Kitchen of the Week: Refinished Cabinets Create a Warm New Look
Creamy white and beige paints, wood ceiling beams and wood-look flooring refresh a once-dated space with inviting style
In 2011, design-build pro Jared Lewis and his wife, Katherine, moved into their 1962 traditional-style home in Scotts Valley, California. Over the years, the couple updated the house in phases to create more of a coastal cottage style. In 2017, they built an 8-foot addition for a new open-concept kitchen and dining room.
But after living with the kitchen for a number of years, they felt that while many of the elements looked and functioned fine, the bright white cabinets and blue island base dated the space. Seeking more warmth and a current look, they teamed up with designer Kerry Gillette, who used Houzz Pro software, for a refresh.
Now creamy white cabinets and a soft beige paint on the island base create a warm and inviting style. New rustic wood ceiling beams and wood-look flooring add more warmth. The flooring material and stools upholstered in performance fabric introduce durable details that stand up to frequent guests.
But after living with the kitchen for a number of years, they felt that while many of the elements looked and functioned fine, the bright white cabinets and blue island base dated the space. Seeking more warmth and a current look, they teamed up with designer Kerry Gillette, who used Houzz Pro software, for a refresh.
Now creamy white cabinets and a soft beige paint on the island base create a warm and inviting style. New rustic wood ceiling beams and wood-look flooring add more warmth. The flooring material and stools upholstered in performance fabric introduce durable details that stand up to frequent guests.
Three new island counter stools feature cushions upholstered in a high-performance fabric and hand-woven sea grass backs. “The backs of the stools give a beautiful texture to the space,” Gillette says. “And the brass footrests were a callback to the brass we used on the new chandelier in the dining room.”
A pair of bell-shaped blown-glass pendants hangs over the island. “When we decided to do the addition, those were Kathy’s first purchase,” Jared says. The pendants are suspended from new rift-cut white oak ceiling beams in a whitewash finish. Existing LED recessed ceiling lights on dimmers provide flexible levels of light. The elegant custom range hood includes a premium hood liner with halogen lighting and a powerful fan that keeps odors and smoke from drifting into the surrounding spaces in the open floor plan.
Gillette used Houzz Pro business software to manage this design project, including for proposals and invoices.
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
A pair of bell-shaped blown-glass pendants hangs over the island. “When we decided to do the addition, those were Kathy’s first purchase,” Jared says. The pendants are suspended from new rift-cut white oak ceiling beams in a whitewash finish. Existing LED recessed ceiling lights on dimmers provide flexible levels of light. The elegant custom range hood includes a premium hood liner with halogen lighting and a powerful fan that keeps odors and smoke from drifting into the surrounding spaces in the open floor plan.
Gillette used Houzz Pro business software to manage this design project, including for proposals and invoices.
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
The existing 36-inch gas cooktop has six dual-stacked burners. Handcrafted 4-by-12-inch light gray ceramic field tiles with a variation in tone and bleached wood-colored grout form the backsplash. A decorative tile design on the backsplash above the cooktop includes 6-by-6-inch tiles from the same collection but with detailed relief carvings that add extra visual interest. A vintage-style wall-mounted pot filler with an extended spout in polished chrome coordinates with the cabinetry’s polished-chrome knobs and pulls in different sizes.
The existing perimeter counters and top of the island are a nonabsorbent, food-safe marble-look quartz with soft gray waves and deep charcoal highlights. “We loved the look of marble, but there was no way it would work with our lifestyle,” Jared says.
Counters: Swanbridge, Cambria; pot filler: Artifacts in polished chrome, Kohler
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The existing perimeter counters and top of the island are a nonabsorbent, food-safe marble-look quartz with soft gray waves and deep charcoal highlights. “We loved the look of marble, but there was no way it would work with our lifestyle,” Jared says.
Counters: Swanbridge, Cambria; pot filler: Artifacts in polished chrome, Kohler
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The classic fireclay farmhouse apron-front sink has a polished-chrome pull-down faucet with a three-function spray head. A fully integrated paneled smart dishwasher sits to the lower right of the sink. A paneled trash-and-recycling center sits to the lower left of the sink.
A large fixed sink window is flanked by two smaller casement windows that allow fresh air inside. The windows coordinate with a similar window setup in the updated dining room (see below). Glass-front upper cabinets lighten the look and offer display storage for everyday cups, dishes and glasses. “It was a way to make sure we never have a messy cabinet,” Jared says. “Those glass fronts show everything.”
The interior side of the island includes a composite prep sink with the same faucet as the main sink. Two deep drawers to the right of the sink offer easy access to casserole dishes and baking essentials. Shallow drawers hold cutlery and cooking utensils. Medium-size drawers hold plastic containers and cooking items. “We knew that we needed more storage for those items,” Katherine says. “It kind of evolved. That’s how we decided where things should go.”
This photo also shows one of two integrated speakers in the kitchen ceiling. Two more are in the dining room ceiling, and the two pairs can can be independently controlled when the couple is entertaining. Music “sets the mood,” Jared says.
Pros’ 14 Favorite Kitchen Island Features
A large fixed sink window is flanked by two smaller casement windows that allow fresh air inside. The windows coordinate with a similar window setup in the updated dining room (see below). Glass-front upper cabinets lighten the look and offer display storage for everyday cups, dishes and glasses. “It was a way to make sure we never have a messy cabinet,” Jared says. “Those glass fronts show everything.”
The interior side of the island includes a composite prep sink with the same faucet as the main sink. Two deep drawers to the right of the sink offer easy access to casserole dishes and baking essentials. Shallow drawers hold cutlery and cooking utensils. Medium-size drawers hold plastic containers and cooking items. “We knew that we needed more storage for those items,” Katherine says. “It kind of evolved. That’s how we decided where things should go.”
This photo also shows one of two integrated speakers in the kitchen ceiling. Two more are in the dining room ceiling, and the two pairs can can be independently controlled when the couple is entertaining. Music “sets the mood,” Jared says.
Pros’ 14 Favorite Kitchen Island Features
A large elliptical arched cased opening sits between the kitchen and dining room. “We wanted to create a visual separation of the two spaces, but still wanted them tied together,” Jared says.
The updated dining room now includes a reclaimed-pine wood table with trestle base, white slip-covered armchairs, taupe upholstered dining chairs and an eight-light chandelier with an airy wagon wheel-inspired design. Built-in bookshelves flank the dining room window, offering space for collectibles and family photos. “We use that flat surface under the dining room window as a buffet,” Katherine says. “It has the same quartz as the kitchen counters.”
A 24-inch dual-zone undercounter wine refrigerator sits just inside the kitchen area for guests to access. “We use that for sodas too,” Katherine says. “We also have a coffee bar above there.”
A new grasscloth wallcovering clads the dining room window wall above new wainscoting. “We wanted to add subtle texture and visual interest there,” Gillette says. “We added the wainscoting to create a more formal background that ties into the kitchen cabinetry.”
The refreshed spaces significantly enhance the look and feel of the home. “It felt like we were finally at a place where we were going to be in this house for a long time and wanted to create a space that felt more personal to us,” Katherine says. “Every day I wake up, I feel lucky. It feels peaceful, and guests feel welcomed. We created a space I don’t like to leave.”
Grasscloth wallcovering: Serena & Lily
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The updated dining room now includes a reclaimed-pine wood table with trestle base, white slip-covered armchairs, taupe upholstered dining chairs and an eight-light chandelier with an airy wagon wheel-inspired design. Built-in bookshelves flank the dining room window, offering space for collectibles and family photos. “We use that flat surface under the dining room window as a buffet,” Katherine says. “It has the same quartz as the kitchen counters.”
A 24-inch dual-zone undercounter wine refrigerator sits just inside the kitchen area for guests to access. “We use that for sodas too,” Katherine says. “We also have a coffee bar above there.”
A new grasscloth wallcovering clads the dining room window wall above new wainscoting. “We wanted to add subtle texture and visual interest there,” Gillette says. “We added the wainscoting to create a more formal background that ties into the kitchen cabinetry.”
The refreshed spaces significantly enhance the look and feel of the home. “It felt like we were finally at a place where we were going to be in this house for a long time and wanted to create a space that felt more personal to us,” Katherine says. “Every day I wake up, I feel lucky. It feels peaceful, and guests feel welcomed. We created a space I don’t like to leave.”
Grasscloth wallcovering: Serena & Lily
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
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: Jared and Katherine (Kathy) Lewis and their two college-age kids
Location: Scotts Valley, California
Size: 220 square feet (20 square meters)
Designer: Kerry Gillette of Graham Hill Design
Builder: Jared Lewis of Lewis Design-Build-Remodel
“The existing footprint and cabinetry were classic, and worked,” Gillette says. “We just wanted to give the kitchen new life.” The homeowners also wanted to keep the existing handcrafted ceramic backsplash tiles, marble-look countertops and pro-style appliances.
A creamy white paint in a satin finish (Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore) updates perimeter cabinetry and creates a soft and inviting atmosphere. The island now includes a calming taupe (Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore) for contrast. “The first thing Kathy said to me was that she was tired of their blue island,” Gillette says. “The taupe was a wonderful way to make the island more calm and cohesive with the new layered look we created with neutrals in the dining room and living room, which we also updated.”
The same creamy white perimeter paint was used for the ceiling but in a flat finish, for the walls in an eggshell finish and for the trim and doors in a semigloss finish. “We wanted cohesiveness and to keep a mellow, peaceful and serene uniformity throughout,” Katherine says.
New rustic wood-look luxury vinyl plank flooring in a wide format with a stone plastic composite (SPC) core offers visual warmth while providing a durable and waterproof alternative to traditional wood. “We have nieces and nephews who are bouncing balls in this house,” Katherine says.
The open pocket door to the left of the cooktop connects to the laundry room. The glass pocket door partially seen to the right of the wall ovens opens to the living room. “Before we put that in, it was open,” Katherine says. “We wanted to be able to close off the space. We can close it off to the living room but still see what’s going on.”
Flooring: Water Oak, Great Oregon Oak collection, Republic Flooring; wood beams: Schmitz Woodworks
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