Kitchen of the Week: Bigger and Better With Light Gray Cabinets
A designer and a builder expand a couple’s kitchen and give them fresh style, a large island and more openness
Hunter green carpet. In the kitchen. That was probably enough of a reason for Brian and Stephanie Adams to launch a kitchen renovation in their newly purchased 1970s home in Omaha, Nebraska. The aging oak cabinets, laminate countertops and overall basic look just sealed the deal.
The Adamses tapped designer Courtney Otte and builder Eric Price to help create a larger space with a fresh look. Otte removed two walls and pushed another back to add 169 square feet to the room, fit in a large island and open the kitchen to the living room. Soft gray Shaker-style cabinets, a light blue island base and touches of wood and brass give the updated space fresh style.
The Adamses tapped designer Courtney Otte and builder Eric Price to help create a larger space with a fresh look. Otte removed two walls and pushed another back to add 169 square feet to the room, fit in a large island and open the kitchen to the living room. Soft gray Shaker-style cabinets, a light blue island base and touches of wood and brass give the updated space fresh style.
After: Otte stripped the former kitchen, removing the cabinets, soffit and, of course, the carpet. She ditched the U-shaped layout for an L-shaped one with an island, expanding the footprint into the former breakfast area, which she eliminated. These moves added 169 square feet to the kitchen.
She also widened the narrow opening to the living room, to 10 feet from 3 (see below), and also widened the opening on the far end to the dining room. “Now the kitchen feels connected and has better flow, with clean sightlines,” Otte says.
Light gray cabinets (Repose Gray by Sherwin-Williams), marble-look countertops and backsplash and a white subway field tile give the space a bright and airy look. Black cabinet hardware and other black details add a bit of contrast. A brass faucet and brass island pendants join a wood range hood, a wood shelf and brown leather island stools for a touch of warmth.
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She also widened the narrow opening to the living room, to 10 feet from 3 (see below), and also widened the opening on the far end to the dining room. “Now the kitchen feels connected and has better flow, with clean sightlines,” Otte says.
Light gray cabinets (Repose Gray by Sherwin-Williams), marble-look countertops and backsplash and a white subway field tile give the space a bright and airy look. Black cabinet hardware and other black details add a bit of contrast. A brass faucet and brass island pendants join a wood range hood, a wood shelf and brown leather island stools for a touch of warmth.
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Otte designed the tapered white oak hood cover that hangs above a new 30-inch smart convection double oven range.
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Matte black sconces hang over new windows. There’s also recessed LED lighting and undercabinet lights, in addition to the schoolhouse-style pendant lights over the island.
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The hardworking island features breezy blue base cabinets that hold a matte black dishwasher to the left of the sink, a paneled pullout trash and recycling center and a drawer microwave. A drawer below the microwave holds potatoes, onions and garlic. “We didn’t want the microwave as a line-of-sight item,” Stephanie says. “And it’s easy for the kids to use.”
Stephanie found the Southern pine flooring at a local vendor of reclaimed wood. It was salvaged from a military armory gymnasium. “We tested out different stain options but kept going back to the natural finish,” Otte says.
Stephanie found the Southern pine flooring at a local vendor of reclaimed wood. It was salvaged from a military armory gymnasium. “We tested out different stain options but kept going back to the natural finish,” Otte says.
In a corner, a bank of glass-front upper cabinets and a rift-sawn white oak shelf offer display space for special glassware and cookware.
The tall cabinet on the right conceals ductwork. But Otte designed enough room for shallow storage that holds spices, cooking sauces and boxes of tea. “It allowed us to alphabetize our spices, something we haven’t been able to do before,” Stephanie says.
The tall cabinet on the right conceals ductwork. But Otte designed enough room for shallow storage that holds spices, cooking sauces and boxes of tea. “It allowed us to alphabetize our spices, something we haven’t been able to do before,” Stephanie says.
The sink is a dark granite composite and the single handle pull-down faucet features a champagne bronze finish and touch technology. “Having the sink face the rest of the house is really nice,” Brian says. “And now we have a line of sight to the street.”
A button to the right of the faucet is for the garbage disposal. The built-in pump to the left is for dish soap.
Faucet: Trinsic in champagne bronze, Delta
A button to the right of the faucet is for the garbage disposal. The built-in pump to the left is for dish soap.
Faucet: Trinsic in champagne bronze, Delta
After: This view shows how the updated kitchen extends into what was once a breakfast area. Otte pushed the rear wall back about 18 inches to add more square footage.
A sliding glass door leads to a patio.
Wall paint: Light Pewter, Benjamin Moore; ceiling paint: Ceiling Bright White, Sherwin-Williams
A sliding glass door leads to a patio.
Wall paint: Light Pewter, Benjamin Moore; ceiling paint: Ceiling Bright White, Sherwin-Williams
Otte relocated the refrigerator to the back wall and added pantry cabinets and custom wine storage in rift-sawn white oak.
The matte black finish on the refrigerator complements the other dark appliance finishes.
The matte black finish on the refrigerator complements the other dark appliance finishes.
This view shows the new openness, with the living room on the right. “That’s exactly why we bought [the house],” Stephanie says. “We saw the potential to create a home with great flow. We were excited to have the opportunity to make this house feel like ours.”
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Brian and Stephanie Adams and their two kids
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
Size: 312 square feet (29 square meters)
Designer: Courtney Otte of The Modern Hive
Builder: Eric Price of Bearded Builders
Before: In addition to the green carpet and other worn and dated materials, the former kitchen had some functional issues the couple wanted to address. A soffit pushed the upper cabinets down, giving the space a cramped feel. The U-shaped layout with a peninsula created a similar feeling, as did a wall of cabinets and appliances opposite the sink wall that shut off the kitchen from the living area. A 3-foot-wide opening to the right of the breakfast nook was the only access to the living room.