Kitchen of the Week: Black and White With a Chopping Block
A design-build team updates a family kitchen with a large island, two-tone cabinets and more openness to nearby rooms
There was little this family of five liked about its suburban Boston kitchen. Worn and basic cherry cabinets, dark granite countertops, beige backsplash and floor tile, an isolated feel from surrounding spaces — it all needed to go.
Wanting a more contemporary space with a timeless feel and better flow, the homeowners turned to designer Kelley Antonuccio and builder Rob McGuire for help. The design-build team removed a peninsula to make room for a hardworking island with storage and a butcher block chopping station. A widened opening between the kitchen and family room enhances connection. And a two-tone color scheme with black lower cabinets and white uppers joins quartzite slab countertops and backsplash for dramatic style.
Wanting a more contemporary space with a timeless feel and better flow, the homeowners turned to designer Kelley Antonuccio and builder Rob McGuire for help. The design-build team removed a peninsula to make room for a hardworking island with storage and a butcher block chopping station. A widened opening between the kitchen and family room enhances connection. And a two-tone color scheme with black lower cabinets and white uppers joins quartzite slab countertops and backsplash for dramatic style.
After: The team stripped the former space to the studs and started fresh. It ditched the peninsula layout for an L-shaped one with a new island that has seating at one end and a butcher block chopping station at the other. Spindle legs give it a furniture look. “Removing the peninsula and having the larger island meant there was no longer a breakfast table,” Antonuccio says. “We were able to get six seats at the island and have enough space on each side by going with a built-in Sub-Zero refrigerator.”
The team also extended the range wall about 6 inches to provide space for a double wall oven and new cooktop.
The updated color scheme features black lower cabinets, white uppers and light gray walls (Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore). A smooth white plaster finish for the ceiling gives the space a calmer and cleaner look.
“We wanted the update to feel both timeless and contemporary with today’s color palette,” Antonuccio says. “I believe black and white is always classic and will stand the test of time, so that 20 years from now this kitchen will still be relevant.”
Cabinetry: Luxury Line full-access in Frosty White and Heritage Black, Tedd Wood
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The team also extended the range wall about 6 inches to provide space for a double wall oven and new cooktop.
The updated color scheme features black lower cabinets, white uppers and light gray walls (Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore). A smooth white plaster finish for the ceiling gives the space a calmer and cleaner look.
“We wanted the update to feel both timeless and contemporary with today’s color palette,” Antonuccio says. “I believe black and white is always classic and will stand the test of time, so that 20 years from now this kitchen will still be relevant.”
Cabinetry: Luxury Line full-access in Frosty White and Heritage Black, Tedd Wood
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Slabs of Super White quartzite in a leathered finish form the countertops and backsplash, for movement and pattern that coordinates with the white cabinets and gray walls. “Any dings are less noticeable, because it already has that texture to it,” Antonuccio says.
A white alcove conceals the exhaust fan above the new 36-inch gas cooktop. “I was able to work with Rob and make this custom hood with panels from the cabinet company,” Antonuccio says. “I had simple moldings applied to the flat panels of the cabinetry and was able to achieve the custom look we were going for.”
Lower pullouts on either side of the cooktop hold spices and utensils. Large soft-close drawers under the cooktop store pots and pans.
The polished nickel cabinet hardware and pot filler complement the stainless steel appliances.
Cabinet hardware: Emerald pull in polished nickel, various sizes, Top Knobs
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A white alcove conceals the exhaust fan above the new 36-inch gas cooktop. “I was able to work with Rob and make this custom hood with panels from the cabinet company,” Antonuccio says. “I had simple moldings applied to the flat panels of the cabinetry and was able to achieve the custom look we were going for.”
Lower pullouts on either side of the cooktop hold spices and utensils. Large soft-close drawers under the cooktop store pots and pans.
The polished nickel cabinet hardware and pot filler complement the stainless steel appliances.
Cabinet hardware: Emerald pull in polished nickel, various sizes, Top Knobs
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Honed 1-by-1-inch marble tiles cover a corner appliance niche.
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Before: In the former kitchen, a compact stainless steel sink wasn’t very functional when it came to washing large pots and pans.
After: The new undermount stainless steel sink provides plenty of washing space. A bump-out gives it extra prominence. “When designing with a slab backsplash like Super White, you have to consider it has more thickness than a standard tile,” Antonuccio says. “I knew we would need to bump the sink out to allow for the extra depth of the backsplash and to also create interest at the foot of the cabinetry.”
The single-handle pull-down faucet with magnetic docking system has a polished nickel finish. A paneled trash pullout sits to the left of the sink. To the right is a 24-inch paneled dishwasher.
Upper cabinets feature mullioned glass doors; the narrow strips of wood that divide the individual panes of glass create an X design that complements drain grooves in the sink. “Before, the cabinets looked so heavy,” Antonuccio says.
Sink: Quatrus, Blanco; faucet: Artesso in polished nickel, Brizo Faucet
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The single-handle pull-down faucet with magnetic docking system has a polished nickel finish. A paneled trash pullout sits to the left of the sink. To the right is a 24-inch paneled dishwasher.
Upper cabinets feature mullioned glass doors; the narrow strips of wood that divide the individual panes of glass create an X design that complements drain grooves in the sink. “Before, the cabinets looked so heavy,” Antonuccio says.
Sink: Quatrus, Blanco; faucet: Artesso in polished nickel, Brizo Faucet
5 Kitchen Cabinet Trends Popular With Homeowners Now
On the interior side of the island across from the sink and dishwasher are soft-close drawers that store plates, bowls and cutlery. New white oak flooring in a natural finish adds warmth to the updated kitchen.
A 10-inch-thick walnut butcher block cutting board sits at the end of the island near the cooktop and ovens. “This is such a long island, I didn’t want it to feel like a bowling alley,” Antonuccio says. “It allows for a nice wow moment, and it gives you a spot to work and turn around with the range top right there.”
Two shallow drawers under the butcher block hold aluminum foil, plastic wrap and oven mitts. A deeper drawer below offers overflow storage for pots and pans.
Beyond the island is the widened opening that now creates a strong connection between the kitchen and family room, with an updated fireplace that coordinates with the renovated kitchen.
French doors to the right of the opening lead to an upgraded back deck with an outdoor kitchen.
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Beyond the island is the widened opening that now creates a strong connection between the kitchen and family room, with an updated fireplace that coordinates with the renovated kitchen.
French doors to the right of the opening lead to an upgraded back deck with an outdoor kitchen.
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Three traditional-style lantern pendants above the island have a dark bronze finish. New recessed LED lights in the ceiling provide additional illumination. Black counter stools coordinate with the cabinet color.
Pendants: Plantation small square lantern in bronze, Visual Comfort
Pendants: Plantation small square lantern in bronze, Visual Comfort
A new family message center occupies a former blank wall next to what was a small landing area for the old refrigerator. “The cabinetry was customized to be more shallow, to provide space for keys and other items,” Antonuccio says. ”I made these cabinets black because having it all be one color made it feel more like a piece of furniture and an extension of the kitchen.”
This floor plan shows the updated kitchen layout with the new island (center) and larger sink (top center). A wider opening allows better connection to the family room (left).
“It gives them a proper entertaining space and a proper cooking space they can enjoy as a family,” Antonuccio says.
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“It gives them a proper entertaining space and a proper cooking space they can enjoy as a family,” Antonuccio says.
More on Houzz
10 Big Takeaways From the 2022 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of five
Location: Saugus, Massachusetts
Size: 292 square feet (27 square meters)
Design-build pros: Kelley Antonuccio (design) and Rob McGuire (build) of McGuire + Co. Kitchen & Bath
Before: The former kitchen featured aging cherry cabinets, cream-colored walls, beige backsplash and floor tile, dark granite countertops and a patterned, textured ceiling application.
A peninsula (not shown) divided the kitchen from a breakfast area, and beyond that, a wall with a narrow opening closed the kitchen off from the family room.