Kitchen of the Week: Cheerful With Wood and Yellow Cabinets
A warm palette and improved storage inject personality and practicality into this once-bland space
For this couple — a construction project manager who loves woodworking and a teacher who loves crafts — their home’s basic blue, white and black kitchen lacked warmth and personality. To remedy that, they hired designer Dana Langreck, who worked within the same footprint while enlarging an opening between the kitchen and mudroom to gain some breathing room. Stained cherry and warm yellow cabinets create a cheerful look and feel. New natural maple flooring grounds the updated space in more warmth. Soapstone countertops add a bold touch.
After: Langreck removed the former materials and components but kept the refrigerator. The updated space follows the previous layout. “The only wall change we attempted was to trim around the opening between the kitchen and mudroom,” Langreck says. “We just tried to make the opening as wide as possible and drywall-wrapped it.”
Frameless cherry cabinets in a low-sheen stain and other wood details add a generous dose of warmth. The lower cabinets and new island are painted a warm yellow (Brittlebush by Sherwin-Williams). Langreck incorporated the existing refrigerator but built out tons of storage surrounding it and the nearby window. “By adding a pantry cabinet over by the window we were able to gain storage over there,” she says. “We now have the microwave inside that cabinet as well, since they don’t use it very frequently.”
The island includes additional storage and seating on three sides. “Wrapping the seating around made it more comfortable for conversation and freed up the end of the island toward the sink to act as prep space without a chair in the way,” Langreck says.
She designed the wood structure over the island that was built by the husband and stained to match the cherry cabinets. It features integrated LED lights. “The ceiling heights are different with that header running across, so it was a way to connect the two spaces together and illuminate the seating area,” Langreck says. A handmade yellow pendant light complements the cabinets. The ceiling also has new LED recessed lights.
Natural maple flooring was sanded and finished in place. “They originally tried to salvage the wood floor underneath the ceramic tile, but it had too many holes and needed to be replaced,” Langreck says. “We evened out the floor in the kitchen and mudroom so it’s all one level.”
Cabinetry: Hudson panel door style, cherry in Mission low-sheen stain, Dura Supreme Cabinetry; wall paint: Creamy, Sherwin-Williams
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Frameless cherry cabinets in a low-sheen stain and other wood details add a generous dose of warmth. The lower cabinets and new island are painted a warm yellow (Brittlebush by Sherwin-Williams). Langreck incorporated the existing refrigerator but built out tons of storage surrounding it and the nearby window. “By adding a pantry cabinet over by the window we were able to gain storage over there,” she says. “We now have the microwave inside that cabinet as well, since they don’t use it very frequently.”
The island includes additional storage and seating on three sides. “Wrapping the seating around made it more comfortable for conversation and freed up the end of the island toward the sink to act as prep space without a chair in the way,” Langreck says.
She designed the wood structure over the island that was built by the husband and stained to match the cherry cabinets. It features integrated LED lights. “The ceiling heights are different with that header running across, so it was a way to connect the two spaces together and illuminate the seating area,” Langreck says. A handmade yellow pendant light complements the cabinets. The ceiling also has new LED recessed lights.
Natural maple flooring was sanded and finished in place. “They originally tried to salvage the wood floor underneath the ceramic tile, but it had too many holes and needed to be replaced,” Langreck says. “We evened out the floor in the kitchen and mudroom so it’s all one level.”
Cabinetry: Hudson panel door style, cherry in Mission low-sheen stain, Dura Supreme Cabinetry; wall paint: Creamy, Sherwin-Williams
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Before: This view of the former kitchen shows the cramped corner holding the range, microwave, sink and upper cabinets. A lack of storage led to cluttered countertops. Two large black speakers sat on top of the upper cabinets, further crowding things.
After: With the new cabinetry surrounding the fridge, Langreck was able to eliminate most of the upper cabinets to create an airy look and feel in the corner. “Through the design process, we explored eliminating the cabinetry completely but decided to keep the corner cabinet and add the glass doors so it doesn’t feel too heavy visually,” she says.
Soapstone countertops add a bold touch of natural beauty. The homeowners plan to oil it regularly and were comfortable with the maintenance required to keep the counters looking their best. “They were also comfortable with the countertops having a natural patina over time,” Langreck says.
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Soapstone countertops add a bold touch of natural beauty. The homeowners plan to oil it regularly and were comfortable with the maintenance required to keep the counters looking their best. “They were also comfortable with the countertops having a natural patina over time,” Langreck says.
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The backsplash is 12-by-35-inch off-white ceramic tiles with a jagged texture. “I think it offers a nice reflection of light and reflects a lot of light in the space,” Langreck says. LED light strips under wood shelves light up the tile.
A 16-gauge stainless steel single-bowl undermount sink pairs with a single-handle stainless pull-down spring faucet. A 24-inch stainless dishwasher is to the right. Nearby in the island is a pullout trash and recycling center.
Backsplash tile: Scents Blanco, 12 by 35 inches, Soho Studio; sink: Crosstown, Elkay; faucet: Antoni, Delta
12 Kitchen Island Designs Worth Considering
A 16-gauge stainless steel single-bowl undermount sink pairs with a single-handle stainless pull-down spring faucet. A 24-inch stainless dishwasher is to the right. Nearby in the island is a pullout trash and recycling center.
Backsplash tile: Scents Blanco, 12 by 35 inches, Soho Studio; sink: Crosstown, Elkay; faucet: Antoni, Delta
12 Kitchen Island Designs Worth Considering
Langreck shifted the new dual-fuel range to the left a few inches to accommodate lazy Suzan trays in the lower corner cabinet. A low-profile chimney-style vent hood keeps things feeling light and airy. The hallway on the left leads to a full bathroom, a side entrance and a pantry.
Range: BlueStar; hood: Anzio wall, Zephyr
Range: BlueStar; hood: Anzio wall, Zephyr
Langreck designed this shallow spice cabinet on the side of the range. “By accessing it from the side, it made the spices more visible and accessible than something that pulls out from the front,” she says.
Photo: Dana Langreck
12 Clever Kitchen Cabinet Storage Ideas
Photo: Dana Langreck
12 Clever Kitchen Cabinet Storage Ideas
Before: This view of the former kitchen shows the lack of storage on the fridge wall. “The pots and pans were on the opposite side of the room where she needs them,” Langreck says.
After: A new built-in pantry cabinet replaces the makeshift storage for a cleaner look. A built-in bench under the window offers another spot to sit and converse with the cook. A shelf spanning the top of the window holds new speakers. “We made sure to keep the cabinetry at a height that would allow space for the speakers,” Langreck says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
This view shows the updated kitchen looking toward the mudroom area. The door leads to a detached garage. “That was an addition to the house many years ago,” Langreck says of the mudroom. “It felt very disconnected from the kitchen. The goal was to make it one room. It feels like the whole room is connected now.”
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two teenage sons and a puppy
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Size: 245 square feet (23 square meters)
Designer: Dana Langreck of Bella Domicile
Before: The former kitchen had basic cabinets that the couple tried to perk up by painting the lowers navy blue. But the result clashed with the black granite countertops. White ceramic tile flooring gave the space a dated look. An opening in the foreground connected the kitchen to a spacious mudroom area, but a change from tile to wood flooring meant the island end wasn’t functional. “Because of a slanted floor there, you couldn’t put a chair there, and it felt like you were hanging out in the mudroom instead of the kitchen,” Langreck says.
A pair of pendant lights and a macrame plant holder hung low over the island, obscuring sightlines. In the back right corner, the refrigerator stood on its own without any surrounding cabinetry.