Cool White Kitchens, From Modern to Rustic
By Elizabeth Stamp
Classic ivory color schemes are always in style, especially when it comes to kitchens. Find inspiration for your renovation with these 9 white kitchens from the pages of AD.
The sleek, minimalist kitchen of author/photographer Kelly Klein complements the open and airy design of her Palm Beach, Florida, house, which was created by David Piscuskas of the firm 1100 Architect. “Some people don’t like looking at their things,” Klein says of her kitchen’s shelving. “I like seeing my glassware and dishes.” (August 2012)
Sting and Trudie Styler called on architect Lee F. Mindel, of Shelton, Mindel & Associates, to renovate their early-18th-century townhouse in the heart of London. For the streamlined kitchen, on the ground floor, the ceiling was “punched up,” Mindel explains, from seven to nine feet to provide space for the light fixtures.
Decorator Darryl Carter is celebrated for his adept use of white (he even has his own line of predominantly neutral paints for Benjamin Moore), so it’s no surprise that he created a handsome ivory kitchen in a Washington, D.C., home he designed with architect Donald Lococo. Traditional cabinetry is enhanced by Calacatta gold marble counters and alabaster pendant lights, while reclaimed-oak beams add a rustic accent.
See more: Gorgeous Celebrity Kitchens
Colorful rattan bistro chairs surround a Parsons-style table in the kitchen of a Manhattan home renovated by Shelton, Mindel & Associates. Above the long, narrow marble island are Holophane light fixtures by Ann-Morris Antiques; the prints above the bookshelves are by Sharon Core. “It’s now an eat-in kitchen,” architect Lee F. Mindel says. “Unlike the old days when kitchens were strictly off-limits, guests feel comfortable wandering in here.”
Interior designer Michael S. Smith turned the Manhattan high-rise apartment of longtime clients into a luxurious aerie. In the kitchen, Smith paired gleaming white cabinets with pietra serena sandstone floors. A pair of drawings by Willem de Kooning complement the muted tones of the light-filled space. (March 2011)
“White sets such a beautiful tone,” says decorator Suzanne Kasler of the color scheme she used in her refined Atlanta home, which she renovated with residential designer William T. Baker. The tile is by Waterworks, and the barstools are from Kasler’s line for Hickory Chair. Glass-front cabinets display tableware, while an adjacent wall of storage keeps other items out of sight.
See more: The Best Celebrity Living Rooms
In the Los Angeles home of fashion designer Jenni Kayne and her husband, real-estate agent Richard Ehrlich, a ceiling of reclaimed timber brings warmth to the modern kitchen. Architecture firm Standard helped make it one of the most used rooms in the house, with the compelling mix of French industrial pendant lights from the 1920s and white-lacquer cabinetry. “It’s where we reconnect after a long day—the perfect spot to relax,” Kayne says. “Frankly, we’d be happy just living in there.”
When combining two New York City apartments, architect John B. Murray and decorator Elissa Cullman created a spacious new kitchen. While a window was blocked to accommodate the dual-oven range, transom windows, several overhead fixtures, and illuminated cabinets keep the room bright. The wide-plank wood floors add a rustic touch to the urban home.
While decidedly rustic on the outside, the barn-inspired home of Vincent Herbert, CEO of the Belgian bakery chain Le Pain Quotidien, and his wife, Laurence Verbeke, in Remsenburg, New York, contains a minimalist haven within. Architect Francis D’Haene, of D’Apostrophe Design, used lacquer cabinetry and a Corian-top island in the kitchen, which overlooks a Zen garden.
More from Architectural Digest:
Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen’s Custom Château
Tour Sarah Jessica Parker’s Manhattan Townhouse
The Places 10 Literary Greats Called Home
Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber, and George Clooney’s Neighboring Mexican Villas
photos: Nicholas Koenig; Derry Moore; William Waldron; Joshua McHugh; Pieter Estersohn; Roger Davies; Durston Saylor; William Waldron
