Home & Design | Bespoke Blues

The sea of colorless kitchens will likely never fade: The classic look is a sure bet that’s polished, if not unexpected. But there’s a new wave emerging with statement-making blues reshaping tired kitchens. Local pros say the fluid color can take on different dimensions depending on the shade’s undertones. Inside a Minneapolis Victorian, a custom watery blue stain brought the house into the 21st century—without sacrificing its bones. A St. Louis Park shared kitchen and dining area went from zero to 100 with an electric-blue lacquer inspired by a beloved photograph. And empty nesters in Inver Grove Heights pulled their house out of the ’80s with gray-blue cabinets that give the kitchen a tailored look that’s also timeless. 

Moody Blues

In 2019, Bob and Jacqui Barton, who built their Inver Grove Heights home 35 years ago, decided it was ready for a refresh. They loved the house and its two and a half acres of surrounding forest, but the empty nesters craved a comfortable, bright space to host their kids, grandkids, and friends. “We removed the entire old kitchen, all the old flooring, and some internal walls,” says Josh Swanson, project supervisor at Hagstrom Builder. The Hagstrom team, along with Meghan Kell of Kell Architects, also installed five new windows to increase light and improve views. Now, with new cabinets and countertops, plus a more intentionally designed island, the kitchen feels open and welcoming for all—just like the Bartons wanted.

1. Roll With It A cold-rolled steel hood and cast bronze hardware pay homage to Bob’s love of motorcycles. “We wanted something a little more masculine with some natural elements,” Kell says.

2. Color Story Once the kitchen opened up, the team chose natural materials like quartzite counters and backsplash and wire-brushed red oak flooring and beams (a nod to the house’s history and a way to match and keep the existing windows and trim). Blue-gray cabinets (in Rocky Coast by Benjamin Moore) feel classy but unfussy. Jacqui’s favorite color—bright red—comes in with rugs, art, and knobs on the Wolf cooktop. “I think that’s why we chose that range,” Kell says. “I’m not kidding.”

3. Shine Bright Light fixtures above the island and table (from Restoration Hardware) are “big statement pieces,” Kell says. “But the glass allows them not to take over, so they’re really fun.” Recessed lighting acts as backup brightness in the kitchen.

5. Raising The Bar The buffet/bar area, which holds glassware and liquor, can also function as extra serving space for family dinners. “It’s so much fun to have guests,” Jacqui says. “It flows so you start at the bar and move to the table.”

“If you have the right balance of window-filled spaces, you can go with some drama. If you don’t have that luxury, it’s tough to go dark with paint.”— Meghan Kell, architect

Architecture: Meghan Kell, Kell Architects, 821 Raymond Ave., Ste. 400, St. Paul, 612-234-5484, kellarchitects.com // Builder: Hagstrom Builder, 3511 Lake Elmo Ave., Lake Elmo, 651-777-8563, hagstrombuilder.com

Smooth Moves

Josh and Ashley Williams lived with a dull, basic kitchen in their St. Louis Park home for five years before upgrading. Now, its shining star is a wall coated in blue lacquer by the paint brand that makes Amsterdam’s colorful front doors shine. The couple “didn’t want the average pretty kitchen, although they didn’t specify high-gloss blue walls,” designer Jennifer Jorgensen  laughs. But the dramatic statement is the ideal conversation starter for a couple that loves to cook and entertain. “I’m still obsessed with it,” Josh says.

1. Chef’s Table The Williamses spend much of their time in the kitchen, so the pair knew marble countertops wouldn’t suit their needs. Mont Blanc quartzite from Amsum and Ash is a natural material that’s less porous but still looks sleek. The surface is paired with a black walnut island and flooring and white cabinets made by Packy Erpelding.

2. Glammed Up “The exterior has a Hansel-and-Gretel-house vibe,” Jorgensen says. “I didn’t want to take it too modern”—but contemporary details, like Hudson Valley Lighting pendants, pack a punch.

3. In The Groove Above, clockwise from left: Wine storage slips into the new island; a Danish cabinet from Golden Age Design stores vinyl; leather pulls add an organic touch; a vintage bar cart Josh found for $40 on Craigslist. 

4. Inspiration Struck “My wife and I are very inspired by travel,” Josh says. When the couple traveled to the French Quarter of New Orleans a few years ago, they stopped in photographer Frank Relle’s gallery and fell in love with Gouffre, a dark, evocative photograph of a Louisiana church steeped in water after flooding from Hurricane Katrina. The dark wood, white, and inky blue color palette struck them, and they knew they wanted to carry the colors through their kitchen. The piece now hangs prominently between the fridge and the pantry. 

5. Chic Storage A pantry tucks in behind iron-and-glass French doors. “They wanted the pantry to be unique and beautiful but functional,” Jorgensen says. Open shelving displays the couple’s rustic bowls and plates, which pair with gray tile in Foggy Morning with Black Patine by Fireclay Tile in San Francisco.

“I became obsessed with this paint the first time I went to Amsterdam. In real life, it’s shimmering, it’s so high-gloss. It took what could have been a white marble kitchen you’ve seen before into a forward-thinking space.” — Jennifer Jorgensen, designer

interior design: Jennifer Jorgensen, J.Jorgensen Interior Design and Architecture, 651-387-0568, j-jorgensen.com

Victorian Revival

It’s no secret in the design community that Carter Averbeck, owner of Omforme Design, doesn’t shy away from color and contrast. Which is exactly what Jorge Quintero and Robert Schneidewend were looking for when they asked Averbeck to help them remodel their 1902 home on Portland Avenue in Minneapolis. “It had this tiny, craptacular servants’ kitchen,” Averbeck says. “It wasn’t meant to be pretty; it was perfunctory.” That all changed in Averbeck’s design, which opened up the space and went bold in blue and brass. As for the rest of the home, most rooms are just as colorful—which isn’t far off tradition for Victorian homes. “They have a love of things that are different and interesting. They love the old but bring new with it,” the designer says of the homeowners. “They’re modernists living in a Victorian.”

1. Stained To Last The blue on the cabinets is a custom stain on oak wood. “There’s a lot of oak in the house,” Averbeck says. “We went traditional with materials and how the cabinetry was built. All of it was built as if it were made during the Victorian era. The only thing that’s modern is the stain.” Oak trim around the windows also nods to the era. 

2. A Bright Light Averbeck had glass-front cabinets installed in front of new windows. “If we were to put in a traditional kitchen, in as far as upper cabinetry, there wouldn’t be any place to put in windows,” Averbeck says. “That way they can display martini glasses in the cabinets, and we still get the light.”

3. Statement Piece “The island has these interesting panels, which is sort of Carter’s brilliant mind,” Jorge says. “We didn’t want the island to look like the rest of the kitchen”—rather, it’s meant to be a piece of furniture. The laser-cut panels are a black that complements the light fixtures. A Brizo faucet and a natural quartz top add to the contemporary aesthetic. “It’s now like a piece of artwork,” Averbeck says.

4. Care For A Cocktail? The butler’s pantry, which acts as the couple’s bar area, features the home’s original leaded-glass cabinet doors. “We knew we wanted an area to wash cups and glasses, and the hammered copper sink gives us more work space,” Jorge says. The silver-backed glass-tile backsplash, from Tile X Design, and black granite countertops carry from the kitchen into the pantry.

“We wanted to keep as much as we could. All the decisions were made from this perspective: Do no harm, but replace with better.” — Jorge Quintero, homeowner

Interior design: Carter Averbeck, Omforme Design, 613 W. 24th St., Mpls., 855-663-6763, omformedesign.com