Filled with shiny maple cabinets and glossy black counters, the kitchen in this home presented a major personality conflict with its new owners — one that could only be resolved through drastic measures and a demolition crew. While some homeowners are flexible and could easily live with a multitude of style directions, others have a definitive personal style that permeates everything from wardrobe to interior design in a cohesive manner. This home belonged to just such a client. After dabbling with colour, the lady of the house had conviction and confidence that only a white kitchen with black accents would do. With whimsical accessories and lighthearted touches, this all-white creation provides the backdrop for a bustling family home.
The casual ease of a simple diner meal is appealing for a few reasons. The durable finishes, classic white dishes, and unfussed approach to churning out tasty meals seems well connected to how we live at home. Every meal isn’t a production, and it’s definitely not fancy. So if relaxed and friendly is more your style than polished and sophisticated, take a page from the ready-to-serve stacks of chunky white dishes in the serving line of any diner and create the same look at home by leaving the bottom section of your cabinets open. Stacking your everyday dishes in plain view means everyone will always be able to find what he or she is looking for, and the pieces you use most often will be within easy reach, whether plating up the lunch special or unloading the dishwasher.
After deciding on a colour theme, it’s wise to follow the path and allow that direction to guide your decisions. To maintain the light and bright, cloudlike palette in this kitchen, I opted for full overlay panels on the fridge and dishwasher so they blend right into the cabinetry, white counters, white stools, white dishes, and even white knobs on the appliances. In essence, anything available in white was ordered in white. This sort of commitment to a palette definitely makes for swift decision-making as you take deliberation out of the equation.