Hold on to your spatulas, folks, there’s something in the air. As I write this, I have three kitchen re-dos in the works, and not one of them is like the others. Oddly enough, each of these kitchen projects began at various times, yet somehow they are all coming to fruition right now. I must say, I’m happy to oblige my clients in what I now consider to be my own personal Kitchen Design Challenge 2012.

Kitchen 1: Contessa Kitchen

This kitchen is very sleek with a classic feel — much like these clients, with whom I’ve worked for many years and have come to think of as dear friends first, clients second. Together, we’ve decided to use these materials in their new kitchen:

• Cararra marble countertops
• Existing wood floor
• White painted cabinets in the perimeter of the kitchen
• A slightly distressed ocean blue cabinet on the island cabinet (glorious!)
• A dazzling 2×6 crackle and glazed off-white subway tile for most of the backsplash, with the exception of this absolutely fabulous antique mirror mosaic behind the range (see photo below)

Stay tuned to see it installed! It promises to be a beauty…

Gorgeous mosaic tile mirror.

Kitchen 2: Outdoorsy, but not “Up North”

This kitchen is more rustic than the Contessa Kitchen. It has an oyster glaze on the perimeter cabinets and a chocolate glaze on the island cabinets — I love the contrast! This kitchen particularly reminds me of being outdoors without that “up north” feeling (or “up nort,” as we native Minnesotans say). It also boasts a nice sense of Italia in its cabinet style, hardware selection, counter material, and lighting selections.

The oyster glaze on the perimeter cabinets of the Outdoorsy house is similar to the glaze on the cabinets in this picture.

Kitchen 3: Cook’s Kitchen

The Cook’s Kitchen has enough storage to house everything a girl could want! Mixers, platters, wine glasses…you name it, and this kitchen has room for it. These clients added their dining room space to their existing kitchen, so really, their new kitchen will be two rooms wide (a definite cook’s kitchen — there’s a prep sink in the island). Can’t beat that for a family of 5!

The cabinets I’ve chosen for this kitchen are a transitional medium cherry that will deepen in color with age. The flooring is made of a wood called cumaru, which is both beautiful and durable. We’re adding seedy glass in the above cabinets for display purposes, and a granite countertop, which won’t steal the show but rather help blend all of these materials together. The real show-stealer is the brick-patterned slate backsplash that starts at the counter and goes to the ceiling behind the range hood. Very dramatic!

This isn't the kitchen I'm working on, but you can see an example of cumaru wood flooring in a kitchen setting.

So whose kitchen is next???

xoxo,

Renae