Elegant White Kitchen

A family with a cramped kitchen turns to designer Karen Kettler of Metropolitan Kitchen & Bath to design a space with greater accessibility, high-end appliances and classic style.

Karen added her signature modern touches to create an elegant kitchen with custom features.

Karen shares how she made room for the kitchen's design to really shine.

What was on the homeowner's wish list?

The homeowner desired a kitchen that would flow to the den and breakfast table with plenty of seating for entertainment.

What design issue did you address?

The original kitchen had a huge pantry in the corner as well as an angled peninsula. Eliminating these obstacles allowed us to widen the opening to the living room.

How did you address obstacles?

The corner pantry had an HVAC return. We relocated it to the bar area on the left side of the wine refrigerator. The new air grate allowed just enough depth for bottle storage in the bar cabinet.

What lessons did you learn?

In order to maintain the flow of the stripes on the quartzite countertops, we mitered the corners and book-matched the seams, which required extra stone.

What are the hidden gems?

Elongated glass-front cabinets face the living area, which dress up the view of the kitchen. Large pantry cabinets, which replaced the walk-in pantry, have roll-out shelves. The island has a mixer lift and microwave drawer. A separate bar area makes it easy to for guests to help themselves.