White, white and more white. Zsoka and Martin's kitchen was a bland, sterile room desperately in need of a bold facelift.
It was a stark space that just didn't inspire great culinary masterpieces. But with a pinch of color, a dash of creativity and some gleaming new steel appliances, this kitchen was destined to have all five family members fighting over who gets to cook.
Zsoka and Martin's kitchen had good bones. The cabinetry was in good condition, and there was lots of it. What this space really needed was a bold new lease on life, and since changing finishes is often the easiest way to update a kitchen, that's exactly where we began.
I chose a modern new glass tile backsplash in shades of watery blue and green. The tile then inspired my choice of paint for the cabinets: We sanded and primed them and then applied soft hues of blue and green. Sleek brushed steel handles add to the modern feel of the room, while updating the look of the cabinets.
The same paint colors went on the walls, and I selected a bright orange to accent the island in the middle of the room as well as some columns shared with the adjoining family room.
Next, we installed new blue solid-surface countertops throughout most of the kitchen. Since this kitchen has so much counter space, I decided to throw in a dash of the unexpected--one of the counters was covered in durable, hard-wearing orange sheeting. The neat thing about this material is that it's actually a flooring product.
We extended the island counter and rounded its edge. Then we cut a hole in the surface and installed a modern garbage can.
Lighting is important throughout a home, but in a kitchen it's crucial. We installed recessed halogen fixtures as well as modern pendant lights over the table and island countertop.
To pull together our color scheme, I selected a durable fabric that incorporates blue, green and orange. The fabric was used to cover a large bulletin board, and we also made a two-inch cushion from the same material to cover a hard, wooden built-in bench. Just behind the bench is the family room, so I used some branches in simple vases to create a natural-looking screen between the two spaces.
Stainless steel is a big accent material in Zsoka and Martin's new kitchen. The appliances, the edging around the island countertop, the new sink and the modern barstools are all stainless steel. To warm all this up, I selected some new wood grain chairs to go with the existing table, and this radical remake was complete.
With bold paint and some updated finishes and fixtures, this recipe-for-disaster kitchen has become a modern masterpiece. Now all five family members will be slicing, dicing and serving up some of the most inspired dishes around. How divine!
(Interior decorator Candice Olson is host of Home & Garden Television's Divine Design.)
)
)
