Kitchen of the Week: Green Cabinets Refresh a 1935 Colonial
A thoughtful layout, layered materials and modern function bring style and character to this family-friendly renovation
The owners of this 1935 Colonial in Wakefield, Massachusetts, had previously teamed up with McGuire + Co. Kitchen & Bath for a full bathroom remodel. So when it was time to update their U-shaped kitchen with its aging two-tone cabinetry and dated peninsula, they returned to the McGuire team for help.
Rather than moving walls, lead designer Amanda Colosi Johnson focused on maximizing the existing footprint and upgrading the style. Trim and maple cabinetry painted a warm, earthy green now bring bold personality. White textured subway tile wraps two walls and the range hood and joins off-white quartz countertops for crisp contrast. A white oak floor adds warmth. An adjacent bar and mudroom storage area now features the same green cabinetry and trim as the kitchen, along with hexagonal floor tiles and botanical print wallpaper that infuse the updated space with fun character.
Rather than moving walls, lead designer Amanda Colosi Johnson focused on maximizing the existing footprint and upgrading the style. Trim and maple cabinetry painted a warm, earthy green now bring bold personality. White textured subway tile wraps two walls and the range hood and joins off-white quartz countertops for crisp contrast. A white oak floor adds warmth. An adjacent bar and mudroom storage area now features the same green cabinetry and trim as the kitchen, along with hexagonal floor tiles and botanical print wallpaper that infuse the updated space with fun character.
After: Colosi Johnson replaced the appliances, cabinetry, counters, backsplash and flooring, though the overall footprint remained the same.
Frameless cabinets and trim in a historic earthy green (Rookwood Shutter Green by Sherwin-Williams) bring bold color and character to the space. Weathered bronze-finished cup pulls and knobs add contrast and warmth. “That Rookwood painted finish is a nice, deep bold green,” Colosi Johnson says. “It has a nice hue to it and, with that finish on the hardware, it warms everything up and the green just pops.”
A new counter-depth matte black French door refrigerator creates a cleaner, more integrated look. Repurposed wood stools from another room now provide seating at the peninsula. “The length of the peninsula stayed the same, but we extended the overhang of the countertop at the seating portion,” Colosi Johnson says.
The refreshed door to the sun porch brings in more natural light. In the mudroom and bar area (partially seen at the front), new ink-colored hexagonal porcelain tiles with a crackle finish and antimicrobial surface add texture and durability. “These clients wanted to mix different materials and products,” Colosi Johnson says. “We have a step down there to the bar and mudroom, and this tile made sense since we have those two exterior doors there.”
Cabinetry: Simpsonville in maple, painted Rookwood Shutter Green by Sherwin-Williams, Executive Cabinetry; hardware: Mayfair cup pull, Cumberland knob and Luxor pull, all in German Bronze, Top Knobs; bar and mudroom flooring tile: Inyo hexagon in Ink, Marazzi; refrigerator: Cafe
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Frameless cabinets and trim in a historic earthy green (Rookwood Shutter Green by Sherwin-Williams) bring bold color and character to the space. Weathered bronze-finished cup pulls and knobs add contrast and warmth. “That Rookwood painted finish is a nice, deep bold green,” Colosi Johnson says. “It has a nice hue to it and, with that finish on the hardware, it warms everything up and the green just pops.”
A new counter-depth matte black French door refrigerator creates a cleaner, more integrated look. Repurposed wood stools from another room now provide seating at the peninsula. “The length of the peninsula stayed the same, but we extended the overhang of the countertop at the seating portion,” Colosi Johnson says.
The refreshed door to the sun porch brings in more natural light. In the mudroom and bar area (partially seen at the front), new ink-colored hexagonal porcelain tiles with a crackle finish and antimicrobial surface add texture and durability. “These clients wanted to mix different materials and products,” Colosi Johnson says. “We have a step down there to the bar and mudroom, and this tile made sense since we have those two exterior doors there.”
Cabinetry: Simpsonville in maple, painted Rookwood Shutter Green by Sherwin-Williams, Executive Cabinetry; hardware: Mayfair cup pull, Cumberland knob and Luxor pull, all in German Bronze, Top Knobs; bar and mudroom flooring tile: Inyo hexagon in Ink, Marazzi; refrigerator: Cafe
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Before: Here’s a closer look at the original kitchen with its two-tone cabinetry, solid-surface counters and short backsplash. A decorative cabinet detail over the sink blocked natural light. A small fan above the range provided inadequate ventilation, and the stainless steel dishwasher felt squeezed between the range and sink.
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After: A new 30-inch matte black smart range with a brushed brass handle features an induction cooktop, convection oven and warming drawer. Above it, a custom hood with a tiled surround extends the 2-by-8-inch textured white subway backsplash that wraps two walls. “We decided to design with minimal wall cabinetry,” Colosi Johnson says. “We were adding that tiled hood enclosure and wanted to make it a featured focal point.”
She placed a matching matte black built-in dishwasher in the lower cabinet run seen here in the foreground on the right. “We left the range in the existing location and felt the sink centered on the window was ideal,” Colosi Johnson says. “But relocating that dishwasher created a more cohesive flow in the space.”
The homeowners chose to keep open upper shelving above the new dishwasher. “They had taken doors off their old wall cabinets before to see if they liked that open aesthetic,” Colosi Johnson says. “We still were providing them with storage but keeping the aesthetic open since it’s a small space.” A white oak floor with 2¼-inch planks and a satin polyurethane finish adds warmth.
Ceiling paint: Winter White, Benjamin Moore
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She placed a matching matte black built-in dishwasher in the lower cabinet run seen here in the foreground on the right. “We left the range in the existing location and felt the sink centered on the window was ideal,” Colosi Johnson says. “But relocating that dishwasher created a more cohesive flow in the space.”
The homeowners chose to keep open upper shelving above the new dishwasher. “They had taken doors off their old wall cabinets before to see if they liked that open aesthetic,” Colosi Johnson says. “We still were providing them with storage but keeping the aesthetic open since it’s a small space.” A white oak floor with 2¼-inch planks and a satin polyurethane finish adds warmth.
Ceiling paint: Winter White, Benjamin Moore
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The homeowners sourced the dark floral fabric for the charming skirt beneath the apron-front sink. “This was an opportunity to conceal plumbing and storage but also introduce another pattern to the space,” Colosi Johnson says.
The 33-inch white granite composite sink has a tapered silhouette and a bridge faucet in an antique brass finish. A flush-mount light above, selected by the homeowners, complements new LED ceiling and undercabinet lighting that brightens key task areas.
Sink: Ikon, Blanco; faucet: Chesterfield, Newport Brass
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The 33-inch white granite composite sink has a tapered silhouette and a bridge faucet in an antique brass finish. A flush-mount light above, selected by the homeowners, complements new LED ceiling and undercabinet lighting that brightens key task areas.
Sink: Ikon, Blanco; faucet: Chesterfield, Newport Brass
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Off-white quartz countertops with bold gold and greige veining provide a durable and eye-catching work surface. “With the dark cabinetry, a lighter countertop and backsplash material keeps everything balanced,” Colosi Johnson says. “The gold veining in the counters pulls the warmth from the hardwood floor as well.” This photo also highlights the rippled texture of the white subway tile backsplash.
Countertops: Gemini, Masterpiece collection, Viatera
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Countertops: Gemini, Masterpiece collection, Viatera
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Before: This view from the original kitchen looks toward an area off it with an aging built-in wood bar on the left and a pair of louvered wood doors on the right that acted as mudroom-style storage. The homeowners wanted to keep but enhance the function of both areas and incorporate the existing skylight.
After: A view from the updated kitchen reveals the improved bar area and updated mudroom with built-in storage.
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Before: Here’s a closer look at the original bar area. “We wanted to work with the concept they had but also place a beverage center there too,” Colosi Johnson says. “The function of the existing bar area worked well, but we wanted to elaborate further on what the homeowners needed.”
After: The upgraded bar area now features a built-in unit with four drawers, a storage cabinet with a liquor pullout, an undercounter beverage center with built-in Wi-Fi and a Samsung Frame TV. “It’s centrally located and visible from the peninsula,” Colosi Johnson says.
Tall, shallow cabinets flanking the bar have adjustable shelving. The cabinet on the left holds countertop appliances and pantry items, while the one on the right stores cleaning supplies.
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Tall, shallow cabinets flanking the bar have adjustable shelving. The cabinet on the left holds countertop appliances and pantry items, while the one on the right stores cleaning supplies.
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The bar area has a quartz countertop and a backsplash of white tiles from the same collection as the kitchen, arranged here in a geometric pattern with light pewter grout. “The kitchen is open to this bar area, but with the step down we were able to introduce a number of different elements here,” Colosi Johnson says. “We took the opportunity to introduce another wall tile that still works off the kitchen space.”
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Before: A pair of closets near the sun porch door provided storage for boots and outdoor gear. “They definitely still wanted storage, but we wanted to update the aesthetic and create a more open look,” Colosi Johnson says.
After: Removing one closet made room for a more practical mudroom setup featuring a custom wood bench for removing boots and shoes, plus wall hooks for grab-and-go items like coats and handbags. Woven baskets beneath the bench keep smaller items organized. A fade-resistant, washable forest-themed wallpaper in pine green adds pattern to both the mudroom and bar areas.
A reframed closet with a paneled door painted to match the kitchen cabinetry completes the update, blending function and style. “This is a great example of using an existing footprint that’s a smaller footprint but making the space more functional,” Colosi Johnson says. “We used many materials in this smaller space and blended together color, pattern and texture successfully.”
Wallpaper: Piedmont in Pine, Hygge & West
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A reframed closet with a paneled door painted to match the kitchen cabinetry completes the update, blending function and style. “This is a great example of using an existing footprint that’s a smaller footprint but making the space more functional,” Colosi Johnson says. “We used many materials in this smaller space and blended together color, pattern and texture successfully.”
Wallpaper: Piedmont in Pine, Hygge & West
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Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of five
Location: Wakefield, Massachusetts
Size: 159 square feet (15 square meters), plus a mudroom and bar area of 231 square feet (21 square meters)
Designer: Amanda Colosi Johnson of McGuire + Co. Kitchen & Bath
Before: The U-shaped layout worked for the family, but the dated finishes needed an update. The dark brown and cottage green cabinetry, along with vinyl tile flooring and standard appliances, had run their course. “This couple is a lot of fun and not afraid of color, pattern and texture,” Colosi Johnson says. “That’s why the homeowners painted those cabinets themselves that cottage green.”
A large refrigerator on the right jutted out from the cabinetry. A peninsula with two backless stools and hard-to-reach drawers separated the kitchen from the bar and mudroom area. The door on the near left leads to a sun porch, while the back doorway opens to a hall with a powder room. “We pursued looking into options on how we could change up the layout, but it didn’t make sense to do that,” Colosi Johnson says. “We wanted to problem-solve.”