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Looking to update your kitchen design scheme? You don't have to because we've taken style inspiration from 15 kitchen and dining spaces around the Front Range.
Below, designers share their hard-won tips on everything from materials to colors to lighting to help you renovate your kitchen.
new classic
By borrowing design wisdom from previous generations, you can create timeless results.
rustic and chic
When you walk into this Morrison Kitchen, you might feel like you've been teleported to Europe. “I started with reclaimed vintage French oak flooring. [South Carolina–based supplier] Vintage elements,” says designer Dion Williams. He also applied this material to his floating shelves and custom range hoods. Deliberately imperfect terracotta tiles from Tabarka Studio and his Ascona fieldstone walls of telluride stone topped with a thick mortar wash known as the German Schmair finish further enhance the sense of authenticity. . “The result was the historic farmhouse look we wanted,” Williams says.
owner turel
If Grace Kelly were to design a Colorado kitchen, it might look like this fresh yet classic space in the Country Club District. “Cabinet insets are natural canes,” says Megan Hudacky, principal at CKY Design. “This material became popular in the late 1800s, when furniture designers began using it to design chairs. It has a lightness that breaks up the monotony of white cabinets.” Lighting designed by Ralph Lauren for Circa Lighting Adding to the appeal is a dramatic veined marble slab backsplash that complements the fixtures. “The fluted glass and brass are a throwback to the Art Deco era,” Haducky says of the materials, which, like the rest of the room, are as striking as they are sophisticated.
true color
Deep, rich hues give the ultimate exclamation point.
rare gem
The owner of this Denver kitchen had simple instructions. “Bring personality to a very vanilla space,” says Miranda Cullen, founder and president of Littleton design firm Inside Stories. Gone are the plain white cabinets and countertops, and in comes gorgeous jewel tones. Cabinets painted Benjamin Moore's Gentleman's Gray are “the perfect bold neutral to bring the space together,” Karen says, while a custom range hood in black metal and brass is a nod to the client's desire for boldness. I will respond to your request.
new wave
Once an antiquated retreat with granite countertops and chocolate-colored cabinetry, this Cory Merrill cooking space is now fully contemporary thanks to a renovation by Atelier Interior Design. “The cabinets are a dark forest green, and that's where the design started,” says designer Katie Schroeder, who brightened the mood with a patterned pink backsplash tile. Even more interesting is his green-veined Cambria quartz countertop, which sparkles in the glow of a Tracy Glover Studio pendant. “The client's style tends to be clean and modern, and this light was the perfect piece to tie in that aesthetic,” says Schroeder.
Into the Woods
The handsome wood touch is as sharp and durable as a chef's knife.
Shine On
With silver maple cabinetry by Tharp Custom Cabinetry, a concrete-finished quartz countertop, and a Tuxedo Black glazed ceramic tile backsplash, this sophisticated Erie cooking space has a natural finish that's downright chic. . “I love combining metals,” says designer Gala Stude, who collaborated with Courtney Seval to choose the room's sparkling accents. “I always try to keep it to two, in this case brass and stainless steel.” A second sink, dishwasher, beverage cooler and other functional elements are tucked away in the back of the kitchen, where they shine. There's plenty of space for glowing pendant lights and counter stools.
open space
The old idea of a cobbler without shoes doesn't apply to Julie Dorman, the designer who outfitted Hilltop's kitchen in the most artistic way possible. “Since it opens onto the main living area, I wanted a clean design that would hide all the appliances, and I wanted a large pantry to hide the smaller countertop appliances,” she says. Masu. Vonmod millwork with a rich walnut finish and solid walnut cabinet pulls provides a seamless midcentury-inspired style, highlighted by smooth black granite counters and the absence of light fixtures. “I tend to avoid hanging pendants over the kitchen island,” Dorman says. “And these cabinets are so beautiful that we didn't want to block the view.”
Serenity Now
Avoid an all-white kitchen and opt for soulful neutral colors.
layer it on
“We wanted something that felt contemporary and clean, but with lots of layers,” says Bry Rutledge, principal interior designer at Chalet Colorado, of the Observatory Park project. For the floor, we chose white oak planks that were finished with one coat of white lye and another coat of Bona NaturalSeal to tone down the orange color. For the countertops, we specified contrasting slabs of Carrara marble and soapstone. And to fill the top plane of the room, she hung a Norman Her Copenhagen pendant, “adding a sense of refreshing simplicity.”
light up
For this kitchen renovation in the Roaring Fork Valley, designer Karen White used neolith countertops, porcelain tile floors that look like reclaimed wood planks, a Sherwin-Williams hideout, and painted a muted green. By using an Ellis-designed cabinet, we have achieved durability and elegance. “It blends in with the beautiful scenery and greenery outside,” says White. Our favorite element is the delicate LED strip lighting envisioned by HLB Lighting Design that casts a soft glow beneath the floating rift-cut white oak shelves.
Every corner worth seeing
A welcoming space for your morning coffee, afternoon homework, or a quick dinner, the versatile dining corner is a welcome addition. These Denver corners offer a combination of space-saving functionality and effortless style.
