It’s no secret that homes and interiors are a heavy facet of my day-to-day life. Not only do I (as a die-hard Cancer and homebody) constantly look for ways to make my home “perfect,” but I’m always inside the homes of my clients and inside listings that are currently on the market. I have the opportunity to judge- for lack of a better term- all of the spaces that I see or enter in a daily basis.
It seems we’re always drawn to the heart of the house. Whether I’m sitting down with a client to talk paperwork, or standing in my own home prepping meals, I’m inside of a kitchen of some sort almost every moment of the day. In between these kitchen visits, perusing so many home decor and design blogs, as well as chatting with my staging partners with my clients, I’ve heard so often that white kitchens may be “out.”
I’m here to say…. Nay!
In our homes, we’ve always had white kitchens. They’re just so fresh, so bright, and so clean-looking. The comments I’ve read lately seem to be leading folks in a more colorful way; muted greens, blues, and mushroom-colored spaces are beginning to reign supreme, but I wanted to deep-dive into my love of a white kitchen, especially if you’re thinking of making a change in what is often the most expensive room in the house to remodel:
White Kitchens are Classic. Google “home kitchen in (really any decade),” and often, the first images that will pop up have white cabinets. Sure, the style may change. Dresser-style furniture pieces in the 1800s to funky metal mid-century numbers to built-ins in the 20th century and beyond, but like a crisp, black-shingled roof, this color scheme is one that translates well, regardless of time. Speaking of translating well….
White Kitchens are so Versatile. In our previous home, we went a little funky in the kitchen since our style hedges on traditional. Black and white checkered marble floors combined with white cabinets, a black and white Greek key shade, emerald green-upholstered seating, and a bronze pendant to create a space that felt fresh and modern (see the space here). But a quick switch of accessories could have swung that space to traditional really quickly! Think plantation shutters, this bistro set, and this light from Visual comfort. Artwork like landscape oils or pale-blue mounted intaglios would have leaned in a much different direction.
White Kitchens Make your Space feel Larger. Generally speaking, anyway. White cabinets with a slight sheen (think satin or eggshell finishes) will bounce natural light around the space, making things brighter, giving the impression of more space. I will caution you here, though, that too much white can either have the opposite effect, or will make things appear a little stark. It’s for this reason that we’re adding a color on the ceiling in ours.
White Kitchens Force you to Keep Clean. This can be a benefit or a pain in the butt, depending on where you stand on the housekeeping scale of pleasure. White shows. It shows drips of coffee, fingerprints, snoot prints above dog dishes (am I the only one that deals with this?)… Where stained wood or darker cabinet colors seem to mask any sort of dirt or debris, white highlights it, encouraging you to wipe up messes as soon as they happen.
White Kitchen Cabinets Allow Your Other Accessories to Shine. We have a 36″ Bertazzoni range in matte black which is GORGEOUS. Simple white cabinetry has allowed it to take center stage. Same with statement lighting, crazy good art, or that funky and wonderful backsplash that you fell in love with.
Finally…
White Kitchens, if you love them, are worth it! If you’ve been a lover of white kitchens, ashy hardwoods, bold paint colors, or Beetlejuice-inspired stair railings, go for it! More than anything any designer or decor article can tell you, your home is a place to live and love. I always tell my clients (and- always justify to my husband, haha), that if there’s something you desperately want to do or add to your home, as long as it doesn’t break the bank, do it!
Please enjoy these photos of my kitchen, slightly redecorated and photographically updated as of last month. And- find any photos you’d like of my current home by clicking here, or at any time by clicking on “Our Home” at the top of this page.
** this post is not sponsored in any way. all thoughts and opinions are my own **
** photos by Don Lehman **
