Kitchen of the Week: Bright and Cozy in White, Wood and Blue

“After” photos by Nystedt Photography

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with three grown sons
Location: Sudbury, Massachusetts
Size: 470 square feet (44 square meters)
Designer: Jodi Swartz of KitchenVisions (lead designer) and Tasha Young (technical designer) of Young & Co. Design
General contractor: Creative Home Improvements

Before: Stained wood cabinets and dark granite countertops gave the former kitchen a dark appearance. The slim island contained a cooktop, leaving virtually no work surface. A dropped ceiling over the island added to the cramped feel, as did the microwave, wall ovens and fridge crowded onto the back wall. Meanwhile, a vast expanse of beige tile flooring and beige backsplash tile dated the space and left it feeling cold.

A small black console on the right was the couple’s attempt to create a drop zone, but it often ended up cluttered and became an eyesore. The staircase leads up to the family room. A breakfast area with a table and chairs is out of view to the left.

After: Swartz removed the appliances, backsplash, cabinets, counters, dropped ceiling and flooring. She also reimagined the breakfast area as a small lounge with two armchairs near a fireplace. This allowed her to create a large island with seating for up to six people, which made up for the lost breakfast area. “That is now their area to eat,” Swartz says. Seating on two sides allows people to face each other. “I really like conversational seating,” Swartz says.

Custom European-style full-overlay maple cabinets with Shaker-style fronts and a classic white paint (White Dove by Benjamin Moore) helped instantly brighten the space. Robin’s-egg blue on the island (Hemlock by Benjamin Moore) coordinates with the new dual-fuel range on the left, as well as the blue backsplash tiles. Combining the formerly separated functions of cooktop and wall ovens into the range and adding a new microwave to the island allowed Swartz to position a new paneled refrigerator and storage on the back wall.

Black fridge panels, rattan bistro-style stools and a black custom range hood add touches of drama. “I wanted to make the kitchen a bit more edgy,” Swartz says. “I recommended we use the black as an accent color. I didn’t want the kitchen to look like an Easter egg. We also painted the banister on the stairs black, so it winked at the other black accents in the room.” New oak flooring and brass details add tons of warmth.

Paint colors: Natural Cream (walls) and Swiss Coffee (ceiling), Benjamin Moore

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A new 33-inch white fireclay apron-front sink sits beneath existing windows that overlook the backyard pool and patio. A pull-down faucet combines matte black and satin bronze finishes that coordinate with other details in the room. A paneled 24-inch dishwasher sits to the right of the sink. A glass-front upper cabinet lightens the expanse of corner cabinets. Glossy white ceramic tiles with bright white grout cover the walls countertop to ceiling, except behind the range.

The countertops are elegant European Mountain White Danby marble in a honed finish. “The Danby has a greenish vein going through it that looks amazing with those [island] cabinets,” Swartz says.

Faucet: Adams, Newport Brass

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The interior side of the island holds a 24-inch microwave drawer, storage cabinets with deep rollouts for small appliances and soft-close drawers for cutlery, napkins, place mats and serving pieces. A linear chandelier has five shaded lights and a hand-rubbed antique brass finish. The kitchen also includes new LED recessed ceiling lights.

Linear chandelier: Camille, Visual Comfort

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A built-in buffet replaces the small console cabinet. Upper cabinets feature glass fronts that keep things feeling light. An open cubby stores favorite cookbooks. “The base cabinets are a bit shallower there to give room for the island and to allow for the seating to be pulled out,” Swartz says.

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Before: This shot shows the former kitchen to the right and the breakfast area near French doors to a back deck. The homeowners and Swartz felt the space could be better put to use, especially since they already have a formal dining room.

With the island expanded, Swartz created a cozy lounge area in the former breakfast spot. Brushed teal velvet swivel club chairs complement the blue tones in the kitchen.

The fireplace wall has a natural stone veneer. “They wanted the kitchen to be a hangout space and this gives them a way to read a book in front of the fireplace and be a part of the kitchen,” Swartz says. “It just makes the kitchen much cozier.”

Fireplace stone: Connecticut Blend, Delgado Stone

Here’s a look at the new floor plan. The large island (center) offers seating and storage and helps with traffic flow. The sink and range wall (bottom center) sits across the kitchen from the new built-in buffet (upper center), located on a shared wall with a powder room Swartz also helped the couple update. “I always try to talk the clients into doing the powder room when they do the kitchen, as it is a great effort to get a contractor to come in to only renovate a powder room,” she says.

This comprehensive makeover has transformed how the couple feel about their kitchen. “They’re honestly the nicest people, and I was able to give them something that they can live in for many years and make memories in their home,” Swartz says.

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