A Makeover Turned This “Dark” All-Gray Kitchen into an Organized, Optimized Oasis

Written by

Cullen OrmondAssociate Home Editor
Cullen OrmondAssociate Home Editor
I write about house tours (but I love a good kitchen and kids' room article). My work can be found across AT Media, including The Kitchn and Cubby. I’ve been writing about home-related topics for nearly five years and love seeing how people make their homes unique.
published Dec 16, 2024
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About this before & after
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Kitchen with gray walls and cabinets
Credit: Kas

Six years ago, when Kas, her partner, Tom, and their two children moved into their home in Central Hove, U.K., the kitchen wasn’t the most functional. The sink was so small it couldn’t fit pans or trays, and there was limited counter space — and for Tom, who loves to cook, that wasn’t going to work.

The “dark” kitchen wasn’t aesthetically pleasing to Kas, either. It had deep gray walls, black countertops, and a small window.

Credit: Kas

The kitchen leads out onto the lush garden, and Kas dreamt of cultivating a connection between the two spaces. She wanted the two areas to “feel like one big room,” so she sought inspo on social media for the renovation. 

Credit: Kas

She decided the new space had to be open-concept, with an island and a butler sink. An architect helped the couple map out where certain elements would go, like the skylights and the stove in the center of the island. 

Credit: Zoë Schulz

While professionals did the bulk of the renovation, Kas saved some money by painting the kitchen cabinets herself in Farrow & Ball’s Duck Green (the walls are Farrow & Ball’s Pink Ground).

“Although [green kitchens are] becoming more popular, there weren’t that many when we did it back in 2021,” Kas says. 

Credit: Zoë Schulz

The deep green cabinets, large bifold glass doors, and skylights helped to achieve Kas’ desired “indoor and outdoor flow.” While cooking a meal, Kas and her family can now look out to their lush oasis outside.

Credit: Zoë Schulz

Plus, a utility cupboard adds much-needed storage to the room! The kitchen took six months to complete and cost just shy of $92,000 (or £72,500). 

Credit: Zoë Schulz