Kitchen of the Week: Warm White and Walnut Add Midcentury Style
A couple find a designer on Houzz to update their kitchen with improved storage, new appliances and two-tone cabinets
After living for years with their aging kitchen and its worn-down cabinets, hard-to-clean tile countertops and fading appliances, this Piedmont, California, couple were ready for a major update. They wanted to keep the L-shaped layout but add improved storage, updated appliances and a cleaner midcentury modern look.
The homeowners, parents of a recent high school graduate and a recent college graduate, started by gathering inspiration photos on Houzz, where they found designer Nadja Pentic. She stripped the former kitchen and added flat-panel white upper cabinets and walnut lower cabinets, which instantly created the midcentury modern feel the owners wanted. A polished marble tile backsplash in a geometric pattern enhances the look. Meanwhile, new stainless steel appliances, updated lighting and more pantry cabinets add tons of function.
The homeowners, parents of a recent high school graduate and a recent college graduate, started by gathering inspiration photos on Houzz, where they found designer Nadja Pentic. She stripped the former kitchen and added flat-panel white upper cabinets and walnut lower cabinets, which instantly created the midcentury modern feel the owners wanted. A polished marble tile backsplash in a geometric pattern enhances the look. Meanwhile, new stainless steel appliances, updated lighting and more pantry cabinets add tons of function.
After: Pentic stripped the former kitchen but kept the peninsula’s dark gray quartz countertop, which offers contrast to the new white marble-look quartz perimeter countertops and white cabinets. “I don’t believe in tearing things out for fun,” Pentic says. “If we can preserve things, we do.”
Crisp white walls, ceiling and trim (Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore) help enhance light from an enlarged window and new recessed LED ceiling lights.
The family wanted to keep a TV in the kitchen, but upgraded it to a newer flat-screen smart TV.
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Crisp white walls, ceiling and trim (Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore) help enhance light from an enlarged window and new recessed LED ceiling lights.
The family wanted to keep a TV in the kitchen, but upgraded it to a newer flat-screen smart TV.
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Before: The former white range had vintage appeal but was starting to fail. And the inefficient cabinets forced the owners to place small appliances on the counter, which limited work surface.
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After: A 36-inch stainless steel freestanding dual-fuel range and wall-mounted hood give the homeowners modern-day cooking convenience.
Improved storage solutions helped clear the new countertops of clutter.
The backsplash consists of polished Calacatta Gold marble and rich black polished Nero Marquina marble in a modern geometric floral pattern. “This backsplash was a huge project,” Pentic says. “The tiles came cut along the petals, which meant we had to painstakingly match them. Our contractor built a template of the wall in his garage to make sure everything would fit.”
Flat-panel white upper cabinets join lower cabinets and drawers in a walnut veneer for a two-tone effect that channels midcentury modern style. “I felt like all white would be too clean and not warm enough for what they were asking for,” Pentic says. “And all walnut would have made the kitchen too dark.”
The walnut drawers are grain-matched with the cabinet doors below them.
Backsplash tile: Acadie Nero Marquina and Calacatta Marble, Ivy Hill Tile
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Improved storage solutions helped clear the new countertops of clutter.
The backsplash consists of polished Calacatta Gold marble and rich black polished Nero Marquina marble in a modern geometric floral pattern. “This backsplash was a huge project,” Pentic says. “The tiles came cut along the petals, which meant we had to painstakingly match them. Our contractor built a template of the wall in his garage to make sure everything would fit.”
Flat-panel white upper cabinets join lower cabinets and drawers in a walnut veneer for a two-tone effect that channels midcentury modern style. “I felt like all white would be too clean and not warm enough for what they were asking for,” Pentic says. “And all walnut would have made the kitchen too dark.”
The walnut drawers are grain-matched with the cabinet doors below them.
Backsplash tile: Acadie Nero Marquina and Calacatta Marble, Ivy Hill Tile
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A blind corner cabinet to the left of the range features a two-tiered pullout that brings items in the back within easy reach.
The flooring is 12-by-24-inch ceramic and porcelain tile in a neutral greige color. “We matched the grout to the tile for a more uniform look,” Pentic says.
Cabinet pullout: LeMans II set, Hafele America; floor: Code in Gris, 12 by 24 inches, Superior Tile
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The flooring is 12-by-24-inch ceramic and porcelain tile in a neutral greige color. “We matched the grout to the tile for a more uniform look,” Pentic says.
Cabinet pullout: LeMans II set, Hafele America; floor: Code in Gris, 12 by 24 inches, Superior Tile
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Before: This photo of the previous kitchen shows the general state of disrepair of the cabinets — you can see a drawer front to the left of the sink hanging off. Plus, shuttered windows didn’t maximize natural light.
After: A 31½-inch undermount stainless steel workstation sink sits beneath the expanded window.
Pop-up electrical outlets on the sink wall have white wall plates. “It was important to me, because they look more like part of the design,” Pentic says. “These outlets actually have three contact points, so you can plug in even more appliances.”
A paneled dishwasher sits to the left of the sink. To the left of that is a flat-panel microwave drawer and a wine refrigerator.
Above, a cabinet that features a lift-up bifold door stores everyday cups and dishes.
Two wood shelves span the space between two other upper cabinets, allowing light to pass through from a window.
Workstation sink: Crosstown, Elkay; microwave drawer: Sharp
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Pop-up electrical outlets on the sink wall have white wall plates. “It was important to me, because they look more like part of the design,” Pentic says. “These outlets actually have three contact points, so you can plug in even more appliances.”
A paneled dishwasher sits to the left of the sink. To the left of that is a flat-panel microwave drawer and a wine refrigerator.
Above, a cabinet that features a lift-up bifold door stores everyday cups and dishes.
Two wood shelves span the space between two other upper cabinets, allowing light to pass through from a window.
Workstation sink: Crosstown, Elkay; microwave drawer: Sharp
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Opposite the sink is a breakfast bar that sits below the peninsula bar. A dining area beyond the kitchen has a sliding door to the back patio.
A new 36-inch built-in stainless steel French door refrigerator with bottom freezer stands across from the range.
A pantry pullout to the right of the fridge holds boxes of cereal, pasta and condiments.
Below the pantry is a pullout trash and recycling center. “This pullout pantry with the trash center below gives them so much storage at their fingertips,” Pentic says.
Before: This photo shows the narrow hallway around the corner from the former refrigerator. The homeowners had their washer and dryer at the end of the hallway, which created a traffic jam on wash day.
After: The owners relocated the washer and dryer to another part of the home, freeing up room for an extended run of cabinetry.
On the other wall, white glass doors hide more pantry storage. “That space was so shallow it didn’t make sense to build actual cabinets for it,” Pentic says. “We painted it yellow inside because we thought it was fun.”
This floor plan of the renovated kitchen shows how Pentic made the most of a somewhat awkward L-shaped layout. The range sits on the right across from the fridge (center), the sink is at top and the peninsula is at bottom. “I’m super proud of what we were able to create with the same layout as they had before,” Pentic says.
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple with two kids
Location: Piedmont, California
Size: 185 square feet (17 square meters)
Designer: Nadja Pentic of Knocknock
Before: The former kitchen had limited cabinets, some of which were falling off their hinges. The lack of storage resulted in cluttered countertops, the majority of which were hard-to-clean tile. Linoleum flooring wasn’t exactly the kind of midcentury style the couple were after.
An existing beam and the location of the fireplace, partially visible at left, meant changes to the layout weren’t feasible. “We would have to tear out the entire fireplace to move walls for this kitchen,” Pentic says. “We had to work with the space we had available.”