Use color to brighten a kitchen
Interior design expert Elle H-Millard joined staff writer Jura Koncius last week on The Washington Post's Home Front online chat. Here is an edited excerpt.
Q. I have a kitchen that has no windows. What can do to brighten the space?
A. I would look into creating a "false window" in the backsplash, such as a long, dramatic, horizontal "window" created by glass and some warm LED lighting. You can add a frame around it to replicate the style of the home.
Q. I have all-white kitchen cabinets and appliances. What paint colors will set off the cabinets and look modern?
A. You really can't go wrong as this is going to be personality-driven. Blues and greens are becoming popular in the kitchen. Reds have faded into the background; however, with today's trends, anything goes as long as there is balance and scale.
Q. Why has gray paint become so pervasive? It seems to reflect a failure of imagination.
A. Gray is a great contrast to white without being too stark. It's a powerful color and it can also be a complicated color, as there are undertones to gray that can clash with other colors, hence why the combination with white is so popular. You can use bold accents to make gray stand out. Golden tones are great with gray, as are blacks, teakwood tones and millennial pink.
Q. Do you see stainless-steel appliances keeping their dominance? Will they look dated in five years?
A. Coming from someone who loves change, I feel stainless is being reinvented by sister metals such as black stainless or brass tones. I am seeing an uptick in gold and brass finishes with faucets and hardware, so it makes sense for those finishes to find their way to appliances, as well.
That being said, appliances are made to last 15 years or longer, so just because a new trend is coming doesn't necessarily mean stainless appliances will be outdated. We may see panels that can be purchased to give your existing appliances a facelift, but I don't see homeowners replacing appliances purely on finish. I look at my wedding ring, and it is platinum. If I chose a metal today it would be gold, but it doesn't mean that I don't still love the ring. Stainless is just reinventing itself in other colors.
Q. My 250-square-foot country kitchen needs new flooring and the cabinets painted. I love bold color but find myself drifting back to the thought of how pretty a creamy or all-white kitchen would look. I'm fond of black-and-white checkerboard floors but live in a rural area and know that white tiles will get dirty easily. I thought about red-and-tan checkerboard floors, but I'm afraid it might be too different. Any suggestions on how to incorporate color into the floor, walls and/or cabinets?
A. Flooring is a more permanent fixture that can get outdated quickly if done with a bold pattern. It sounds as if you're willing to take a risk, which is great. My first recommendation is to evaluate your closet. Are you someone who is willing to take a risk with your fashion and feel confident doing so? If the answer is yes, I would recommend you go for the bold color and add it in small accents that make a big statement (unique colorful pulls or perhaps an accent on the painted cabinet). You can also start with the backsplash or wallpaper and add color to the cabinetry. A designer can help you find your path so that it suits your personality and style. Also, don't be afraid of white floors. Tile cleans up very nicely. I have white floors and love them.
Q. I have oak-colored kitchen cabinets and plan to sell my house in two to three years. I was thinking of replacing the doors with something a little more contemporary in white or a neutral color. Would it be weird to paint the cabinet front the same color but leave the inside the oak color?
A. When replacing doors on cabinetry, you will want to see whether the doors are on a framed or frameless cabinet, which often dictates the hardware. A full overlay door on a frameless cabinet lends itself to a contemporary look. If you have a full overlay on the door, you might be able to get away with the oak interior, but I would recommend painting the entire cabinet, as you wouldn't want the cabinets to be a deterrent when selling the home. Your time and investment in doing it right will be more valuable in the long run.
Q. We are painting with Sherwin-Williams colors and thinking of using Roycroft Bronze Green on the cabinets. Should the green be used as an accent or on all the cabinets? Would Jogging Path be a good complementary color for the walls? The floors will be oak hardwood and the countertops gray (London Fog).
A. This sounds like a lovely color scheme. The green will read as a neutral in the space, as our brains automatically accept green, given its natural qualities. You can use it for all of the cabinets or mix it up and include Jogging Path on an island to separate the green. Jogging Path will help contrast the green and can also be used on the wall to create balance and harmony.
If you are looking for a bold contrast, I would add touches of warmer colors in artwork or accessories. You can get away with a bold yellow or orange in small accents. Perhaps a unique teakettle, blender or canister set will help add personality to the space. The space sounds as if it will be comfortable and relaxing for guests.
Q. I have cherry cabinets that were installed about 20 years ago. Can I paint them? The counters are gray-dappled granite.
A. You can paint stained cabinets. You will need to remove the gloss finish and sand the cabinets. All dust should be removed before painting. Mixing paint and stain is common; however, cherry stain and paint may not be ideal.
I would recommend painting all cabinets and using two colors, such as white and blue or white and gray, depending on the style of the kitchen.
Q. My kitchen and bathroom aren't as ventilated as I'd like. Could you recommend ways to speed up the air freshening beyond candles? Especially after cooking, there's no way to contain or dissipate food odors quickly.
A. Ventilation and humidity control are extremely important in the kitchen and bath. The best form of ventilation is to exchange air from outdoors, but there are times when you must recirculate the air indoors. Be sure you are cleaning or replacing your charcoal filter screens so they can clean the air efficiently. You can also look at downdraft options on a cooktop or range to help eliminate odors. The key to ventilation is air out and air in.
Q. How long do wood kitchen cabinets typically last?
A. Well-constructed cabinets can last a lifetime. It isn't just the cabinetry that should last, but the hinges, slides and hardware.
Q. We have a small, contemporary kitchen that opens to the rest of the first floor. We want to update the island so it's more functional. We'd ideally like to keep the counters the same granite they are now because we don't want to risk ruining tiles on the backsplash. How do we handle the granite? Should we try to get a slab of the same granite or a different quartz?
A. I would go with something different and use it as an opportunity to create contrast. It is unlikely that you will find an exact match to the original granite. It is not out of the question to mix granite and quartz, either; just be sure the two complement each other.
Q. We are looking at converting a window to a door to add a deck to our house. The window has a radiator in front of it. Any idea how much this would cost?
A. This is a tough question, as HVAC tends to be the most expensive to move. It really depends on how far you are moving it and how much demolition you plan to do. If it is a full remodel and a contractor is there anyway, it is relative to the project. If this is the only renovation it could be costly, being that it typically has a domino effect.
Q. How would you recommend decorating a small room that doesn't get much use? It's a second bedroom with nothing in it besides a bed and a small side table. It doesn't get any natural light, but I'm happy to make it dramatic.
A. Make it a destination space, a private reading room or an office that can be converted into a bedroom. Add large-scale wallpaper and fun lighting to create some serious drama.