Design: Two-Toned Kitchens

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The Two-Toned Kitchen (continued)

update the kitchen without a complete renovation. Painting SPECIAL the wall cabinets a gray tinted white with undertones of green (Farrow & Ball’s Strong White) was the perfect solution. Using the Strong white on the walls and a similarly toned elongated subway tile as back splash, the transition ADVERTISING was vertically integrated and smooth from top to bottom. The rules of engagement are few, the possibilities endless. Here are a few tips to consider. SECTION • Contrast. The more jarring the contrast the more energy and drama the kitchen will have. Sometimes a simple contrast of gray with white is just perfect or perhaps you are yearning to use that favorite deep marine blue somewhere. When selecting your colors or materials, think of your overall style, a theme color that runs subtly through the home and other materials in the kitchen such as flooring and countertops. Darker colors will increase the visual mass of the cabinetry. Where and how you use color is never boring but always intentional • Materials other than paint are a color. With today’s cabinets and countertop materials, wood materials and hard surfaces offer a wide array of patterned and beautiful choices. Countertop materials such as Silestone and Caesarstone are being used to wrap the edge of islands (the waterfall) or elaborate the back splash. This provides a consistent surface to then punctuate with wood or painted finishes. All surfaces impart color and reflection of color. Playing with these elements brings a cheerful, stimulating energy to the kitchen. • The color wheel. Sir Isaac Newton long ago gave us a most useful tool that is still relevant today. Color theory can get as intellectually deep as you want to go but the basics on the wheel are as follows: Providing the most differentiation and energy are complementary colors (opposite one another on the wheel, such as red and green) or triadic colors (3 colors evenly spaced on the wheel, such as red, yellow and blue). Monochromatic colors (close transitions in one color, such as pink, red maroon) give us subtle shading that is often just enough while analogous colors (colors next to one another on the wheel, such as yellow, orange, red/ orange) offer the same nuanced feel but with a bit more energy. Warm colors (red, yellow orange) stimulate and come forward in space while cool colors (blue, green, purple) are calming and recede in space. Developing an intentional color strategy will guarantee the beautiful outcome of your kitchen. • When in doubt use schematics. If you are working with an architect or designer a 3-D rendering can be created and colored so that you can see the play of color and materials in your space. Kitchen designers and showrooms offer similar programs. The more you can see your vision on paper the more engaged and confident you will become. Kitchen design will continue to offer the greatest appeal and investment for today’s homeowner. Whether your project is a brand new kitchen, a partial renovation or a DIY update, the two-toned kitchen is an exciting trend that is contributing to more beautiful and creative kitchen spaces.

Ann Henderson is the owner of Ann Henderson Interiors of Keene, NH.

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