White Cabinets and Blue Accents Brighten a Kitchen
An empty-nester couple creates a light-filled open kitchen with improved storage, more workspace and better flow
A pipe leak motivated Michael Bodaken and Fran Bernstein to finally tackle some home improvement projects in their 1930s center hall Colonial-style home in Maryland. Apart from updating all the pipes, they took on a serious makeover of their small and dark L-shaped kitchen to get more light, better circulation, and more efficient storage and workspace.
Elegant steel-blue pendant lights with a teardrop silhouette hang over the new island. “We splurged on those,” Bernstein says. “There’s something really light and airy about them, and I thought the pendants went really well with the backsplash.”
The island includes a microwave drawer on the sink side, double trash pullouts on the side opposite the range, and two electrical outlets (the one on the apron side of the island has a USB port, so the couple can plug in their laptops). Turned legs offer structural support and add a decorative touch that makes the angled island look like a piece of furniture.
The single-bowl undermount sink has a pullout faucet with an arched spout. The new stainless steel dishwasher is just to the right. A second pair of trash pullouts sits to the left of the sink. “We can do the papers in one, all the glass in another and so on,” Bernstein says. “It has been really nice and keeps everything organized.”
Pendant lights: Alina Grande, Tech Lighting; stainless steel sink: Eclipse Stainless; faucet: Grohe; dishwasher: Bosch
The island includes a microwave drawer on the sink side, double trash pullouts on the side opposite the range, and two electrical outlets (the one on the apron side of the island has a USB port, so the couple can plug in their laptops). Turned legs offer structural support and add a decorative touch that makes the angled island look like a piece of furniture.
The single-bowl undermount sink has a pullout faucet with an arched spout. The new stainless steel dishwasher is just to the right. A second pair of trash pullouts sits to the left of the sink. “We can do the papers in one, all the glass in another and so on,” Bernstein says. “It has been really nice and keeps everything organized.”
Pendant lights: Alina Grande, Tech Lighting; stainless steel sink: Eclipse Stainless; faucet: Grohe; dishwasher: Bosch
Muted blue and gray mosaic tiles form a soft, calming backsplash. Milk-white, highly polished quartz countertops feature touches of muted gray. “The backsplash has a wonderful texture that also brings in some color,” Goldman notes. “[Bernstein] didn’t want a backsplash that would pop too much. The matte finish on the tiles is a counterpoint to the shiny counters. It’s nice to mix up finishes.”
Backsplash: tumbled Opus Azul antique marble, Complete Tile Collection; counters: Glacier White quartz, M S International
Backsplash: tumbled Opus Azul antique marble, Complete Tile Collection; counters: Glacier White quartz, M S International
A 36-inch-wide corner pantry cabinet was built on-site. “We didn’t have a pantry before, so this gives us much more room for food that isn’t being refrigerated,” Bernstein says.
A glass-front cabinet on top holds the homeowners’ favorite serving platters found during a trip to Italy.
A glass-front cabinet on top holds the homeowners’ favorite serving platters found during a trip to Italy.
The five-burner, duel-fuel convection range has a separate baking drawer for more cooking options. The wood frame on the vent hood was painted to match the surrounding cabinetry for a cohesive look.
Goldman upgraded the existing linoleum floor to white oak to match the hardwood in adjacent spaces.
30-inch, stainless steel, slide-in range: KitchenAid; hood vent: Zephyr Ventilation
Goldman upgraded the existing linoleum floor to white oak to match the hardwood in adjacent spaces.
30-inch, stainless steel, slide-in range: KitchenAid; hood vent: Zephyr Ventilation
BEFORE: This floor plan of the original kitchen shows a more compact layout and inadequate countertop space for the couple’s needs. A nearby powder room (top center) and a closet area to the right of that took up valuable floor space. The stairs (bottom right) lead down to the basement.
AFTER: Removing the closet and pushing the powder room to the right wall freed up more space for an open layout. “Just sitting in the kitchen and being able to look out the window is great,” Bernstein says. “It’s a more welcoming, brighter space.”
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Married couple Michael Bodaken and Fran Bernstein
Location: Silver Spring, Maryland
Size: 194 square feet (18 square meters)
Designer: Jan Goldman of Kitchen Elements
The empty nesters worked with designer Jan Goldman to create a brighter space with an angled island at the center that provides better storage and more work area.
Goldman removed three walls to open the plan to the surrounding spaces and create a stronger connection to the backyard. She opened the back wall of the house to allow for new casement windows over the sink that let in light and fresh air.
The frameless maple cabinetry, with recessed-panel doors, is painted white to enhance the natural light. Glass-front upper cabinets in one corner help balance the room, and they offer display storage for collectibles and special dishes the couple found during a trip to Provence, France.
An open wine rack occupies the space above a new 36-inch-wide, counter-depth refrigerator.
Wall paint: Agreeable Gray 7029, Sherwin-Williams; cabinets: Edgewater door style 275, ShowplaceEVO; oil-rubbed bronze cabinet pulls: Belcastel from Jeffrey Alexander, Hardware Resources; stainless steel refrigerator: KitchenAid