While livelier colors had started becoming more prominent in 2019, the trend was truly spurred on by COVID. After spending months stuck at home, consumers want the cheeriness and the personality of bold colors that also reflect their personalities. Designer Michael Winn’s and Jennifer Hall’s client was already on board with this trend in 2020 when they approached the Arlington, Va.-based firm to expand and renovate their 1940s-dated kitchen and bath.
Creating an Inviting Navy Kitchen
Even with the perfect color palette, function must always come first. This kitchen was particularly small, so instead of a permanent island that would take up too much valuable square footage, a movable worktable was used in the center of the space. Instead of using upper cabinetry, nine matte-black floating shelves near the windows and on either side of the hood keep the space feeling open. The color comes in with the base cabinets, which are painted navy blue.
“We always wanted the navy blue cabinetry and didn’t really consider any other color,” said Winn, who is the president of Winn Design + Build. “The countertops are quartz, which brighten up the cabinetry by being warm white with light veining.”
Because of its calming feel and timeless reputation, this classic shade is one of the most popular used in the kitchen today. Paired with white subway tile and stainless-steel appliances, the color gives this old home an elegant refresh.
A Pop of Bold Red Color in the Bathroom
This bathroom was also small, so the client asked for more countertop space and storage in the shower, as well as a traditional pattern on the floor that suited this home’s age. The first element chosen in this space however was the vanity.
“The vanity color came first – it’s Benjamin Moore’s Poppy, which is a fun, bright color,” said Hall. “Overall, we wanted the vanity color to be the focus, and a white countertop made sense especially with the white tile planned for the shower.”
To balance this louder tone, a hexagonal, black-and-white flower tile was chosen for the flooring and is echoed in the shower alongside the white subway tile.
“The black-and-white flower tile paired with the shower’s long white tile and dark grout create the classic look the client desired,” said Winn. “The black rhombus accent tile in the shower niche gave interest and broke up the white tile wall.”
The background of the space is a cream yellow, which the design team says was inspired by a paint color the client’s mother had in her home and completed the look of the space.
While this project was full of fun colors, the renovation broke ground in March 2020 during the start of COVID lockdowns. At first the team was worried they might have to stop work entirely. However, they quickly adapted to new policies and procedures to finish this cheery project – all while focusing on keeping the homeowners, employees and trade partners safe.