Kitchen of the Week: A Vibrant Space for Family and Friends
This Virginia kitchen features a large blue island, a porcelain tile backsplash and a cabinetry wall
The owners of this home are vibrant, energetic people who wanted their kitchen to better reflect their lifestyle. “They work and travel a lot,” says Meghan Browne, their designer. “They love to entertain and have family over. There’s a patio right outside the kitchen where they have lots of backyard barbecues. The kitchen is a well-used space when it comes to entertaining.”
Before: Prior to the renovation, the kitchen was overly ornate for the homeowners’ taste. “It’s just not their personality at all,” Browne says.
After: Here’s a look at the kitchen from the same angle (though in a tighter shot) after renovation. The homeowners were attracted to grays, so Browne suggested a wood-look laminate featuring grays and taupes for the cabinets shown on the left wall in this photo. “The color had a lot of warmth to it, because we didn’t want the kitchen to feel stark,” Browne says. The panels have a grain pattern that adds an organic touch, and they’re horizontally grain-matched to emphasize their pattern.
The pendants over the island were ones the homeowners had purchased; Browne simply moved them so they were centered over the new island.
To the right of the cabinetry that surrounds the range hood, Browne added a short wall between the kitchen and the eat-in dining area. “We did that so you feel the separation of the space,” she says. “Then we also transitioned the materials into that room, keeping the same color palette, but we added the mirror-front doors.” The cabinets contain charging stations as well as drawers for kids’ art and homework supplies. Changing the height of these cabinets relative to the lower kitchen cabinets also helped set the space apart.
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The pendants over the island were ones the homeowners had purchased; Browne simply moved them so they were centered over the new island.
To the right of the cabinetry that surrounds the range hood, Browne added a short wall between the kitchen and the eat-in dining area. “We did that so you feel the separation of the space,” she says. “Then we also transitioned the materials into that room, keeping the same color palette, but we added the mirror-front doors.” The cabinets contain charging stations as well as drawers for kids’ art and homework supplies. Changing the height of these cabinets relative to the lower kitchen cabinets also helped set the space apart.
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The range wall features large-format (60-by-120-inch) porcelain tile that has a pattern meant to look like Calacatta marble. The large shape allows for few seams. This product is thin (quarter-inch) and must be installed by a countertop fabricator certified in installing the specific product, but it has its advantages. “It allows you to have that Calacatta look without paying for the look or having the maintenance,” Browne says. (Marble is susceptible to being etched by acidic foods such as lemon juice, as well as to being scratched or stained.)
This photo shows the clean white upper cabinets, which are painted MDF (medium-density fiberboard) with touch latches. The cabinets bifold and tilt up with a simple finger press.
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This photo shows the clean white upper cabinets, which are painted MDF (medium-density fiberboard) with touch latches. The cabinets bifold and tilt up with a simple finger press.
Work with a kitchen designer near you
Here’s a look at the kitchen with those white cabinet doors folded up.
Before: Here’s how the kitchen island and far cabinetry wall looked prior to the renovation. The island was oddly small (7½ by 3½ feet) relative to the kitchen’s overall footprint. It allowed for only three seats.
The new island is larger (10 feet, 5 inches by 5 feet, 6 inches) and can accommodate five bar stools. Browne mixed the standard-thickness countertop (Caesarstone’s Frosty Carrina) on the island with a 2-inch-thick granite (Astrix from Marble Systems) in a waterfall style. The large island has ample storage, including 20-inch-deep cabinets on the bar stool side, which the homeowners use to store seasonal items.
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Find kitchen island bar stools in the Houzz Shop
Browne took the cooktop out of the island because the homeowners felt it was a bit dangerous to have a hot element where children would be seated. The cooktop’s new location against the wall also allows for better ventilation beneath a powerful range hood, which is helpful since the homeowners do high-heat cooking. The island then became a great place for prepping food, laying out cookies or creating a buffet.
The working side of the island contains a microwave and refrigerator and freezer drawers. The top drawers are taller than standard because the homeowner uses them to tuck away foils and plastic wraps, and she felt they caught on the lip of standard-height drawers.
The homeowners kept the existing engineered wood flooring.
Wall paint: Stonington Gray, Benjamin Moore
The working side of the island contains a microwave and refrigerator and freezer drawers. The top drawers are taller than standard because the homeowner uses them to tuck away foils and plastic wraps, and she felt they caught on the lip of standard-height drawers.
The homeowners kept the existing engineered wood flooring.
Wall paint: Stonington Gray, Benjamin Moore
Browne swapped the location of the ovens and refrigerator in the new kitchen, moving the ovens to the left of the hallway opening and the refrigerator to its right. The refrigerator is hidden behind a grain-matched panel. This works better because the fridge is now closer to the sink, which is helpful for washing vegetables, and next to the countertop, creating a landing zone for grocery bags.
The upper oven is a steam oven and the lower one is regular. The homeowners enjoy healthy eating and use the steam oven to prepare both vegetables and meat.
The upper oven is a steam oven and the lower one is regular. The homeowners enjoy healthy eating and use the steam oven to prepare both vegetables and meat.
Here’s the same wall with the cabinet doors open to show the wine refrigerator on the right, the coffee and tea station above it. “You can keep guests away from the main prep area and have that bar completely open,” Browne says.
The cabinet doors bifold and retract so the homeowners can keep them open if they like.
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The cabinet doors bifold and retract so the homeowners can keep them open if they like.
More on Houzz
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Kitchen Designer?
Find a pro near you
Shop for products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two young boys
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Size: 450 square feet (42 square meters) including the eat-in dining area
Designer: Meghan Browne of Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath
This photo shows the result of the renovation: a clean-lined kitchen composed of fun materials and a pop of blue on the island.