Kitchen Remodel Design Questions from a Designed in a Click Consultation

I’m sharing a few kitchen design questions and answers today from a recent Designed in a Click consultation. They might help you if you are considering a kitchen update in your future.

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Kitchen remodel Design Questions

This kitchen was getting an partial update with new countertops and backsplash. The homeowner also wanted to know if there were other things to do here to get rid of some of the gold tone look everywhere.

Existing kitchen, the homeowner wants an partial update to achieve a less gold-tone look.

Existing kitchen, the homeowner wants an partial update to achieve a less gold-tone look.

Existing kitchen, the homeowner wants an partial update to achieve a less gold-tone look.

She was keeping the travertine floor and wanted to keep the anegre wood cabinets. She was open to possibly staining them or modifying them someway to minimize the overall color.

She wanted input on countertop and backsplash as well as any other suggestions I might have to update.

This was the paint color in the kitchen.

Existing wall paint color in the kitchen.

Kitchen Remodel design recommendations

First of all, I love your cabinetry. I would not stain those, but keep them as is. Whenever you have quality, you should keep it and these cabinets are quality.

One of the big things that dates your house right now is the lighting and the cabinet hardware. They are "contemporary" from the 1990's or maybe 2000's. They just date the whole look and don't really work with the house and the wood. Luckily those are easy things to change. I've got more on this below.

The next is your countertop and backsplash. I know you said you want to go light, so I have some options for you, below.

For the countertop, backsplash and paint in the kitchen I would make those all one creamy white color. It needs to be a warm white to work with the floor in this situation.

Option 1)

Taj Mahal quartzite is a natural stone product and has some subtle, pretty movement that would look good on your counters there. It varies a lot, but usually has some warm veining and then has a cream and warm gray overall tone. I think it would work well with your cabinets.

I am recommending that you paint the walls here, as that is a fairly inexpensive fix and will help tone down all the gold tones you are seeing. You could do a backsplash in a long, linear subway tile, I'd stack it (not do a subway brick style lay) so it will read more contemporary. You could also just do the splash out of the slab material.

For wall paint, I'd do SW 7568 Neutral Ground. It is a warm light color and in the lighting I have here, will blend with the tile and work with the Taj Mahal. Obviously, you would have to test all these in your own home to see how they look and if you like them. It looks like you have a lot of green outside, so you might get some of that reflection indoors, changing the color a bit.

Another option for paint with Taj Mahal is Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter. It's a light warm gray, it just depends on the color direction you prefer. It looks great with Taj Mahal typically.

Option 1 - Kitchen remodel sample combination, creamy white materials with natural stone countertop

Option 2)

For a quartz product, you could look at Caesarstone's Dreamy Marfil, 5220. It's a nice creamy color that would be a good warm white. I believe it is intended to replicate a Crema Marfil marble.

I'd do the SW Neutral Ground paint with this and I have a 2 x 9 tile from Arizona Tile, Concerto Sand Glossy, as a good backsplash tile. (That might work with the Taj Mahal too, but depends on the slabs you find if you decide to go that direction.)

Option 2 - Kitchen remodel sample combination, creamy white materials with quartz countertop

Option 3)

Another way to make the space look less gold is to go more gray and a little darker. Use the cabinet wood tone as a contrast and go darker with the other finishes to make the wood be the "light" finish in the room. You just need to balance the gold color tone with a color that is cooler and darker. I have a blogpost about both of these directions, here.

You can do that with the countertop and backsplash and I have an option for that. Caesarstone's Piatra Grey quartz is a nice warm gray, any other natural stone in that type of colorway you might find would work too.

I have a tile color to match that counter, the one I have here is Ann Sacks, Elements, Stoneware, G2003 New Mercury, but any tile in that darker warm gray that matched the counter would work.

In this situation I like the BM Revere Pewter as a wall color.

Option 3 - Kitchen remodel sample combination, warm gray materials to contrast with the gold-toned existing wood cabinets.

Lighting Recommendations

For lighting, I'd delete the pendants over the bar, they fight with the hood. Instead I'd do either a central ceiling mount light fixture or a fixture over the sink, maybe a branching type fixture there.

I would also change the breakfast room fixture.

BTW, I'd consider getting a new table there as all that wood on both chairs and table with the wood cabinetry is a lot and not helping your cause. You could just paint the base a charcoal gray. Ideally, you could get something new and more lightweight. Once you determine what you want to do with the furniture, then you can pick the light fixture above.

Kitchen Backsplash Recommendations

Lastly, you have a unique backsplash situation there. I would not repeat that sloped look design in the update.

Do you have a tv there all the time? If so, you might want to hang it on the wall with an articulating arm to get it off the counter and away from the heat, steam and grease. It might be easier to maintain. You can manipulate those out and down, for whatever position you like.

I have a sketch of a backsplash that I am liking best for your situation. I'd do a 4" deep shelf running from the side of the upper cabinet down to the end of the bar. It can be made out of the countertop material and then do a waterfall type edge to die it on top of the countertop on the end. You could do it with either a tile or slab backsplash then.

This just makes that somewhat awkward corner with the tv there look more intentionally designed and provide a nice way to end the splash while still getting some protection on the wall from the cooking area.

Backsplash Design Sketch - Option for a peninsula kitchen layout | carlaaston.com

Remember, when you change out the backsplash, have an electrician change out the outlets and switches on the splash to a color that blends with the splash the best. You can get standard white, almond, gray, black, brown or you can go for Lutron or other brands for some sleeker styles and colors.

If you are going to invest in a new backsplash and beautiful new countertops, then the outlets should be addressed too. If you want to investigate other options for your outlets, like strips under the cabinets, etc. this would be the time to do that.

Need more backsplash info?

I have a guide that will help you think through a lot of backsplash design issues before they become an on-site emergency. :-)

Backsplash design guide to help you select and design the backsplash of your dreams! carlaaston.com