Cooking With Color

Southern Living, Feb 2005 by Jones, Scott, Mercer, Amy Bickers, Grover, Patricia Ann, Turnage, Walton

Yellow is the main ingredient in this cheerful Austin kitchen, where speedy recipes make family meals easy and convenient.

Kerri Ann Chambless is a courageous leader for color-phobic homeowners afraid to make a commitment. Take a look at her cooking zone's saturated hue: yellow everywhere. And it works beautifully.

With only three small windows to provide sunshine in the kitchen, painting just the walls a cheerful hue would not have brightened the area enough. Friend and interior designer Randy Race helped Kerri Ann choose a bold yellow for the room's cabinets. A lighter shade of the same color went on the walls, while the ceiling received a coat of an even lighter shade.

Now the sunny kitchen is the perfect spot for the family of four. Kerri Ann, husband John, and children Johnny and Abigail share meals and conversation here. Along with their greatlooking cooking space, we'll also show you delicious recipes that deliver taste and convenience.

Material Mix

The room's cherry island grounds the color scheme. Topped with granite, the piece complements the cooktop's copper hood. Rather than use granite throughout the space, Kerri Ann chose cherry butcher-block for the rest of the countertops. A thick application of an oil product conditions the wood and repels water. The countertops' classic ogee edge, which slopes down before curving at the bottom, is in keeping with the room's sophisticated elements.

Applying Details

The design impact relies heavily on the abundant use of yellow, so the appliances had to coordinate. A large black or stainless steel refrigerator would have ruined the effect. The new refrigerator-which came with instructions for creating custom panelswas made over with painted wood panels designed to match the cabinets. A dishwasher with an interior control panel also matches the cabinets, with no buttons or knobs to break up the color.

Inspiration Point

Any project will seem overwhelming if you don't start with a single item to inspire your palette. Here, decorative tiles for the backsplash in a Provencebased hue influenced the paint choice. tile molding creates a frame around glazed field tiles accented with a pattern of smaller, decorative squares.

SCOTT JONES, AMY BICKERS MERCER

Smart Solution: Trying to get young children out the door on time with their stomachs full can be challenging. "The morning is really about getting the kids some fuel for the day. I focus on heartier foods, such as egg sandwiches, waffles topped with fruit, and granola," says Kerri Ann. She also relies on convenience products such as biscuit mix, precooked sausage and bacon, and make-ahead recipes to jump-start the day.