Kitchen of the Week: Open and Timeless With Organic Modern Style
Custom white oak cabinets and a mix of warm cream and gray tones create a fresh and inviting new look and feel
There was a lot these homeowners liked about their 2002 Spanish-style kitchen: the overall layout, rich stone tile flooring, decorative wood ceiling beams and its pro-style appliances. But overly ornate details on the cabinets, backsplash tile and green granite countertops didn’t fit their desired style. The couple lived in the home for a few years before the husband decided to gift his wife a kitchen remodel for her birthday.
They hired designer Sarah West to help them create a timeless look and feel with cleaner lines and an organic modern style. West responded by pairing custom rift-cut white oak cabinets and several greige upper cabinets with creamy white walls for a warm atmosphere that complements the earthy tones in the stone flooring and new zellige backsplash tile. A furniture-style island has seating on three sides for face-to-face conversation. A large plaster range hood offers clean lines, softened by an elegantly arched window.
They hired designer Sarah West to help them create a timeless look and feel with cleaner lines and an organic modern style. West responded by pairing custom rift-cut white oak cabinets and several greige upper cabinets with creamy white walls for a warm atmosphere that complements the earthy tones in the stone flooring and new zellige backsplash tile. A furniture-style island has seating on three sides for face-to-face conversation. A large plaster range hood offers clean lines, softened by an elegantly arched window.
Before Photo
After: West removed the former cabinets, backsplash, countertops and island and integrated the elements the homeowners wanted to keep. “We gutted the entire kitchen,” she says. “The only thing that remained was the original footprint and the hood, which I plastered over. We also reused almost all of the appliances.”
The custom rift-cut white oak cabinetry has a combination of Shaker-style cabinet fronts and slab-style drawer fronts with a mix of oil-rubbed bronze knobs and pulls. A warm greige paint (Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore) covers the upper cabinets on the right. The walls are a creamy white (Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore). Those tones are picked up in the zellige backsplash tile. “I just wanted the kitchen to feel a bit lighter,” West says. “When we looked at inspiration photos with the client, she was drawn to a mix of wood and painted cabinetry.”
A large custom minimalist plaster range hood replaced the former overly decorative design. “We removed the wood decorative piece on the hood and just reframed out part of it,” West says. “We reshaped it slightly on the corners, then plastered the hood.” A shelf below a brushed bronze pot filler adds character to the space.
Cabinetry hardware: Rejuvenation; custom plaster hood: Texston Industries
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The custom rift-cut white oak cabinetry has a combination of Shaker-style cabinet fronts and slab-style drawer fronts with a mix of oil-rubbed bronze knobs and pulls. A warm greige paint (Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore) covers the upper cabinets on the right. The walls are a creamy white (Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore). Those tones are picked up in the zellige backsplash tile. “I just wanted the kitchen to feel a bit lighter,” West says. “When we looked at inspiration photos with the client, she was drawn to a mix of wood and painted cabinetry.”
A large custom minimalist plaster range hood replaced the former overly decorative design. “We removed the wood decorative piece on the hood and just reframed out part of it,” West says. “We reshaped it slightly on the corners, then plastered the hood.” A shelf below a brushed bronze pot filler adds character to the space.
Cabinetry hardware: Rejuvenation; custom plaster hood: Texston Industries
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Backless leather-and-wood counter stools provide casual seating on three sides of the new island. Posts and cabinet feet details give the island a freestanding look. “I really wanted it to feel like furniture,” West says. “I spent lots of time with the millworker to create different depths with the millwork.” The countertops are warm gray quartz with soft charcoal veining, complementing other tones in the kitchen.
Three modern conical pendant lights with glass shades and an oil-rubbed bronze finish provide a touch of sophistication over the island. (The kitchen also has new LED ceiling lights, which were digitally removed from the photos by the photographer to help highlight other design details.)
West removed arched millwork that previously blocked the window, creating a more open look that highlights the curve, adding to the organic modern style. Below the window is the existing white farmhouse sink with a new pull-down faucet in a brushed bronze finish. The dishwasher, to the left of the sink, was reused from the former kitchen. A paneled pullout trash and recycling center sits to the right of the sink.
Countertops: 5000 London Grey, Caesarstone; pendant lights: Katie, Visual Comfort
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Three modern conical pendant lights with glass shades and an oil-rubbed bronze finish provide a touch of sophistication over the island. (The kitchen also has new LED ceiling lights, which were digitally removed from the photos by the photographer to help highlight other design details.)
West removed arched millwork that previously blocked the window, creating a more open look that highlights the curve, adding to the organic modern style. Below the window is the existing white farmhouse sink with a new pull-down faucet in a brushed bronze finish. The dishwasher, to the left of the sink, was reused from the former kitchen. A paneled pullout trash and recycling center sits to the right of the sink.
Countertops: 5000 London Grey, Caesarstone; pendant lights: Katie, Visual Comfort
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To the left of the cooktop, custom floating white oak shelves offer display space for ceramics, cookbooks and natural elements that enhance the organic modern feel. A pair of midcentury-inspired articulating sconces with an oil-rubbed bronze finish and satin white shades illuminate the area.
This photo also highlights the 2-by-6-inch glazed handmade zellige backsplash tiles in varying earthy tones. “I think they bring a lot of warmth and texture to the space,” West says. “They’re rustic but contemporary. Texture was a really big thing in this kitchen.”
Sconces: Cypress articulating in oil-rubbed bronze with satin white shades, Rejuvenation
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This photo also highlights the 2-by-6-inch glazed handmade zellige backsplash tiles in varying earthy tones. “I think they bring a lot of warmth and texture to the space,” West says. “They’re rustic but contemporary. Texture was a really big thing in this kitchen.”
Sconces: Cypress articulating in oil-rubbed bronze with satin white shades, Rejuvenation
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Before Photo
Before: In the former kitchen, an oversize stainless steel refrigerator offered lots of storage but visually dominated that side of the room.
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25 Genius Kitchen Storage Ideas
After: Custom white oak Shaker-style panels add warmth to the fridge and create a more integrated look. A tall cabinet to the right holds small appliances, including a microwave. The couple’s existing wall ovens are to the right of that. The doorway to the right of the cooktop leads to a butler’s pantry.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The butler’s pantry includes a round prep sink that was in the former kitchen island. “I removed the sink from the island to give it a clean aesthetic,” West says.
This and other updates give the kitchen improved function and style. “I feel like I really brightened up this space and it feels more inviting,” West says. “The kitchen is very important to them for hosting gatherings. It feels larger but also not as heavy, and brings new life to the home.”
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This and other updates give the kitchen improved function and style. “I feel like I really brightened up this space and it feels more inviting,” West says. “The kitchen is very important to them for hosting gatherings. It feels larger but also not as heavy, and brings new life to the home.”
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A family
Location: Calabasas, California
Size: 350 square feet (33 square meters)
Designer: Sarah West Interiors
Before: In the former kitchen, flourishes on the wood cabinets, island base, green granite countertops and backsplash gave the room a busy look. “It was overly ornate,” West says. “They wanted something more modern and staying with the style of the home, so it doesn’t look displaced.” They wanted to keep many of the pro-style appliances, the decorative ceiling beams and the stone tile flooring that runs throughout the Spanish-style home.