Zsoka and Martin’s kitchen was a bland, sterile room that was
desperately in need of a bold blue facelift. It was a stark space
that just didn’t inspire many great culinary masterpieces. But a
pinch of color, a dash of creativity and some gleaming new steel
appliances made this kitchen the cr
ème de la crème.
Zsoka and Martin’s kitchen was a bland, sterile room that was desperately in need of a bold blue facelift. It was a stark space that just didn’t inspire many great culinary masterpieces. But a pinch of color, a dash of creativity and some gleaming new steel appliances made this kitchen the crème de la crème.
The kitchen had good bones. The cabinetry was in good condition, and there was lots of it. This space really needed 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 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 added to the modern feel of the room while updating the look of the cabinets. The same 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 is actually a flooring product, which goes to show you that just about anything is possible in interior design if you just learn to think outside the packaging.
To tackle the problem of “waste management,” we extended the island counter and rounded its edge. Then we cut a hole in the surface and installed a modern garbage can that lets you sink a basket from anywhere in the room.
Lighting is important throughout a home, but in a kitchen it’s really 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 in the kitchen, 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 up all this steel and chrome, I selected some new wood grain chairs to go with the existing table.
With bold paint and some updated finishes and fixtures, this recipe-for-disaster kitchen became a modern masterpiece.
