Kitchen Design
Before and Afters
Kitchen of the Week: Soft Green Cabinets and a Wood Island
A Seattle designer helps a couple rethink their layout and create a fresh palette that honors the home’s Craftsman roots
In 2018, Dan and Laura Thomas fell in love with a Craftsman-style home in a quiet West Seattle neighborhood. But after buying the home and experiencing the kitchen for a couple of years, they realized the dark materials and chopped-up layout weren’t working for their lifestyle. The couple wanted a brighter, more cheerful look with a roomier setup where they could entertain friends and prepare meals with their two young-adult sons.
They gathered inspiration ideas on Houzz and hired designer Anna Popov, who helped them rethink and expand the space by taking down a slim wall, removing a peninsula and adding a central island. Soft green cabinets, a wood island base and gray-and-green Taj Mahal quartzite countertops give the space a brighter palette that nods to a classic Craftsman color scheme.
They gathered inspiration ideas on Houzz and hired designer Anna Popov, who helped them rethink and expand the space by taking down a slim wall, removing a peninsula and adding a central island. Soft green cabinets, a wood island base and gray-and-green Taj Mahal quartzite countertops give the space a brighter palette that nods to a classic Craftsman color scheme.
After: Popov removed the half wall and peninsula, allowing her to expand the kitchen. The sink now sits under two black articulating sconces in what used to be the home bar area.
A custom island gives the couple substantial counter space. “We wanted a clean landscape where groceries could be dropped, but we also really needed that large island because there’s no formal dining room in this house,” Laura says.
Corbel detailing on each end of the island perks up the design. “One of [Laura’s] inspiration photos had corbels, but we have corbels that aren’t closed off where it meets the counters,” Popov says. “They’re open, less traditional and fit with our idea of making this kitchen eclectic. The trick is knowing how to layer these things.”
Glass doors framed in a custom matte black paint lead to the back garden and patio.
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A custom island gives the couple substantial counter space. “We wanted a clean landscape where groceries could be dropped, but we also really needed that large island because there’s no formal dining room in this house,” Laura says.
Corbel detailing on each end of the island perks up the design. “One of [Laura’s] inspiration photos had corbels, but we have corbels that aren’t closed off where it meets the counters,” Popov says. “They’re open, less traditional and fit with our idea of making this kitchen eclectic. The trick is knowing how to layer these things.”
Glass doors framed in a custom matte black paint lead to the back garden and patio.
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Green and wood are classic Craftsman colors, and Laura loves green, so she opted to complement the wood island and floors with cabinets in a custom color that’s a mix of olive, sage and soft mint. “We were aiming for an eclectic feel of features, and the Shaker-style doors are a great savior,” Popov says. “They give you enough detail but still read as current and modern.”
Green-and-gray Taj Mahal quartzite countertops complement the color scheme.
The kitchen walls are a rich white with a bit of gray (Reserved White by Sherwin-Williams), while the ceiling is white with a faint hint of yellow (Pure White by Sherwin-Williams).
Popov had to keep the ceiling beam in place. “We would have raised it, but there was no room to raise it up,” she says. “We had to accommodate the ceiling changes in the two spaces. It ended up being visually helpful, since it separates the cooking from the cleaning area with the sink.”
Cabinetry: Seattle Custom Cabinets
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Green-and-gray Taj Mahal quartzite countertops complement the color scheme.
The kitchen walls are a rich white with a bit of gray (Reserved White by Sherwin-Williams), while the ceiling is white with a faint hint of yellow (Pure White by Sherwin-Williams).
Popov had to keep the ceiling beam in place. “We would have raised it, but there was no room to raise it up,” she says. “We had to accommodate the ceiling changes in the two spaces. It ended up being visually helpful, since it separates the cooking from the cleaning area with the sink.”
Cabinetry: Seattle Custom Cabinets
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Above the white farmhouse sink, a modern pull-down faucet features an angled spout, knurled handle and a gold finish that coordinates with the aged brass finish on the cabinet knobs and pulls. “The faucet has fairly eclectic detailing,” Popov says. “We went with the whole idea of layering the different elements.”
A paneled dishwasher and paneled pullout trash and recycling system flank the sink. Modern shelves with arched brackets over the sink offer space for decorative items, plants and, after this photo was taken, drinking glasses. “I just unload glasses and put them right there,” Laura says. “I really use those shelves every day; they’re not just decorative.”
The backsplash is handmade Moroccan-inspired ceramic tiles with an interlocking star and cross pattern. “They’re subtle, and add to the sophistication and complexity of the space,” Popov says.
In addition to the sconces, the kitchen lighting plan includes undercabinet lights and recessed can lighting in the ceiling, which were digitally removed in these photos by the photographer.
A paneled dishwasher and paneled pullout trash and recycling system flank the sink. Modern shelves with arched brackets over the sink offer space for decorative items, plants and, after this photo was taken, drinking glasses. “I just unload glasses and put them right there,” Laura says. “I really use those shelves every day; they’re not just decorative.”
The backsplash is handmade Moroccan-inspired ceramic tiles with an interlocking star and cross pattern. “They’re subtle, and add to the sophistication and complexity of the space,” Popov says.
In addition to the sconces, the kitchen lighting plan includes undercabinet lights and recessed can lighting in the ceiling, which were digitally removed in these photos by the photographer.
A custom hutch sits to the left of the sink and features clear glass doors and interior LED lighting that highlights Laura’s china collection.
The small drawers store entertaining supplies like corkscrews and beverage napkins. A stainless steel beverage refrigerator below lets guests grab a drink without walking into the main cooking zone.
The small drawers store entertaining supplies like corkscrews and beverage napkins. A stainless steel beverage refrigerator below lets guests grab a drink without walking into the main cooking zone.
Before: Previously, the kitchen had a slide-in gas range with limited counter space on either side. A wall-mount glass chimney hood hung above. A small microwave sat on the counter in a corner.
Dan and Laura had mounted a spice rack on the side of an upper cabinet and an open shelf over the range to help make up for the lack of storage.
Dan and Laura had mounted a spice rack on the side of an upper cabinet and an open shelf over the range to help make up for the lack of storage.
After: The expanded layout allows for lots of work space and storage around the new 36-inch standard-depth gas range. Popov says they spent lots of time thinking about which hood to use above the range and ultimately went with a 36-inch wall-mount stainless model that’s modern, casual and understated. “We didn’t want it to be a focal point, because we already had the shelves above the sink,” Popov says.
New bamboo flooring was matched to the existing bamboo floor in the living room (seen at the right rear of this photo).
Range hood: 36-inch remote blower, wall-mount in stainless steel, ZLINE
New bamboo flooring was matched to the existing bamboo floor in the living room (seen at the right rear of this photo).
Range hood: 36-inch remote blower, wall-mount in stainless steel, ZLINE
The inner side of the island has a stainless steel flat-panel microwave oven drawer and wide drawers that store pots and pans close to the range. “I love that the microwave is hidden from view,” Laura says.
A new solar-powered, remote-controlled operable skylight brings additional light into the once-dark kitchen.
Microwave oven drawer: Sharp
A new solar-powered, remote-controlled operable skylight brings additional light into the once-dark kitchen.
Microwave oven drawer: Sharp
Popov placed the new counter-depth French-door refrigerator in a slate finish about 6 to 8 inches to the right of the old fridge’s location to expand storage features on that wall. A tall pantry cabinet to the left of the refrigerator has rollout shelves for dry goods.
To the left of the pantry, Popov designed a fresh take on an appliance garage in the corner that once held the countertop microwave. A bifold door opens to reveal a coffee station that sits on a rollout shelf. “It takes all the clutter off the counters,” Laura says.
The family enjoys morning coffee in this updated breakfast nook opposite the kitchen sink. Large picture windows frame views of the garden. The couple incorporated their existing round bamboo table and bamboo chairs. A new 12-inch black metal dome pendant light with cage detail hangs above the table.
After: This floor plan shows the updated space with appliance and cabinet details. With the half wall removed, Popov extended the cabinets and countertop into the former bar area. This also allowed her to create a custom island in the center. The updated breakfast nook sits in the bottom left corner.
“It’s nice, we all have dinner together,” Laura says. “It has made cooking and cleanup a breeze. It’s so well-designed and a pleasure to be in.”
More on Houzz
How to Remodel Your Kitchen
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“It’s nice, we all have dinner together,” Laura says. “It has made cooking and cleanup a breeze. It’s so well-designed and a pleasure to be in.”
More on Houzz
How to Remodel Your Kitchen
Get more kitchen design ideas
Find a kitchen designer near you
Shop for kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Dan and Laura Thomas and their two sons, both young adults
Location: Seattle
Size: 170 square feet (16 square meters)
Designer: Anna Popov of Interiors by Popov
Builder: Makswell Construction
Before: In the previous kitchen, dark brown cabinets, black granite countertops and a black-painted peninsula and other black details gave the space a dark feel. A lime green tile backsplash clashed with the color scheme.
The peninsula jutted from a half wall, dividing the layout and leaving a tight area with a sideboard that the homeowners used as a home bar. “They had a big space but that area was a waste,” Popov says. “It was so small it couldn’t really be used for anything.”