What's Your Kitchen Style Leslie Mann - May 20, 2011
Cool or casual? Sleek or sedate? Your kitchen style not only says a lot about you, but sets the tone as family and friends gather around the hub of the home.
"Pretty but simple" was Renee Bryant's dictate for her kitchen when she and her husband, Christopher, built a house in Hinsdale in 2010.
The Bryants checked out kitchens in houses constructed by their builder, Oakley Home Builders of Downers Grove. "We said, 'We like that.' 'We don't like that,'" said Bryant. The result: a kitchen that designers call transitional, meaning it falls somewhere between traditional and contemporary.
The Bryants' cabinetry is white and raised-panel, with a cherry-stained island. Some upper cabinets have glass fronts to show off collectibles and add a splash of color to the otherwise neutral room. The backsplash has matte, white subway tiles. Contrasting the white cabinetry are black granite countertops and Brazilian cherry floors. The island has a Carrera marble top for the family's frequent baking.
The transitional kitchen suits you if you like Arts and Crafts-style cabinetry with little ornamentation. Woods are painted or in natural tones. Think traditional with spice, such as a backsplash with funky tiles, an island with colorful cabinetry or a light fixture with humor.
The backdrop is conservative enough to carry it into the next decade, but the kitchen has enough pluck to qualify it for a magazine spread. For the remodeler, this kitchen is updated but doesn't scream "new addition."
