Designer explains how to put all the pieces together
When you're remodeling a kitchen or bath, the cabinetry sets the tone for the whole project.
Dark cabinets or light? It's the biggest piece in the design puzzle, which also includes flooring, countertop, tile and paint color.
We talked with Lisa McCauley of McCauley Design in Barrington about when she uses light cabinets in a kitchen remodel and when she uses dark ones. And what finishes go with each.
She started her business 20 years ago and has designed a lot of kitchens and baths since then.
It's no secret that costs have gone up and kitchens have become more glamorous as they take center stage for gathering and entertaining.
McCauley said that in the past few years, she has not done a kitchen with a price tag under $150,000.
Educated as both an architect and a designer, McCauley finds the architecture of the house dictates the style of the kitchen - and the color of the cabinets.
"You let the house speak, and then talk to the homeowners," she said.
McCauley's company does the design work, provides the cabinets and oversees the construction in new and remodeled kitchens.
At an Italianate house in Barrington, McCauley went white without any hesitation.
In fact, she used lots of white, inspired by a diamond necklace the homeowner gave his wife.
If you're looking for a complementary color here, it's silver, and two crystal chandeliers sparkle above the island.
"I find that a lot of the white kitchens we do are cleaner lined, but not necessarily with less detail," said McCauley. "It is very easy on the eye, to walk into a white kitchen. It is clean. It is bright."
On the other hand, the buyers of a classic Tudor house in Long Grove wanted their contemporary white kitchen gone.
McCauley went with a medium stain on perimeter cabinets and dark on the island and range hood.
"The trick was to not permit the kitchen to be too dark, especially when there was limited direct exterior lighting," said McCauley.
"The scale of the room is big and grand. It needed warmth, and it needed dark cabinets."
Many people overlook the importance of tile when they are doing a kitchen or bath, said McCauley, who is always looking for new artisans and techniques.
The tile in her rooms averages $3,000 to $5,000, she said.
Homeowners who call McCauley are looking for the "wow factor" in their kitchens and baths, she said.
White Barrington kitchen
Cabinets: Cherry painted white with dry glaze applied and wiped off. Glaze adds more dimension, aging, patina and depth. Cherry takes paint and glaze uniquely.
Island cabinets: Maple painted light gray metallic.
Countertops: Ice Fantasy granite -- white with gray veining that looks like classic Calcutta marble.
Tile: White ceramic harlequin-shaped tile on the walls (not shown). Silver-colored studs mark points in the area above the range. The trim tile is glass with silver foil backing.
Paint: Benjamin Moore Shoreline, No. 1471.
Long Grove Tudor
Cabinets: Perimeter cabinets are maple stained a medium color, glazed and split a bit on the edges to look weathered. The island and hood are hickory with a dark stain, glazing and distressing.
Countertops: Autumn Brown granite.
Tile: Decorative trim pieces are resin dipped in metal for Old World look.
Paint: Benjamin Moore Spanish Red, No. 1301.
Barrington Hills bath
Cabinets: Lyptus wood stained three shades. The bench is the darkest.
Tile: Five different suppliers provided tile in the shower. These include ceramic glazed with a glass crackle, limestone decorated with a custom design applied with a heat transfer, and white marble hand polished and ground to give it a vintage look.
Floor: Old Jerusalem travertine with mosaic "rug" of mixed polished and honed marble. The brick-shaped frame pieces are limestone printed with the heat transfer.
Paint: Gold stripes with a faux finish.