Kitchen of the Week: Open Plan With a White, Gray and Gold Style
A design team gives an empty-nest couple more square footage with an airy U-shaped layout and a sleek new look
Jeannie Matteucci
March 9, 2023
Houzz Contributor. Home design writer and lifestyle reporter with a love for stylish spaces, smart lighting and a good decaf dry cappuccino.
Houzz Contributor. Home design writer and lifestyle reporter with a love for stylish... More
Several functional and style elements bothered this empty-nest couple to the point where they decided to tackle a major kitchen renovation. At the heart of the issues was a G-shaped layout that made for a tight, inefficient kitchen and cut the space off from the dining area. Meanwhile, bulkheads around the kitchen made the space feel even more cramped. And black countertops and black appliances gave the room a dark look.
For help, they hired project manager Jessica Crosby and designer Leah Velzen of Delight in Designs. The team removed the bulkheads and the G-shaped setup and pushed the home out 5 feet into the backyard. White main cabinets join a graphite gray island base, range hood and bar area to create a sleek two-tone style. Gold details and wood flooring add touches of warmth.
For help, they hired project manager Jessica Crosby and designer Leah Velzen of Delight in Designs. The team removed the bulkheads and the G-shaped setup and pushed the home out 5 feet into the backyard. White main cabinets join a graphite gray island base, range hood and bar area to create a sleek two-tone style. Gold details and wood flooring add touches of warmth.
“After” photos by Above the Horizon Media
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: An empty-nest couple
Location: Grandville, Michigan
Size: 430 square feet (40 square meters)
Remodeling team: Project manager Jessica Crosby and designer Leah Velzen of Delight in Designs
Before: The former kitchen had a G-shaped layout in 180 square feet that the homeowners found inefficient. Bulkheads added to the cramped feel. And black appliances and black laminate countertops created dark voids.
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: An empty-nest couple
Location: Grandville, Michigan
Size: 430 square feet (40 square meters)
Remodeling team: Project manager Jessica Crosby and designer Leah Velzen of Delight in Designs
Before: The former kitchen had a G-shaped layout in 180 square feet that the homeowners found inefficient. Bulkheads added to the cramped feel. And black appliances and black laminate countertops created dark voids.
After: Crosby and Velzen took the kitchen back to the studs but kept the existing engineered wood flooring, which the couple liked.
They then pushed the kitchen footprint 5 feet into the backyard, more than doubling the size of the interior area and allowing them to create an airy U-shaped layout with an island. “They really wanted an island,” Velzen says. “We had to make sure we had enough room for a walkway between the island and cabinets.”
Extending the kitchen and removing the bulkheads meant losing a skylight, but the pros made up for that with more windows and an overall lighter look.
White perimeter cabinets and a white ceiling, polished white marble-look quartz countertops, glossy light gray backsplash tile and stainless steel appliances enhance the light. The graphite gray island base and range hood and black window frames add touches of drama, while gold hardware and lighting and wood shelves and flooring balance with style with warmth. “We went with a contrasting color for the island to make it stand out more,” Velzen says.
Cabinets: Pendleton Shaker door style in Heron Plume and Duet Slim door style in Graphite, Showplace Cabinetry; stools: Aubrey in Trento Eggshell and walnut, Rove Concepts; paint colors: Revere Pewter (walls) and White Dove (ceiling), Benjamin Moore
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They then pushed the kitchen footprint 5 feet into the backyard, more than doubling the size of the interior area and allowing them to create an airy U-shaped layout with an island. “They really wanted an island,” Velzen says. “We had to make sure we had enough room for a walkway between the island and cabinets.”
Extending the kitchen and removing the bulkheads meant losing a skylight, but the pros made up for that with more windows and an overall lighter look.
White perimeter cabinets and a white ceiling, polished white marble-look quartz countertops, glossy light gray backsplash tile and stainless steel appliances enhance the light. The graphite gray island base and range hood and black window frames add touches of drama, while gold hardware and lighting and wood shelves and flooring balance with style with warmth. “We went with a contrasting color for the island to make it stand out more,” Velzen says.
Cabinets: Pendleton Shaker door style in Heron Plume and Duet Slim door style in Graphite, Showplace Cabinetry; stools: Aubrey in Trento Eggshell and walnut, Rove Concepts; paint colors: Revere Pewter (walls) and White Dove (ceiling), Benjamin Moore
Shop for bar stools and counter stools
The marble-look quartz countertops feature gray veining on a white backdrop that coordinates with the white and gray finishes used elsewhere in the kitchen.
Above the island, a pair of brass pendant lights offer a modern take on a vintage industrial look. Two two-light sconces over the floating shelves have a similar look and feel. The kitchen also includes added recessed LED lights in the ceiling.
Island cabinets in front of the stools store large platters and coloring books for the couple’s grandchildren.
Light fixtures: Argo pendants and Halstead sconces in Heritage Brass, Hinkley
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Above the island, a pair of brass pendant lights offer a modern take on a vintage industrial look. Two two-light sconces over the floating shelves have a similar look and feel. The kitchen also includes added recessed LED lights in the ceiling.
Island cabinets in front of the stools store large platters and coloring books for the couple’s grandchildren.
Light fixtures: Argo pendants and Halstead sconces in Heritage Brass, Hinkley
Find kitchen remodelers near you
A white single-bowl farmhouse-style sink made from a durable nonporous quartz composite allows the couple to clean large pots and baking pans.
A widespread bridge pull-down faucet features a stainless steel finish that coordinates with the new appliances.
Sink: Farmhouse/apron-front quartz in white, 34 inches, Karran; faucet: Broderick two-handle pull-down bridge in Arctic Stainless, Delta Faucet
A widespread bridge pull-down faucet features a stainless steel finish that coordinates with the new appliances.
Sink: Farmhouse/apron-front quartz in white, 34 inches, Karran; faucet: Broderick two-handle pull-down bridge in Arctic Stainless, Delta Faucet
Floating white oak shelves help lighten the look of the sink wall.
The backsplash is glossy light gray picket tiles in varying tones. Contemporary cabinet pulls in different sizes have a brushed gold finish.
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The backsplash is glossy light gray picket tiles in varying tones. Contemporary cabinet pulls in different sizes have a brushed gold finish.
10 Kitchen Trends to Watch in Layouts, Features and More
Before: This photo shows some of the elements that gave the former kitchen a tight feel, including the bulkheads, low-hung upper cabinets and a microwave over the range. “They didn’t like the microwave overhead,” Velzen says. “It felt very cramped and crowded cooking at that stove.”
After: With the bulkheads gone, Velzen and Crosby took the upper cabinets to the ceiling for an airier look. A new gas range also has some breathing room now that a new flat-panel microwave sits in the island across from the sink.
And extending the kitchen into the backyard gave the pros the opportunity to create a larger window over the sink and corner windows near the range to help make up for the natural light lost by the removal of the skylight.
Extending the footprint also allowed them to relocate the new three-door stainless steel refrigerator to the range wall to create a more efficient layout and prevent the appliance from protruding into a main walkway.
And extending the kitchen into the backyard gave the pros the opportunity to create a larger window over the sink and corner windows near the range to help make up for the natural light lost by the removal of the skylight.
Extending the footprint also allowed them to relocate the new three-door stainless steel refrigerator to the range wall to create a more efficient layout and prevent the appliance from protruding into a main walkway.
Before: Here’s a look at the former fridge sticking into a main walkway. “There was a tall pantry cabinet there on the wall with the refrigerator, and when the door was open it was hard for people to pass by there,” Velzen says. “It got very crowded.”
Next to that was a home bar area that the couple wanted to make feel more cohesive with the rest of the kitchen.
Next to that was a home bar area that the couple wanted to make feel more cohesive with the rest of the kitchen.
After: New cabinets in the same graphite gray color as the island and range hood help connect the bar area to the revamped kitchen.
Large double pantry cabinets include rollout shelves for dry goods and small appliances. “They have their toaster in there,” Velzen says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
Large double pantry cabinets include rollout shelves for dry goods and small appliances. “They have their toaster in there,” Velzen says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The 12-by-12-inch matte black bead mosaic ceramic tiles have a modern concrete look that contrasts with the light gray backsplash tiles in the kitchen while still visually connecting the two elements. “She really wanted that bar area to stand out,” Velzen says.
Before: A look from the former kitchen toward the dining area shows how the peninsula cut the two spaces off.
The homeowners also wanted to address the bay window off the dining area. “It was on the same wall where we did the bump-out for the kitchen, so we wanted a cohesive look,” Velzen says.
The homeowners also wanted to address the bay window off the dining area. “It was on the same wall where we did the bump-out for the kitchen, so we wanted a cohesive look,” Velzen says.
After: The two spaces now enjoy a more open connection. The bay window was smoothed out at the same depth as the bumped-out sink wall. A large new corner window brings in light and views.
The remodeling pros refinished the dining table in a rich walnut stain, repainted the chairs black and added a black-and-bronze chandelier to complement finishes elsewhere in the kitchen.
The railing seen behind the dining table was updated to coordinate with the kitchen and dining area. The stairs past the railing lead to a finished basement.
Chandelier: Armand in black, Kichler
The remodeling pros refinished the dining table in a rich walnut stain, repainted the chairs black and added a black-and-bronze chandelier to complement finishes elsewhere in the kitchen.
The railing seen behind the dining table was updated to coordinate with the kitchen and dining area. The stairs past the railing lead to a finished basement.
Chandelier: Armand in black, Kichler
Before: This floor plan of the former kitchen and dining area shows how the G-shaped layout and peninsula (center) divided the two spaces. The refrigerator (bottom right) stuck out into a main traffic area, and the bay window (top left) seemed unnecessarily complicated. “It was a small dining area, so expanding that would allow them to fit more people around the table,” Velzen says.
After: Velzen and Crosby bumped the kitchen out by 5 feet and smoothed out the bay window. A new U-shaped layout with an island (center) creates a lighter look and feel with ample traffic flow.
“This client was special because she saw the value of staying in this home and creating the space she needed for gathering with her family and friends,” Crosby says.
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“This client was special because she saw the value of staying in this home and creating the space she needed for gathering with her family and friends,” Crosby says.
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
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Beautiful kitchen! I like the brass pendants and sconces! Could you tell me the name of the hardware, please. It looks very nice together!
What exactly is the tile name in the kitchen and where can i find it? I love it!
Anyone know the brand and style of the cabinet hardware? Love those too!