Before and After: Refinishing Kitchen Cabinets Made This Kitchen Exquisite

The basic style of kitchen cabinets worked for the Inwood family, and so did the kitchen layout, which encouraged an easy visual flow across the counters and fridge toward the window. As kitchen layouts go, it was a good one. But over time, the Inwood family had outgrown the traditional, country-adjacent finishes and structures.

They wanted a few changes.

Though they’re not professional designers by trade, the fam knew that a fresh color combo could definitely infuse their kitchen with a newly sophisticated feel. The gingham curtain, beveled wooden cabinet doors, and rustic wood table felt warm, but they were traditional and quaint, too. Sophistication topped the dwellers’ wish list.

They also wanted a breakfast nook, one of the most coveted kitchen ideas out there. They craved a cozy, versatile space that could host morning coffee and cereal sessions, and, later on in the evenings, perhaps a few conversations over wine.

And it’d be nice, the family said, if they could get some functional extras. Gallery Kitchen & Bath delivered with a brand new backsplash, fridge, and double sink.

The Look

“Their main goal was to add some sophistication through color,” says Aaron, CEO and lead designer-contractor at Gallery Kitchen & Bath. Specifically, he says, through “warm gray tones and sharp white countertops.”

Aaron not only painted the walls white, but he also replaced the existing counter with gleaming, white quartz. They new sprawling counter spans nearly the entire length of a wall. Above it, an 2-foot by 8-foot backsplash of white subway tiles continues the white theme.

Color is a powerful thing, and these chameleon-esque moves transformed the kitchen. Newly bright, the room’s cozy corners seemed to expand, the walls seemed a bit farther apart, and the whole room felt like it encouraged easier breathing. The addition of crown molding over the cabinets added visual vertical space. This was transformational kitchen design.

To keep things fresh and chic without being sterile, Aaron and his team used light, warm gray as an accent. In fact, the very first thing they did was strip the existing kitchen cabinets and refinish them in gray. They also replaced the amber-hued wooden floors with warm gray porcelain tiles. The overall palette still reads as a monochromatic and cohesive take on white, but the gray subtly warms things up. So do the cabinets’ preserved beveled silhouette, which keeps things human by hinting at the room’s past life as a country kitchen.

Even with the warmer elements, the resulting room looks at home in collections of pictures of modern kitchens.

The Cooks

Our clients wanted to squeeze some more function from their daily cook/work/eat/socialize space. And so, right next to that easy-to-wipe-down counter and backsplash, Gallery installed a double sink. Now if they need to defrost a turkey in one sink and rinse bell peppers in the other, or wash dishes in one and have them dry in the other, the kitchen’s owners are covered. For practical people, this is truly some good kitchen inspiration.

On the wall opposite, Gallery put in a state-of-the-art stainless steel fridge, which not only ups the family’s meal-prep game but also echoes the cabinets and floor with a silvery glow.

The Nook

The shiny new appliances made it even easier to prepare gorgeous meals, and the warm, clean color palette tamed the tone of busy mornings. But it’s the breakfast nook that really excited the clients.

They dreamed of a spot equally suited to pancakes and evening cocktails, preferably with space to store wine. Aaron and his band of designers delivered these versatile qualities. They made it even more flexible when they decided on the height, which suits seated and standing eaters equally.

This family wanted a breakfast nook. What’s on your kitchen and bath remodeling wish list? Let the Gallery Kitchen & Bath team know, and start your consultation today.