Kitchen of the Week: Creamy White, Warm Walnut and a New Layout
Years after realizing their custom kitchen wasn’t functional, a Minnesota couple decide to get it right the second time
After building and moving into their custom house in Shoreview, Minnesota, these homeowners realized they had made a few errors in the kitchen. For example, the fridge stood on the other side of the island from the range and sink, forcing the couple to walk around the island while cooking. After about 15 years of making do — and thinking about ways to make the kitchen more functional — they decided to update and refresh the space with help from kitchen and bath designer Claire Teunissen.
After: Teunissen worked with a palette of cream-colored cabinets (Crescent Moon by Pittsburgh Paints & Stains) highlighted with gold accents and balanced with warm walnut for depth. She installed the new paneled refrigerator on the opposite side of the kitchen, creating a more efficient workflow. She had the island rebuilt with enclosed sides to give it a more substantial look. Quartz countertops with subtle gold veining and new glass-and-brushed-brass pendants add gleam.
A set of three stools with blue upholstered seats and brass bases complements the wood and metal finishes. Teunissen had the red birch floor refinished in a deeper hue.
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A set of three stools with blue upholstered seats and brass bases complements the wood and metal finishes. Teunissen had the red birch floor refinished in a deeper hue.
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The creamy Shaker-style cabinets help make the space appear bigger. Teunissen made sure they went all the way to the ceiling, creating more storage space. She specified drawers for many of the lower cabinets, making stored items easier to reach. “The cabinetry is painted fiberboard, which is a great choice because the material doesn’t expand and contract with Minnesota’s humidity levels,” Teunissen says.
The custom hood, edged in walnut, frames a tiled insert in the subway tile backsplash above the new gas cooktop.
The custom hood, edged in walnut, frames a tiled insert in the subway tile backsplash above the new gas cooktop.
Gold accents repeat in many of the details, including the cooktop knobs, cabinetry hardware and in the brass edge around the diamond-patterned backsplash insert.
A simple Roman shade controls sunlight and adds privacy above the sink. The owners chose a new stainless steel sink, a touch-activated faucet and an instant hot water dispenser for easier prep and cleaning.
The designer filled the original refrigerator location with a wall of walnut cabinetry. “The owners no longer have to use the mudroom for overflow storage,” she says. The adjacent wall had enough room for a convection and a steam oven.
The cabinetry’s pocketing doors open to reveal appliances, storage shelves and a place for a small television.
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More on Houzz
Before and After: 5 Kitchen Makeovers in 200 to 245 Square Feet
Get more kitchen design ideas
Find a kitchen designer and other professionals
Shop for your kitchen
Kitchen at a Glance
Who uses it: A couple with grown children
Location: Shoreview, Minnesota
Size: 215 square feet (20 square meters)
Designer: Claire Teunissen of Studio M Kitchen & Bath
Before: The problematic location of the refrigerator on the other side of the island wasn’t the only annoyance the homeowners felt with their existing kitchen. The amount of wood was a little overwhelming and, with the similar tone in wall paint color, everything blended together visually.
Plus, the upper cabinets didn’t reach the ceiling, resulting in an awkward gap and wasted storage space. The couple used the mudroom, located through the door to the left of the range, as their pantry, meaning another unnecessary trip away from the main cooking area. “Besides giving the space an updated look, we wanted to add more storage,” Teunissen says. “We also wanted to move the refrigerator so the kitchen was more functional.”