Red, White and Blue Energize a Remodeled River-View Kitchen
An 1827 cabin on Minnesota’s St. Croix River gets a new kitchen with a patriotic color scheme
“The client has a good eye for colors. She chose the red, white and blue, which is a strong palette,” says designer and contractor John Biancini. The bold blue walls are covered in Regatta from Sherwin-Williams. Due to the room’s many windows and abundant natural light, the blue paint looks much brighter on the walls than it did in the paint can. The wide-plank pine floors, original to the home, were refinished in a medium brown stain. The new recessed paneled white cabinets feature hardware from Pottery Barn.
The kitchen’s white countertops are granite but mimic the look of marble. The farmhouse sink sits below new windows with views of the river. The beadboard ceiling was also painted white. The homeowners’ bright-red pans, gadgets and other accessories add punches of color.
Find more farmhouse sinks
Find more farmhouse sinks
A stainless steel pot rack above the gas range provides easy access to pots and pans, with no need to rifle through cabinets while cooking. “We gave [the owner] an eight-page survey before starting the project to learn everything we could about how she would use the kitchen,” Biancini says. “Our goal was to build the kitchen to suit her, for the way she would use it. As a result, the finished kitchen fits her like a fine Italian glove.”
A new window seat was created in an existing bump-out. The space provides a leisurely dining nook with lush river views. A wall between the kitchen and family room was removed, creating one open space with all new windows from Marvin. “They never spent time in the kitchen before,” Biancini says. “Now they spend nearly all of their time indoors in the kitchen and family room. With all the windows, the space is spectacular in all seasons.”
More
10 Kitchens That Nail Red, White and Blue
How Blue and White Can Bring Joy to Your Kitchen
More
10 Kitchens That Nail Red, White and Blue
How Blue and White Can Bring Joy to Your Kitchen
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of six
Location: St. Croix, Minnesota
Size: About 400 square feet (about 37 square meters)
Designer: John Biancini, Apex Construction Management
Over the years, and through seven renovation projects, this vacation home has morphed from a rustic cabin to a contemporary “river house” for the family. The latest project was a transformation of the kitchen —from a dark space without any river views in a closed-off corner of the house to an open, spacious room connected to the family room and overlooking the water.