It was inevitable. Our love affair with all-white kitchens seems to be waning. Peruse home-focused magazines, blogs and internet sites and the evidence is there. Kitchens are exhibiting bold shades of blue and peaceful hues of green. Wood cabinetry is going au naturel. And, as seen here, dramatic color schemes and touches of glam are enabling kitchens to really cook! 

Eileen Regester’s remodeled and enlarged kitchen was designed with elements that perfectly complement her sense of style: Classic (black-and-white color scheme) meets modern (the light hue of the hardwood flooring), with a touch of glam (the gold/champagne accents). The design delivered a kitchen that is not only beautiful and functional but is very much on trend.

 A black-and-white kitchen makes a serious style statement. Yes, taking such a direction requires a pinch of bravery and a large measure of courage, but according to Courtney Bird, a designer with Choice Home Remodeling in New Holland, her client, Eileen Regester, possesses both. “Eileen has a keen eye for design and can visualize a space,” Courtney notes, adding that her client enjoys carrying out remodeling projects in her own home, as well as helping friends with theirs. 

The multi-functional, miter-front island provides seating, workspace and storage in one sleek design. The beauty of quartz is seen in the island’s waterfall design.

Upon meeting Courtney, Eileen shared some sketches she had done of the kitchen she envisioned. Courtney then took the sketches and utilized her 20 years of experience as a certified kitchen and bath designer to further elevate Eileen’s ideas and create a design that is not only functional but most importantly, mirrors the aesthetic that her client wanted to achieve. “Eileen has amazing style,” says Courtney, who views the resulting “collaborative effort and great partnership” as one of the reasons why the project perfectly reflects Eileen’s taste and style. “She was involved every step of the way. If a problem arose, Eileen worked with us to arrive at a solution,” Courtney notes.  

Courtney Bird, CKBD, has been designing kitchens, baths and other spaces for 20 years. For this project, she valued homeowner Eileen Regester’s involvement and contributions.

As with many remodeling projects, one idea seems to lead to another and in this case, the kitchen remodel was part of a whole-house project, as it also entailed new flooring throughout, remodeling the primary bathroom and finishing the basement, which would involve the addition of a wine cellar and bar. “One request Eileen made was to create a unique wine cellar, which we accomplished by using the underutilized space under the staircase,” Courtney explains.

The Story in Black and White 

As it turns out, a black-and-white color scheme in a kitchen is very practical. Black and white is both timeless and versatile, as it lends itself to almost any style. For example, black and white can translate into a period look if a material such as marble is incorporated into the design. It can look thoroughly modern if metallics are added to the mix. The introduction of wood (as seen here in the flooring and beams) can take such a space in a very traditional direction or in an ultra-modern one. For example, cherry or mahogany would equate to traditional, while a light hue such as white oak would reflect the modern look of minimalistic Scandinavian design.    

The kitchen adjoins a sitting area whose wall of windows admits an abundance of natural light that illuminates both areas.

Another plus: The world is your oyster where the color of accessories, wallpaper and paint is concerned. Whether you go with bold colors or pastel hues, they’ll complement the black and white (and vice versa). 

As for Eileen’s kitchen, which is a blend of traditional and modern, Courtney describes it as “lending itself to transitional styling, with a splattering of glam that can be seen in the finishing touches.” The glam elements include mirrored cabinet inserts, the champagne-bronze-metallic hardware and the lighting that Eileen selected. 

An ILVE range is the crown jewel of the kitchen. Made in Italy, ILVE ranges provide a premier cooking experience, as they bring beauty and function to a kitchen through ergonomic design, innovative technology and a plethora of color choices.

The two were also conscious of carrying certain elements throughout the home to achieve a continuous and cohesive look and feel. The color black and the flooring obviously achieved those goals. Another connector is brick, as it is seen in the kitchen, wine cellar and bar area.   

In the lower level, the underutilized area under the staircase was repurposed to function as a wine cellar.

The color black, brick and hardwood flooring provide continuity between the areas on the first floor and lower level that were remodeled. The lower-level projects included the addition of a wine cellar and bar area.

On Trend 

Large, open kitchens are at the top of everyone’s wish list and Eileen was able to have hers granted, as the 135-square-foot kitchen was able to be doubled in size. Other features include open back wall cabinets, a miter-front island top with waterfall ends, warm metal finishes (champagne-bronze) for hardware and accents, hardwood flooring (throughout the house), faux beams, LED lighting, quartz counters and professional-inspired appliances, including an Italian-made ILVE Majestic range.  

Credits 

• Designer: Courtney Bird, CKBD, Choice Home Remodeling, New Holland  
• Designer: Eileen Regester (homeowner)
• Cabinetry: Choice Home Remodeling 
• Flooring: D&S Flooring, Lititz    
• Electric: Iddings Electric, New Holland 
• Quartz Counters: Lapp Tops, New Holland 
• Plumbing: JM Lapp Plumbing & Heating, New Holland 

For more information, visit choicehomeremodeling.com

Kitchen Trends for 2024 and Beyond

The annual Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) was held earlier this year in Las Vegas. Bloggers and magazines such as Architectural Digest took note of trends and products they predict will be making an impact on kitchen design as we welcome 2024.