KBB

KBB

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December 3, 2015

These daring designers took a chance in these kitchens, which are anything but neutral. Here’s a look at three of our favorite colorful, inspired renovations.

View a gallery of these renovations here.

Pool House
The goal of this kitchen was to bring the color palette and texture of the outside pool area inside the South Florida home, which helps create a more cohesive feel. The client also wanted it to be a comfortable place for friends and family to gather.

“A glass tile wall mimics the waves of the water, which creates movement, while the blue color brings in the blue sky,” said Barbara C. Gellar, president of Boca Raton, Fla.-based The Place for Kitchens and Baths. “Giving this space a modern, crisp, clean color palette keeps it bright and open, and adding an island with seating turns the kitchen into a welcoming gathering place.”

White cabinetry lets the blue wall and the sparkle of the countertops, hardware and light fixture really pop. The glass tile brings out the blue in the Cambria countertops and carries the color of the pool inside the house. According to the designer, the branch pattern of the chandelier helped bring the outdoors in and looks like stars in the sky when lit up at night. The open shelving helps brighten the space, and the personalized pulls from Siro Designs add some additional flair to a kitchen with color.

“My clients are very eclectic, and they were very open to my ideas,” said Gellar. “We worked closely with them every step of the way – making sure everyone was on the same page – and they were completely satisfied in the end.”

                       
                                            Kitchen by Jan Goldman

Confetti Kitchen

The driving force behind this design is undoubtedly the colorful backsplash, and the light orange-painted cabinetry interior and shelves were used to relate to this element. As the client loves orange, apple green, purple and cornflower blue, this backsplash was her idea.

According to Jan Goldman of Kitchen Elements in Olney, Md., the challenge was using this striking combination of accent colors while having a well-thought-out background to highlight and support them.

“I suggested the cabinet backdrop must not compete, which is why we selected the white wall cabinets, mid-gray tall cabinets and dark gray base cabinets to anchor the visual excitement,” she said. “We needed enough individual colors to create interest, variety and punch – but not too many so that you didn’t have a place comfortable place for your eyes to land and not feel jarred.”

The designer’s selection of the white wall cabinets – from Showplace Wood Products – also provided a reason to re-use the existing white appliances, and she created long runs of usable countertops and incorporated an eat-in area with colorful stools. The result is a bright kitchen that Goldman says feels happy.

               
                                      Kitchen by Lauren Levant Bland

Personality Plus
Designer Lauren Levant Bland’s client – a successful Pittsburgh real estate developer and agent who enjoys cooking and entertaining – inspired the palette she chose for this kitchen.

“I always strive to make a project reflect the unique characteristics of the client because it helps make the space fit and honor the person,” she said. “He’s a world traveler, a collector of quality friends and stories and an accomplished musician. His [former] space simply didn’t reflect the rich tapestry of his life. I saw something warmer and more distinctive in this client, and it definitely drove the material palette decisions for me.”

Warm, natural cherry cabinets from IKEA are paired with concrete-colored quartz countertops and oil-rubbed bronze hardware. The stainless and stone backsplash from American Olean adds a bit of what the designer refers to as “modern rustification,” and the floor tile is a stone look – further emphasizing her client’s love of nature.

She salvaged reclaimed dark gray beams from a demolished structure nearby that predate the Civil War and used them to create a framework for the cabinetry and conceal a hidden chef’s pantry. She chose energetic acid green for the walls to counterbalance some of the darker tones.

“I knew the color would look very loud at first – and it did – but I also knew it would be perfect once the renovation was complete,” said Levant Bland. “Luckily, I had my client’s complete trust, and he made it through. Now everyone loves the color and agrees it’s perfect for the completed space.”

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