fbpx
Kitchen Reveal: A Modern Kitchen With Two-Toned Cabinets

Kitchen Reveal: A Modern Kitchen With Two-Toned Cabinets

by

All-white kitchens have certainly been popular for a while, and homeowners still love the crisp look it brings to their home, especially Farmhouse Style.  But for the last several years the kitchen with two-toned cabinets has been increasing in popularity.  And I love it! 

What started out as a tip toe into the “world of two colors” has morphed into multiple ways to bring your favorite colors into the kitchen in a way that works for you.

A lot of color makes me happy!  But since we tend to move a lot, my first thoughts are to go neutral with most improvements so that they’re something a future buyer would like.  Even before we sold our last home, I remember thinking, “you love bright color, so why aren’t you using it?”  And so I did! 

With our new 18 year old fixer upper, I stepped totally out of the box (in the end).  The entire time I was designing the kitchen I visualized white cabinets around the room with a dark navy blue island.  Clean, simple, and uncluttered was the plan for this kitchen.  It would still be a kitchen with two-toned cabinets, just a little ordinary.  And I needed to have it finished ASAP! 

You see, when we moved into our new home, the kitchen was very outdated with a lot of wasted space cabinets.  Storage was minimal.  The gold cabinets had so much glazing in the corners that they looked dirty.  We were anxious to make a change.

MLS image of our original kitchen

But good design needs a well thought out plan, not one that’s rushed.  And that’s what we were able to create..once I took a step back and slowed down.  Remember, I love color and being a little bit different than everyone else.  On my first trip to the cabinet showroom I found exactly what I was looking for, and it wasn’t white and navy blue!  This meant taking a leap of faith and stepping out of my “play it safe” comfort zone.  I had my happy colors at last!!!

two toned cabinet samples

Shiloh Cabinetry: taupe stain on alder and aqua stain on alder

Ta-Da!  Here is the big reveal of our new kitchen, which we love.  Even though the footprint is basically the same, the amount of storage space we gained is amazing.  Work areas were arranged to suit the way we like to work in our kitchens.  A vent hood was added where a downdraft had been.  And a fun backsplash was added in my favorite shades of blues and turquoise.

Destefano full view kitchen

 

Destefano kitchen refrigerator wall

Destefano island

Are YOU ready for a kitchen renovation?  Remember that it doesn’t always need to be a full reno to make a big impact.  Making simple changes like painting your island to create your own two-toned cabinet look and installing new cabinet “jewelry” can be a big improvement to a dated kitchen. 

And when you’re finished, you might need a break to focus your time, energy, and money on another big project. It’s OK if your kitchen becomes a work in progress as you add the Finishing Touches like window treatments, counter stools, or rugs.

I’m here to help!  Email me here: AskADesigner@randidestefano.com  

Atlanta, GA (Brookhaven) Kitchen Remodel

by

Before:
After:

This outdated, crowded 1970’s kitchen was expanded to create one with plenty of room to prepare food, cleanup, and entertain.  The homeowners never used a front living room, and always used the dining room for each meal.  With that in mind, the dining area was shifted to the front of the house, and the existing space could be used to enlarge the kitchen.

Dunwoody, GA – Kitchen Remodel

by

Before:
After:

 

With a family of 6, this crowded kitchen never worked well for the homeowners.  The peninsula cooktop overlooked the breakfast area and family room, but walking around it created extra steps.

The homeowners wanted a more open concept that would combine the three rooms into one as much as possible.  An additional request was that the overall feel remind my client of her grandmother’s kitchen with a country French look, eliminating as many wall cabinets as possible.

To accomplish this, one wall was taken out along with the peninsula.  This left enough space to include an island for cooking, and bar seating for the children to do their homework.