Zesty Color in the Kitchen

Neutrals are nice, but if they're not your style, see how this space comes together with a bold palette of orange and green.

Do basic kitchen math-cooktop plus fridge plus sink-and what do you get? A kitchen that looks like any other? Not necessarily. Color, whether you choose it for your countertops or your tablecloth, is a great way to inject individual style. Susan Goldberg of Austin, Texas, came up with a palette that's none too shy, mixed it with rich woods, and now she has a kitchen she wouldn't trade for all the five-star meals in the world.

Bright by Design

Why orange and green? "Purely serendipitous," says Susan. "I walked into an antiques store in San Antonio, and I saw this incredible orange wall. I knew I wanted a warm, deep color, and that was it." A soft green was already chosen for the trimwork throughout the house; luckily, it paired well with the orange, so the cabinetry became the same green shade. Susan chose multicolored tiles for the backsplash and she hung lights the color of jalapeno peppers above the table. "Our approach was to make it really comfy and relaxed, but not overdesigned and formal, and the colors help do that," says architect Robert Jackson.

Pine floors and wood countertops give this kitchen a homey feel. Susan wanted a forgiving work surface; with three kids, it helps cut down the number of chipped plates. Builder Carl Rieck suggested mesquite. It's incredibly dense and can be shined every six months with mineral oil.

Successful Storage

During the planning stages, Susan nixed lower cabinets. "Pots and pans get shoved to the back, plastic containers don't stack well, and linens don't work in them," she says. The better solution here was tall upper cabinets-some open, some with doors-with all drawers beneath the countertops. Cooking pots are neatly hung from a rack above the island.

Thanks to bold colors and clever storage, this kitchen's formula is anything but ordinary. SARA ANDERSON

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Aug 2005
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