Kitchen of the Week: Soft and Creamy Palette and a New Layout
A designer helps her cousin reconfigure a galley layout to create a spacious new kitchen with two-tone cabinets
Korey Kulpins works as a design assistant for her cousin, designer Maegan Blau. So when Kulpins’ parents wanted to update their 1971 condo that Kulpins rents from them in Scottsdale, Arizona, there was no question who was going to tackle the renovation.
First on the agenda was deciding what to do with the cramped and dark galley kitchen next to a mostly unused flex room. Blau came up with the solution to swap the layout, relocating the kitchen to the flex space and converting the galley into a new office and expanded laundry area. Blau then pored over Kulpins’ inspiration photos to tease out a fresh style for the kitchen that includes two-tone cabinets — soft greige uppers, light sage green lowers — a creamy zellige-style tile backsplash and wood-look luxury vinyl plank flooring.
First on the agenda was deciding what to do with the cramped and dark galley kitchen next to a mostly unused flex room. Blau came up with the solution to swap the layout, relocating the kitchen to the flex space and converting the galley into a new office and expanded laundry area. Blau then pored over Kulpins’ inspiration photos to tease out a fresh style for the kitchen that includes two-tone cabinets — soft greige uppers, light sage green lowers — a creamy zellige-style tile backsplash and wood-look luxury vinyl plank flooring.
After: Blau relocated the kitchen to the former flex space. The former galley space sits on the other side of the refrigerator wall at the right (see floor plans below). This move gave Kulpins a 125-square foot, G-shaped layout with a peninsula.
“I had to do some convincing when I proposed moving the kitchen,” Blau says. “But I knew by relocating the kitchen, it would allow more than one person to use the kitchen at the same time and a good work triangle was possible.”
Soft two-tone Shaker-style cabinets significantly lighten the look. The uppers are painted a light greige (Warm Putty by Valspar). The lowers are a muted sage green with blue undertones (Hunters Point by Sherwin-Williams). “Going with the two-tone cabinetry with the lighter color on top and the darker color on the bottom gives dimension to the kitchen,” Blau says. “It was also important to bring the cabinetry all the way to the ceiling, because it brings your eye up and makes this space feel taller and more luxe in general.”
Wood-look luxury vinyl plank flooring complements the warm tones of the updated palette. Double doors on the left open to the condo’s main bedroom and bath.
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“I had to do some convincing when I proposed moving the kitchen,” Blau says. “But I knew by relocating the kitchen, it would allow more than one person to use the kitchen at the same time and a good work triangle was possible.”
Soft two-tone Shaker-style cabinets significantly lighten the look. The uppers are painted a light greige (Warm Putty by Valspar). The lowers are a muted sage green with blue undertones (Hunters Point by Sherwin-Williams). “Going with the two-tone cabinetry with the lighter color on top and the darker color on the bottom gives dimension to the kitchen,” Blau says. “It was also important to bring the cabinetry all the way to the ceiling, because it brings your eye up and makes this space feel taller and more luxe in general.”
Wood-look luxury vinyl plank flooring complements the warm tones of the updated palette. Double doors on the left open to the condo’s main bedroom and bath.
Find a kitchen remodeler near you
Creamy zellige-style 5-by-5-inch glazed ceramic tiles feature variation in tones and texture that create a handmade look. “I think the tiles bring in a Tuscan vibe, while the cabinets and hardware are more modern,” Kulpins says. “I wanted the backsplash to warm things up and make the kitchen feel more homey.”
White quartz countertops feature faint beige veining. “A lot of the white quartz counters have the gray tones, but I wanted the warm beige,” Kulpins says.
Black cabinet hardware offers a bit of contrast.
Backsplash: Cloe wall tile in Creme, 5 by 5 inches, Bedrosians Tile and Stone; cabinet hardware: cabinet pulls in flat black and square contemporary cabinet knobs in flat black, Cosmas; paint colors: Bohemian Lace (walls) and Pure White (ceiling), Sherwin-Williams
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White quartz countertops feature faint beige veining. “A lot of the white quartz counters have the gray tones, but I wanted the warm beige,” Kulpins says.
Black cabinet hardware offers a bit of contrast.
Backsplash: Cloe wall tile in Creme, 5 by 5 inches, Bedrosians Tile and Stone; cabinet hardware: cabinet pulls in flat black and square contemporary cabinet knobs in flat black, Cosmas; paint colors: Bohemian Lace (walls) and Pure White (ceiling), Sherwin-Williams
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The French door stainless refrigerator features a special finish that resists fingerprints. A large pantry cabinet to the right contains three interior shelves. “The pantry was my pride and joy in this kitchen,” Blau says. “We had to extend the wall about a foot and a half, but it helped define the space.”
“All the food storage is concentrated there,” Kulpins says. “I wanted an easy way to put all of my food away in one area.”
Not sure where to start on your home project? Click here to learn the basics
“All the food storage is concentrated there,” Kulpins says. “I wanted an easy way to put all of my food away in one area.”
Not sure where to start on your home project? Click here to learn the basics
Above the slide-in electric convection range is a stainless microwave with simple features. “I wanted to create symmetry in some way, so we placed the range on that wall so we could have symmetrical cabinets and drawers on each side,” Blau says.
The deep drawers on either side of the range store pots and pans, while the shallower ones on top include dividers for spices and cooking utensils. “I like putting pots and pans in drawers because to me it’s the easiest way to do it,” Kulpins says.
The upper corner cabinet includes fixed shelves for coffee cups and plastic containers. The lower corner cabinet has a lazy Susan to maximize storage and accessibility for kitchen gadgets.
The deep drawers on either side of the range store pots and pans, while the shallower ones on top include dividers for spices and cooking utensils. “I like putting pots and pans in drawers because to me it’s the easiest way to do it,” Kulpins says.
The upper corner cabinet includes fixed shelves for coffee cups and plastic containers. The lower corner cabinet has a lazy Susan to maximize storage and accessibility for kitchen gadgets.
A pull-down faucet in matte black coordinates with the cabinet hardware. The sink is a 28-inch undermount single basin in stainless steel.
The rug is vintage.
Faucet: One-handle high-arc pull-down in matte black, Moen
The rug is vintage.
Faucet: One-handle high-arc pull-down in matte black, Moen
A custom floating white oak shelf over the sink area displays decorative items, plants and cookbooks.
A pair of glass-and-metal sconces add multidirectional light. There are also recessed flat LED lights in the ceiling and undercabinet lighting. “It’s important for me in design to have layers of light,” Blau says. “This space didn’t call for pendants. Pendants over the peninsula would have been too claustrophobic for this space.”
A pair of glass-and-metal sconces add multidirectional light. There are also recessed flat LED lights in the ceiling and undercabinet lighting. “It’s important for me in design to have layers of light,” Blau says. “This space didn’t call for pendants. Pendants over the peninsula would have been too claustrophobic for this space.”
After: The larger and more user-friendly kitchen now sits open to the condo’s living room and dining room, top. Blau converted the former galley space into a home office with a built-in desk. She also doubled the size of the laundry area, bottom left.
“We definitely created a kitchen where people can congregate,” Kulpins says. “I just wanted a warm and inviting space that’s easy to use.”
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“We definitely created a kitchen where people can congregate,” Kulpins says. “I just wanted a warm and inviting space that’s easy to use.”
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Korey Kulpins, a design assistant
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Size: 125 square feet (12 square meters)
Designer: Maegan Blau of Blue Copper Design
Before: This photo, taken from the flex room, shows a portion of the cramped 64-square-foot galley kitchen that felt like a footnote to the 9-by-13-foot flex room. “It was just too small,” Kulpins says. “I like kitchens where you can have people sit and have a conversation with you when you’re cooking.”
She also wanted to replace the dark cabinets, add more lighting and create an overall lighter feel.
A pocket door at the interior end of the kitchen (see the “before” floor plan) opened to a washer and dryer.