My uppers, and my glass back splash:

Here is a wood kitchen that is monochromatic because the tiles chosen match the wood tone
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And here is a monochromatic navy:

From Damask and Design:

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From AhrZine

One of Martha Stewart's kitchens (from Martha Moments)

Well, since I'm planning to paint my upper cabs and walls in the same, or a shade apart, dark cream, I disagree with the designer's opinion. I also intend to choose a backsplash tile in a similar color. I'm drawn to rooms like this. The upper cabinets visually retreat, blending in, creating a bright, light and serene space, IMO. Unfortunately, my inspiration photos are in magazines and my scanner is broken. But I'll bet boxerpups will soon be to your rescue, adding to the photos palimpsest has already posted.

I am kind of surprised a colorist/interior designer would have a blanket opinion like that...or maybe not? We are all capable of having strong opinions--but "colorist" to me would indicate someone who would be in favor of monochromatic, rainbow, and everything in between...

Those photos should change her mind! Or open it up a bit?

Great examples, Palimpsest, and I agree with Lisa. A couple years ago there was an article or link posted here that mentioned doing exactly as she's talking about...Doing the uppers in wall color so they disappear a bit and open the room. I think it's an elegant look, besides.

I have a few, I hope they can help you.
~boxerpups

Plain English designs

Los Angeles Contemporary Kithen

Solid Colors

House to Home Decor

Kitchens 4

What I tried to do, and this goes along with Lisa's and Rhome's comments, is to make my kitchen look like it doesn't have Any of its own finishes. (When in fact there are three cabinet finishes, a countertop , a back splash, hardware and flooring just like any other kitchen, but:

The base cabinets match the fireplace marble, while the soapstone mimics the mantle shelf and hearth. The upper cabinets and back splash match the wall color, and the refrigerator is paneled to be concealed in the Mies van der Rohe inspired stair surround (which matches the stairs).

So, its not monochromatic by any means, but each element is monochromatic with some other element in order to diminish its visual impact.

Miles Redd's kelly green lacquer is probably many people's vision of a nightmare, but there are two finishes in the entire kitchen (3, if the floor is black). But try to imagine that kitchen with the typical assortment of finishes and "accents" and "contrast". That would be visually jarring too. If you don't like the green, try making a BW copy of it and tinting with photoshop or your camera software--its actually visually quite calm, except for the bright hue.

Boxerpups and Palimpsest, you could sell your libraries of kitchens!

Palimpsest, I want to see more of your kitchen .... elegant and sophisticated.

mtnrdredux,

Here is a link to some information and more pictures of the kitchen. Its very small so its hard to take pictures. The footprint is the same as the original but an archway runs through the middle of the footprint. It has minimal everything ergonomically, but it is functional.

Here is a link that might be useful: Condo Kitchen in Disguise

WOW, that is so lovely and my favorite thing about it is it's originality and the blending of old with new. Your staircase box is like the glass pyramid entrance added to the Louvre!

Thanks. Those stairs were added in a 1965 renovation and I felt there was no other option but to go with it. The box was inspired by Farnsworth house which has a "core" of wood surrounded by glass. My sixties core went through the 1840s structure, so I both emphasized and separated it from the Greek Revival of the rest of the room.

I love monochromatic looks but not when the entire room looks like a huge paint can exploded. There needs to be differing shades and nuances. I get when you want things to blend but the trim, counters, floor, etc... need some change in tone to work for me.
BTW - the green kitchen is ok, but I'd have liked at least the windows and window trim to not be the same color.
The navy one is somber to me and not a happy place to make a meal.
A lot of detail is lost in the plain English one because it is all too boring in just one shade.
White on white kitchens work when there is some other color or material to break it up. There are so many surfaces in a kitchen and so many chances to add some interest to a "single color" look.

Thanks. I gave her the link.

Its all a matter of personal taste, I guess. And, whether you like a particular color or not. If you love navy blue, it might make you very happy. I couldn't work in the green one myself even though I like that color in smaller doses.

The Plain English actually looks like three shades in the whole shot. The Plain English is based on what people did in the 18th and early 19th century. When they got more sophisticated about paint analysis, they found out that at least one of the rooms at Mount Pleasant in Fairmount Park was painted the same color from top to bottom, everything. With two exceptions: there was a band of black painted around the perimeter of the floor (across all mouldings, doors everything). This was because they scrubbed the wood floors and swept them with sand. Then, the interior of the cupboards were painted a bright color.

Love it or hate it, this is a Very difficult thing to pull off, particularly when working with different materials. It would have been amazing if Miles Redd had gotten Pryolave counters to match. It would have Looked worse :), but as an intellectual exercise he would have really earned his fee.
The slight variant look is a bit easier to do and a bit easier, perhaps, on the eyes. However, vary too much and you might as well forget it...it looks like a near-miss. Add interest with something else, and its not monochromatic anymore, its a color scheme.

People will argue this one with me up and down, but if you do all one color, it essentially becomes a ground (I am not allowed to call it a neutral) for everything else. In the monochromatic blue kitchen or yellow kitchen---you could throw any other colors in any number, in there-- in terms of Contents--and it wouldn't be jarring. In that sense it would almost be like coloring on a white piece of paper.

Compare that to the masters of the supertight supercontrolled pallette. The all-custom-(nearly)-all-the-time Diamond and Baratta. Now, THIS would drive me crazy, because it IS an entire palette, vs. one color. Put the wrong object down in This room and you're done for. I really wonder how actual food looks in those kitchens.

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does anyone know the grey used in the first photo? help!