White Kitchens We Love

Splurge & Save

Modern cabinets mix with classic elements to fashion this hip kitchen. The homeowners saved on cabinetry by purchasing IKEA components that they built and installed themselves, saving the budget about $15,000. With the savings, the couple could afford to splurge on a 48-inch professional-style range.

Warm Palette

Grays can go cold and flat if you’re not careful, so choose soft, warm tones like this gray quartz-surfacing used on the countertops and island top and sides for a neutral kitchen you can live with for years to come. A refurbished, whitewashed door serves as a swinging pantry door. The cream paint color and finish on the door keep the kitchen palette from going cool.

When to Splurge

Saving on flat-pack cabinetry from IKEA allowed these homeowners to splurge on the marble tile backsplash. The gray veins in the marble add classic interest and warmth, while the stacked, linear installation is a modern touch.

Refresh with Paint

The kitchen's maple cabinets were in great shape, but the overall color palette was somewhere between beige and blah. Knowing that a coat of white paint would keep this kitchen under budget and looking smart, the homeowners added glass-front upper cabinets to expand their storage and display space. Paint unified the new glass-front cabinets with the existing upper cabinets. Crown molding makes the new cabinets look as if they were part of the original design.

Contrast with Chocolate

Just beyond the kitchen, the beverage center received a similar update with a built-in wine rack taking the spot above the existing wall cabinets. The family kept the original kitchen’s stainless-steel appliances and granite counters (in perfect condition and versatile for many color schemes). The backsplash was replaced with a chocolate brown subway tile to add contrast.

Coordinate Adjacent Rooms

A white kitchen can blend with any adjacent living space. The brown backsplash tile and dark bits of brown in the granite counter provide a continuous flow to the dark table and chairs in this dining room.

Add Wood Tones

White can work for every design aesthetic. In a traditional kitchen, white can bring together the old and the new by combining beautiful finishes with homey authenticity. A wood-finish island is topped with white quartz-surfacing. The white relates to the perimeter cabinets while the wood tones give an old-house warmth to this new kitchen.

Backsplash with Style

Tiny glass mosaics in a herringbone pattern introduce soft blues and grays to the white kitchen. A few rows of white subway tiles offer a transition from the quartz-surfacing countertops.

Permission to Mix

X-motifs on cabinet doors near the sink and range add visual interest to these focal-point areas. Mixing door styles is one way to add interest in a white kitchen. The hutch with office supplies and a flip-down TV create a command center in this kitchen.

Easily Entertained

This California kitchen extends a traditional welcome to kids and guests with fresh, easygoing style. Vintage materials, such as honed marble and limestone, mingle easily with scratch-resistant engineered-wood floors, stainless-steel appliances, and sleek cabinet hardware. Stately lanterns are classic in shape yet exaggerated in proportion, a unique contribution to the room.

Bold Accents

The homeowners wanted to create a timeless neutral backdrop, with unexpected pops of personality. The kitchen's calming color palette is punctuated by pops of turquoise found in the fabric window treatment, dishes, and throw pillows (in the dining area).

Open & Accommodating

A microwave and bar area create a space for storing snacks and serving drinks outside the main work area of the kitchen. Equally attractive is the kitchen's abundance of storage. This kitchen frequently hosts company; a huge refrigerator, freezer, and walk-in pantry easily accommodate hungry guests.

Room to Dine & Unwind

Open to the kitchen, the dining area exemplifies a casual style. A dining set with wicker chairs, a dark-stained table, and colorful flowers provide a cozy area to entertain guests. A neutral color palette looks sophisticated and allows design flexibility with accent colors.

All-Encompassing Work Space

A carefully designed workstation -- complete with cubbies, open shelving, cabinets, and file drawers -- provides an in-kitchen spot to keep the household organized. As command central in the bustling household, the desk area was designed to keep paperwork accessible but out of sight.

Cottage Elements

White is a classic cottage design element. When paired with a sparkly chandelier, bead board, and a mix of open and closed cabinets, the result is a collected-over-time kitchen that's always welcoming.

All in the Details

Everyday dishes are stored above the dishwasher in a plate rack, making them easy to access and use. A butcher-block slab tops the kitchen island, adding warmth and a casual vibe.

Try Open Storage

Open cubbies provide an opportunity to store pretty items and to introduce an accent color in a white kitchen. The basket adds texture and storage. Blue kitchen accents give a white kitchen a little pop of color.

Dual-Purpose Sinks

The homeowners, who like to cook together, opted for one sink with dual faucets to ease food prep and cleanup. Dark surfaces disguise messes and distinguish work zones in the kitchen.

Practical Pantry

An inefficient walk-in pantry was replaced with a tall cabinet that includes large roll-out shelves for food storage and designated areas for trays and platters. The pantry cabinet also features an open niche for cookbook storage and a built-in microwave.

Fresh-Faced Design

The design goal was to create a clean look, which called for a soothing, natural color scheme. Dark walnut-color concrete was selected for the work surfaces and a contrasting Calacatta gold marble for the peninsula and backsplash. Fresh white-painted birch cabinets with recessed-panel doors and modern pulls establish a clean-lined look.

Smooth Transition

The doorway to the living room offers a pleasant and practical surprise: a barn-style door that slides out from behind the refrigerator. This space-saving solution melds style with efficiency and can close off the kitchen from the living room, if necessary.