Kitchen of the Week: A Punch of Pink for a White Kitchen
After making minor renovations to their galley kitchen for nearly 30 years, a retired couple in Alexandria, Virginia, were ready to create their dream kitchen — something with sparkle and cheerful pink walls.
“After” photos by Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired couple and their teacup poodle
Location: Alexandria, Virginia
Size: About 260 square feet (24.2 square meters)
Designer: Stephanie Dickens of Case Design/Remodeling
BEFORE: The old galley-style kitchen in the 1980s-built four-level townhouse felt dark and dated, with basic cabinets and dusty rose walls.
The short peninsula seen in this photo divided the kitchen from a breakfast table and made the kitchen feel smaller.
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired couple and their teacup poodle
Location: Alexandria, Virginia
Size: About 260 square feet (24.2 square meters)
Designer: Stephanie Dickens of Case Design/Remodeling
BEFORE: The old galley-style kitchen in the 1980s-built four-level townhouse felt dark and dated, with basic cabinets and dusty rose walls.
The short peninsula seen in this photo divided the kitchen from a breakfast table and made the kitchen feel smaller.
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AFTER: Working with designer Stephanie Dickens, the couple created a brighter and fresher space that incorporates the wife’s favorite color with elegant design details and a bit of bling.
Dickens eliminated the short peninsula and a portion of wall with a pocket door that previously divided the kitchen from the living room (located on the left side of this photo). This improved the connection between spaces and allowed natural light from patio doors in the living room to brighten the kitchen.
Bright pink walls perk up the mostly white space. “It really pops with the crisp white cabinets and coordinates with the fabric for the banquette upholstery,” Dickens says.
The elegant raised-panel cabinets have traditional detailing, with double molding on top, plus crystal knobs with satin nickel trim and satin nickel pulls. The white cabinets work nicely with the kitchen’s light gray porcelain tile floor, which exhibits subtle movement and texture.
Dickens had the tiles laid in a herringbone pattern with an off-white grout. “It’s very classic, but also a great way to add visual interest and help visually widen the space,” Dickens says. “The pattern helped the kitchen avoid that bowling alley effect.”
Cabinets: Kensington door style in Designer White finish, Crystal Cabinets; cabinet knobs: Schaub & Company; appliance pulls, Top Knobs; floor tile: Purestone Grigo Matte, 12 by 24 inches, Mosaic Tile; paint colors: Dragon Fruit (accent wall), Ceiling Bright White(ceiling), High Reflective White (trim), all Sherwin-Williams
Dickens eliminated the short peninsula and a portion of wall with a pocket door that previously divided the kitchen from the living room (located on the left side of this photo). This improved the connection between spaces and allowed natural light from patio doors in the living room to brighten the kitchen.
Bright pink walls perk up the mostly white space. “It really pops with the crisp white cabinets and coordinates with the fabric for the banquette upholstery,” Dickens says.
The elegant raised-panel cabinets have traditional detailing, with double molding on top, plus crystal knobs with satin nickel trim and satin nickel pulls. The white cabinets work nicely with the kitchen’s light gray porcelain tile floor, which exhibits subtle movement and texture.
Dickens had the tiles laid in a herringbone pattern with an off-white grout. “It’s very classic, but also a great way to add visual interest and help visually widen the space,” Dickens says. “The pattern helped the kitchen avoid that bowling alley effect.”
Cabinets: Kensington door style in Designer White finish, Crystal Cabinets; cabinet knobs: Schaub & Company; appliance pulls, Top Knobs; floor tile: Purestone Grigo Matte, 12 by 24 inches, Mosaic Tile; paint colors: Dragon Fruit (accent wall), Ceiling Bright White(ceiling), High Reflective White (trim), all Sherwin-Williams
BEFORE: This photo shows the solid wall with small pocket door (seen at the back left) that cut the kitchen off from the living room. The couple also disliked their previous black appliances.
AFTER: Now the couple have a new gas cooktop with custom hood and a microwave-convection oven combination with separate oven. A flat-screen TV mounted on the wall to the right of the cooktop (not pictured) swivels to be viewed from both the kitchen and living room.
A large French-door refrigerator paneled to match the cabinets stands to the left.
Refrigerator: Benchmark series, Bosch Home Appliances
A large French-door refrigerator paneled to match the cabinets stands to the left.
Refrigerator: Benchmark series, Bosch Home Appliances
The custom wood hood provides ventilation and creates a stylish focal point. “Many wood hoods can look heavy, but this one is simple and elegant,” Dickens says.
Glass-front cabinets above the refrigerator display an extensive Franciscan Desert Rose dinnerware collection that the couple have collected for more than 30 years.
Cooktop and microwave-oven:Jenn-Air; hood: Crystal Cabinets
Glass-front cabinets above the refrigerator display an extensive Franciscan Desert Rose dinnerware collection that the couple have collected for more than 30 years.
Cooktop and microwave-oven:Jenn-Air; hood: Crystal Cabinets
A classic farmhouse sink was one of the couple’s must-haves for the updated kitchen. A paneled dishwasher sits to the right of the sink, with a pullout paneled trash can to the left. An appliance garage (seen on the counter at the right side of this photo) helps keep theCaesarstone Misty Carreracounters free from clutter. “We went with a honed finish on the counters,” Dickens says. “To me, it softens the kitchen a little, and the ogee edge dresses it up a bit.”
Dishwasher: Trifecta, Jenn-Air
Dishwasher: Trifecta, Jenn-Air
The short height of the faucet allows the shutters above it to easily open and close. The sink also includes two soap dispensers (one for hand sanitizer and the other for soap), an instant hot and cold water dispenser, and an air switch for the garage disposal.
This close-up view of the sink area also highlights the kitchen’s shimmery white matchstick mosaic glass tile backsplash with white grout. “To me, it’s much more interesting than subway tile,” Dickens says. “It gives some visual interest, but still keeps with the white look of the kitchen.”
Pullout spray kitchen faucet and soap dispenser: Rohl; sink: Whitehaven apron front,Kohler; water dispenser: Indulge Antique, InSinkErator; backsplash: BV Glass white blend matchstick, Mosaic Tile
This close-up view of the sink area also highlights the kitchen’s shimmery white matchstick mosaic glass tile backsplash with white grout. “To me, it’s much more interesting than subway tile,” Dickens says. “It gives some visual interest, but still keeps with the white look of the kitchen.”
Pullout spray kitchen faucet and soap dispenser: Rohl; sink: Whitehaven apron front,Kohler; water dispenser: Indulge Antique, InSinkErator; backsplash: BV Glass white blend matchstick, Mosaic Tile
The pink-and-green floral fabric on the banquette has a gray background that works nicely with the new tile floor.
The banquette, where the couple eat, watch TV, read and pay bills, includes custom pillows in a coordinating fabric. The table was an item the couple previously owned; it was repainted in a bright white to match the cabinets.
The banquette, where the couple eat, watch TV, read and pay bills, includes custom pillows in a coordinating fabric. The table was an item the couple previously owned; it was repainted in a bright white to match the cabinets.
This view of the banquette from the living room shows four storage drawers below the seats. A crystal chandelier hangs above. A couple of mini crystal pendants that provide illumination over the new peninsula between the kitchen and living room have a similar style.
The glass cabinets above the banquette show off more of the dinnerware collection. Another special addition: At the end of the base cabinet to the right of the banquette is a niche with a dog bed for the couple’s beloved teacup poodle.
Banquette fabrics: Sherbert (seat and back cushions) and Petal (pillows), Greenhouse Fabrics; pendant light over table: Calypso, Crystorama Lighting; pendants over peninsula: Optix Mini, Elk Lighting
The glass cabinets above the banquette show off more of the dinnerware collection. Another special addition: At the end of the base cabinet to the right of the banquette is a niche with a dog bed for the couple’s beloved teacup poodle.
Banquette fabrics: Sherbert (seat and back cushions) and Petal (pillows), Greenhouse Fabrics; pendant light over table: Calypso, Crystorama Lighting; pendants over peninsula: Optix Mini, Elk Lighting
BEFORE: The original galley kitchen was cut off from the other rooms.
AFTER: Removing the portion of the solid wall that divided the kitchen from the living room, plus widening and centering the case opening into the dining room, improved flow and created a better connection between spaces.
“It’s lighter, brighter and more open now,” Dickens says. “It gives them a fresh, current and beautiful kitchen for their home.”
“It’s lighter, brighter and more open now,” Dickens says. “It gives them a fresh, current and beautiful kitchen for their home.”