-3PO. The shape of a mirror conjures images of the droid R2-D2. And even to someone who isn’t a Star Wars buff, it’s clear the style force is strong with this one.
After: Nelson stripped the kitchen, removed the peninsula and partition and took down the walls separating the breakfast area. She then expanded the kitchen footprint into the breakfast area to add 140 square feet and create room for a large central island. The island is “centered in the kitchen and unifies both sides of the kitchen,” Nelson says. “It also gives them prep space, creates an eat-in kitchen and gives them a way to entertain too.”
The range in this photo sits in about the same place as the previous photo. The sink also stayed in the same location, while the refrigerator moved across the room. Dramatic black cabinetry with slab doors and drawer fronts have black half circle pulls. “Our whole thought was that we didn’t want something that would draw attraction,” Nelson says. “Black-on-black hardware allows for a subtle statement that doesn’t take away from the graphic black-and-white tiles on the island.”
True black walls (Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams) with a cool white ceiling (Extra White by Sherwin-Williams) echo the graphic porcelain island tile as well as the dramatic black quartz with white veining used for the countertops and backsplash. “Contrary to popular belief, dark colors in a small space can actually make spaces feel bigger,” Nelson says. “We also wanted to unify quite a few things. We wanted it to feel like one big kitchen. I love the stark white veins.”
The cylindrical brass range hood recalls Star Wars‘ gold droid, C-3PO. Artwork features pops of blue that coordinate with blue velvet stools and bring to mind the moon of Endor, the Ewok-inhabited forest planet in the Return of the Jedi film.
Cabinetry: KraftMaid; stools: Tres in navy, Meridian Furniture; art: Maven I Wall Accent, Rag Paper and Maven II Wall Accent, Rag Paper, Renwil; sconces over art: Yorker, Renwil
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The range in this photo sits in about the same place as the previous photo. The sink also stayed in the same location, while the refrigerator moved across the room. Dramatic black cabinetry with slab doors and drawer fronts have black half circle pulls. “Our whole thought was that we didn’t want something that would draw attraction,” Nelson says. “Black-on-black hardware allows for a subtle statement that doesn’t take away from the graphic black-and-white tiles on the island.”
True black walls (Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams) with a cool white ceiling (Extra White by Sherwin-Williams) echo the graphic porcelain island tile as well as the dramatic black quartz with white veining used for the countertops and backsplash. “Contrary to popular belief, dark colors in a small space can actually make spaces feel bigger,” Nelson says. “We also wanted to unify quite a few things. We wanted it to feel like one big kitchen. I love the stark white veins.”
The cylindrical brass range hood recalls Star Wars‘ gold droid, C-3PO. Artwork features pops of blue that coordinate with blue velvet stools and bring to mind the moon of Endor, the Ewok-inhabited forest planet in the Return of the Jedi film.
Cabinetry: KraftMaid; stools: Tres in navy, Meridian Furniture; art: Maven I Wall Accent, Rag Paper and Maven II Wall Accent, Rag Paper, Renwil; sconces over art: Yorker, Renwil
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The black finishes continue on the refrigerator wall. The stainless steel smart counter-depth French-door refrigerator has an uninterrupted exterior, an internal water dispenser and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Low-gloss, wood-look luxury vinyl flooring in wide planks gives the young family a stain- and scratch-resistant surface that adds visual warmth. “We needed a really quick turnaround because the baby was on the way, so we went with something readily available and in stock,” Nelson says.
Ten exposed light cords that run along the ceiling to a blue-painted hallway recall interior shots of spaceships in Star Wars. The ceiling is concrete, and the corded design allowed the team to add extra lights throughout the home.
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Low-gloss, wood-look luxury vinyl flooring in wide planks gives the young family a stain- and scratch-resistant surface that adds visual warmth. “We needed a really quick turnaround because the baby was on the way, so we went with something readily available and in stock,” Nelson says.
Ten exposed light cords that run along the ceiling to a blue-painted hallway recall interior shots of spaceships in Star Wars. The ceiling is concrete, and the corded design allowed the team to add extra lights throughout the home.
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A cabinet door to the left of the fridge leads to a hidden walk-in pantry, which Nelson created by taking over a hallway closet. Inside is also a beverage and wine refrigerator and a microwave.
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The modern cobalt blue pendant lights above the island feature solid brass construction, LED bulbs and integrated high-clarity acrylic discs. “They wanted to make sure they had ample light but not block their view,” Nelson says. “They have floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room.” The two-tiered pendants bring to mind the platforms seen during the famous Cloud City duel in The Empire Strikes Back. The updated kitchen also includes new LED recessed ceiling lights.
Pendant lights: Color Bling in cobalt blue, Dutton Brown Design
Pendant lights: Color Bling in cobalt blue, Dutton Brown Design
To the left of the range, an undermount stainless steel sink pairs with a semi-pro pull-down spring faucet in a matte black finish. An arched mirror gives the appearance of more space. “Especially in a dark kitchen like this, the mirror reflects light and is an optical illusion,” Nelson says. “It really does help a lot.” The mirror’s shape also brings to mind the Star Wars droid R2-D2. A black dishwasher sits to the left of the sink.
Faucet: Studio S Semi-Pro in matte black, American Standard
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Faucet: Studio S Semi-Pro in matte black, American Standard
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On the dishwasher is another homage to Star Wars. A magnet indicating when to load or unload the dishwasher says “Dirty” on one side, beneath an image of Darth Vader.
When the wash cycle is finished, the magnet can be flipped to show the word “Clean” along with an illustration of Grogu. “When I walked in and saw this, I laughed because it’s so them,” Nelson says. “They were super brave to stand with their authentic taste and not worry about what they should or shouldn’t do.”
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An upgraded 30-inch smart slide-in gas range with convection oven has sleek style and an edge-to-edge cooktop with six versatile burners. The cylindrical brass range hood creates a focal point. “We wanted to do something that was dynamic with the shape,” Nelson says. “From a design standpoint, we did strong shapes. Everything from the island tile to the art is playing with shapes. This range with unique hood was also an alternative to a statement backsplash.” Nearby, a pair of decorative brass hands bolster the reference to C-3PO.
Cylinder brass range hood: Olivia 2.0, Amoretti Brothers
Cylinder brass range hood: Olivia 2.0, Amoretti Brothers
Before: This floor plan of the home’s former layout shows the cramped kitchen at the bottom, just right of center. Walls separated the kitchen from a mostly unused breakfast area (bottom center). The breakfast area and a hallway closet (bottom, left of center) presented an opportunity to expand.
After: Removing walls and pushing the kitchen into the breakfast area created room for the new island (bottom middle) that sits between the now open kitchen and living room (upper middle). The new hidden walk-in pantry is at the lower middle left. “It went from this teeny, tiny kitchen to this dream kitchen,” Nelson says. “We love that we broke the mold and figured out a more efficient floor plan that will support this young family while also honoring their authentic style.”
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with a baby
Location: Detroit
Size: 225 square feet (21 square meters)
Designer: Rachel Nelson of Concetti
Before: The former 85-square-foot kitchen had dated cherry cabinets, black granite countertops and black appliances. A peninsula and a two-wall partition on the left divided the space from the living room. Walls separated it from an unused breakfast area.
“Walking into this condo, I noticed how the floor plan shoved the kitchen into the corner,” Nelson says. “It was the tightest working triangle I had seen. The first thing to figure out was how to stretch the kitchen. We wanted to make the space more family-friendly, since they were welcoming their first child. They also needed space where they could entertain.”