Kitchen Design
Kitchen of the Week
Kitchen of the Week: Clean Lines and Dusty-Blue-and-Wood Cabinets
A makeover of a 1990s kitchen clears the clutter, replacing it with tailored storage and warm transitional style
The owners of a 30-year-old red brick Colonial in the Washington, D.C., suburbs had been putting off remodeling their eat-in kitchen for years when their fridge went on the fritz, forcing their hand. They hired Shayla LaFreniere, principal designer at Halcyon Interiors Co., who redesigned the kitchen and its adjacent butler’s pantry and mudroom with clean-lined cabinetry, customized storage and a sophisticated palette of dusty blue-gray, white and walnut.
After: The demo team removed the old cabinetry and appliances, and a dishwasher and other functioning appliances were donated to local organizations. The new kitchen has a similar floor plan but a clean, serene and stylish look.
The Halcyon Cabinetry Co. cabinets, which were designed by LaFreniere and manufactured in Pennsylvania, are a mix of stained walnut and maple painted in a custom dusty blue-gray. The refined door style (the Carina) and the geometric pulls and knobs are streamlined, but the kitchen’s color mix, wood grain, marbled quartz countertop and warm brass accents give it a richness and earthiness that make the overall style lean more transitional or modern Colonial than starkly modern.
Countertop: Calacatta Castana, MSI
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The Halcyon Cabinetry Co. cabinets, which were designed by LaFreniere and manufactured in Pennsylvania, are a mix of stained walnut and maple painted in a custom dusty blue-gray. The refined door style (the Carina) and the geometric pulls and knobs are streamlined, but the kitchen’s color mix, wood grain, marbled quartz countertop and warm brass accents give it a richness and earthiness that make the overall style lean more transitional or modern Colonial than starkly modern.
Countertop: Calacatta Castana, MSI
Shop for kitchen products on Houzz
Before: Like most 1990s-era kitchens, this one had mostly lower cabinets instead of drawers or pullouts. A reach-in closet-pantry with basic wire shelving stored food items.
“It also had that ‘mom desk’ area that most people don’t really care for anymore, because all it does is create a horizontal surface” on which to pile stuff, LaFreniere says.
To the right of the desk and fridge is a small built-in cupboard that, in this photo, is blocked by the open door to the mudroom.
Scroll to the bottom to compare the “before” and “after” layouts.
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“It also had that ‘mom desk’ area that most people don’t really care for anymore, because all it does is create a horizontal surface” on which to pile stuff, LaFreniere says.
To the right of the desk and fridge is a small built-in cupboard that, in this photo, is blocked by the open door to the mudroom.
Scroll to the bottom to compare the “before” and “after” layouts.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
After: Eliminating the cupboard, desk area, soffits and closet made space for a roomy, bicolor bank of tall cabinetry. There’s a walnut-paneled pantry with rollout shelving at either end.
LaFreniere also replaced the swinging door to the mudroom with a pocket door that can neatly tuck out of the way.
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LaFreniere also replaced the swinging door to the mudroom with a pocket door that can neatly tuck out of the way.
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In the center of the tall cabinetry run is a column of cabinets with dusty blue-gray fronts. A walnut panel-front column freezer from Monogram is on its left, and a matching column refrigerator is on its right.
Behind the blue doors is an appliance garage with a convection microwave, tiled backsplash, maple open shelving and quartz countertop. When the doors are open, interior lights go on automatically. (They were turned off for the photo shoot.)
The microwave vents from the bottom, like a standard over-the-range model, LaFreniere says. The backsplash has outlets for additional small appliances, but the photographer airbrushed them out to keep the focus on the pretty blue tile.
Tile: Marin 2½-by-10-inch ceramic wall tile in Midnight Tide, Bedrosians; microwave: Café
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The microwave vents from the bottom, like a standard over-the-range model, LaFreniere says. The backsplash has outlets for additional small appliances, but the photographer airbrushed them out to keep the focus on the pretty blue tile.
Tile: Marin 2½-by-10-inch ceramic wall tile in Midnight Tide, Bedrosians; microwave: Café
25 Ideas for Kitchen Appliance Garages
Before: A cooktop was set into the existing island, which had ornate detailing and an overhang. Wall ovens were mounted on the back wall. And various small appliances, knife blocks, spices and other frequently used items covered much of the perimeter countertop.
How to Start a Kitchen Remodel
How to Start a Kitchen Remodel
After: LaFreniere replaced the cooktop and wall ovens with a sleek 36-inch Bertazzoni induction range centered on the back wall. The countertop material extends up the wall to create a range backsplash, terminating with a narrow shelf in the same material, and above it is a custom hood that blends in with the wall color (Sherwin-Williams’ Greek Villa). Although the home is equipped with gas, the environmentally aware homeowners preferred induction because of its energy efficiency. They also opted to sand and stain the existing red oak floors rather than replace them.
Meanwhile, LaFreniere tackled the countertop clutter from the inside out.
“When I do kitchens, I focus on what’s inside of the cabinet,” she says. “I go through the homeowners’ small appliances, every pot, every utensil, spices [and] Tupperware and really make sure that there’s a place for everything.”
On one side of the range is a utensil pullout with a knife block and towel storage, and on the other side is a spice pullout. LaFreniere eliminated the lazy Susan. “I don’t do corner cabinets,” she says. “I find them to be completely useless, no matter whether a lazy Susan or the kidney pullouts. I just leave them empty.”
Meanwhile, LaFreniere tackled the countertop clutter from the inside out.
“When I do kitchens, I focus on what’s inside of the cabinet,” she says. “I go through the homeowners’ small appliances, every pot, every utensil, spices [and] Tupperware and really make sure that there’s a place for everything.”
On one side of the range is a utensil pullout with a knife block and towel storage, and on the other side is a spice pullout. LaFreniere eliminated the lazy Susan. “I don’t do corner cabinets,” she says. “I find them to be completely useless, no matter whether a lazy Susan or the kidney pullouts. I just leave them empty.”
The new island is the same depth as the previous one, but LaFreniere eliminated the overhang to allow for deeper cabinets on the opposite wall. Deep drawers for pots and pans have interior top drawers for storing lids. Smaller drawers have dividers for cutlery.
One end of the island has a walnut butcher block top with open shelving beneath it. The wood is an inch or so higher than the adjacent quartz countertop so it can be sanded down as needed over the years without dipping below standard counter height.
Above the island, LaFreniere installed semiflush-mount lights. Not only does she prefer the look to pendant lighting, but “when you’re in a home with 8-foot ceilings, pendants can really start to feel obtrusive,” she says. That was especially true in this kitchen, since one of the homeowners is 6-foot-4.
New, warmer-toned but brighter can lights in the ceiling and in the flyover above the sink (which were airbrushed out of the photo) provide additional lighting.
One end of the island has a walnut butcher block top with open shelving beneath it. The wood is an inch or so higher than the adjacent quartz countertop so it can be sanded down as needed over the years without dipping below standard counter height.
Above the island, LaFreniere installed semiflush-mount lights. Not only does she prefer the look to pendant lighting, but “when you’re in a home with 8-foot ceilings, pendants can really start to feel obtrusive,” she says. That was especially true in this kitchen, since one of the homeowners is 6-foot-4.
New, warmer-toned but brighter can lights in the ceiling and in the flyover above the sink (which were airbrushed out of the photo) provide additional lighting.
Before: Previously, upper cabinets and a bulky soffit surrounded a 3-by-4-foot window above the sink. “It was so dark in there, even on a bright, sunny day,” LaFreniere says.
A single door to a deck was to the right of the cabinet run, with a garbage can in the path of travel. The homeowners had to traipse to the garage to access the recycling bins.
A single door to a deck was to the right of the cabinet run, with a garbage can in the path of travel. The homeowners had to traipse to the garage to access the recycling bins.
After: A new 4-by-6 picture window wrapped in quartz both lets in a lot more light and offers expansive views.
“It’s an old neighborhood, and there are a ton of established trees in their backyard,” LaFreniere says. “We knew that we were going to be redoing their deck, so we knew that the view was really going to be beautiful when all was said and done.” A blue detail custom-matched to the cabinets frames the window and lends it a more finished look, especially since there isn’t a window treatment, she adds.
Below the window is a 33-inch workstation sink with a matte-black-and-gold bridge faucet with a knurled detail. The lower cabinet run has a panel-front dishwasher and pullouts for trash and recycling.
Sink: Dual-Tier Nova, Ruvati; faucet: Litze, Brizo
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“It’s an old neighborhood, and there are a ton of established trees in their backyard,” LaFreniere says. “We knew that we were going to be redoing their deck, so we knew that the view was really going to be beautiful when all was said and done.” A blue detail custom-matched to the cabinets frames the window and lends it a more finished look, especially since there isn’t a window treatment, she adds.
Below the window is a 33-inch workstation sink with a matte-black-and-gold bridge faucet with a knurled detail. The lower cabinet run has a panel-front dishwasher and pullouts for trash and recycling.
Sink: Dual-Tier Nova, Ruvati; faucet: Litze, Brizo
See the Top Trends in Kitchen Cabinets, Countertops and More
Before: This window and casual dining area were to the right of the sink and door to the deck. A half wall topped with granite divided the dining space from the family room.
In the “before” floor plan at the bottom of the story, you can see an angled wall between the door and the dining area in the middle of the plan. The “after” floor plan shows a new wall.
In the “before” floor plan at the bottom of the story, you can see an angled wall between the door and the dining area in the middle of the plan. The “after” floor plan shows a new wall.
After: LaFreniere removed the door, which allowed her to extend the cabinet run, and then squared off that odd angle. A new slider door replaced the windows. The soffit above it remained in place because it houses an air uptake (airbrushed out of this photo) to support the venting of the commercial-grade range hood.
The homeowners liked how the half wall divided the two zones while still facilitating conversation, so LaFreniere simply replaced the granite with sleek walnut. In place of the old dining table and chairs, she created a cozy dining nook with a hard-wearing performance fabric bench, tulip table and chairs. The cream-and-brass pendant light above it shares the table’s midcentury modern vibe and curved lines.
Augustine bench, Amare chairs and pendant light: Four Hands
The homeowners liked how the half wall divided the two zones while still facilitating conversation, so LaFreniere simply replaced the granite with sleek walnut. In place of the old dining table and chairs, she created a cozy dining nook with a hard-wearing performance fabric bench, tulip table and chairs. The cream-and-brass pendant light above it shares the table’s midcentury modern vibe and curved lines.
Augustine bench, Amare chairs and pendant light: Four Hands
Before: A butler’s pantry with a 7-foot ceiling connected the casual dining area in the kitchen with the formal dining room.
After: The homeowners are members of a local vineyard and requested a place to store their small collection of wine. So LaFreniere turned the ho-hum pantry into a chic bar with a beverage fridge and vertical bottle storage, repeating the materials and colors used into the kitchen. Rather than fight the low ceiling, she leaned in, wrapping the space with dusty blue-gray shiplap to create a cozy mood.
LaFreniere carried the shiplap and other materials and colors into the mudroom-laundry room, which is at the far end of the kitchen, behind the stove wall. The open door leads to the garage.
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Shop for storage and organization supplies on Houzz
Before: The washer and dryer occupy the other end of the narrow room. The machines were recently purchased, but there was neither adequate storage nor anyplace to fold or hang laundry. As a result, LaFreniere says, the couple had set up standing drying racks here and in the dining room.
After: La Freniere reused the perfectly good laundry machines, but now they’re surrounded by cabinetry that keeps cleaning materials and tools neatly out of sight. A ceiling drying rack raises and lowers on a pulley system, and a workstation sink has a walnut insert that creates an unbroken surface for folding clothes.
The homeowners’ top priority for the remodel was function, and thoughtful design features like these throughout the kitchen and mudroom-laundry room help deliver that in spades. But they’re loving the new look too — which has some practical benefits.
“They have said, ‘Oh, my gosh, it’s so pretty! We actually don’t mind cleaning,’” LaFreniere says with a laugh.
The homeowners’ top priority for the remodel was function, and thoughtful design features like these throughout the kitchen and mudroom-laundry room help deliver that in spades. But they’re loving the new look too — which has some practical benefits.
“They have said, ‘Oh, my gosh, it’s so pretty! We actually don’t mind cleaning,’” LaFreniere says with a laugh.
The existing floor plan
The new floor plan
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with a tween and a teenager
Location: Centreville, Virginia
Size: 240 square feet (22 square meters); 17¾ by 13½ feet
Designer: Shayla LaFreniere, Halcyon Interiors Co.
Contractor: Xtreme Painting & Remodeling
Before: In addition to the kitchen’s appliances reaching the end of their lifespans, its cabinet doors were literally falling off their hinges. And the countertops were frequently cluttered, as seen in this “before” snapshot.
“This is what the kitchen looked like pretty much every time I went there before we demoed,” says LaFreniere, who describes herself as extremely meticulous “not just as a designer, but as a person.” But the mess was fine by her. “If [clients] have everything put away and perfect [when I show up], I may not necessarily know what all the problems are,” she says.
In this case, LaFreniere could see immediately that the clutter was partly the result of the kitchen’s inefficient storage, which left the homeowners with no place to put their things.
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