INSPIRED: NON-WHITE KITCHENS TO LOVE BY STEVEN GAMBREL

I love an all-white kitchen – it’s clean, crisp, timeless and, if done correctly with lots of contrast and texture, can make quite a dramatic impression. Lately, though, I’ve been so drawn to kitchens in muted shades of grays, blues and even taupes and especially tone-on-tone or limed oak cabinetry. Soft, subtle colors, beautiful, honed stone counter tops, chalky, oversize plaster hoods and lots of texture are what I’m inspired by lately.

No one does tone-on-tone better than designer Steven Gambrel, whose timeless, thoughtfully executed kitchens are elegant, classic and incredibly dramatic – and hardly ever white. While I absolutely love my current kitchen and wouldn’t change a thing about its design or layout for us right now, I thought it would be fun to take a look at a few Gambrel-designed kitchens that are breathtakingly beautiful…and not white!

The cerused oak cabinetry, open shelving, plaster hood, antique pendant lighting and zinc island top blend together seamlessly to create a space that is as striking as it is utilitarian:

Moody charcoal gray cabinetry, a steel hood and woven counter stools add so much texture, warmth and interest here:

Ivory cabinetry, subway tile and trim create a beautiful backdrop in this dramatic two-story kitchen:

More cerused oak cabinetry, a dramatically oversize brass range hood and antique, nautical-inspired pendant lighting are used to maximum effect in this Hamptons kitchen:

The most perfect shade of pale blue-gray, a plaster hood, honed marble countertops, unlacquered brass hardware, the limed hardwoods….each and every detail is SO GOOD!

Another tone-on-tone beauty with a showstopper hood, open shelving, an incredible double marble farmhouse sink and beautiful natural light. My favorite parts of this kitchen are the lack of upper cabinets and a dining table and chairs in place of an island:

Gambrel’s kitchen in his former Manhattan townhouse is a study in restrained elegance; the gray trim and cabinetry are a beautiful backdrop for that incredible marble backsplash and counters:

Another powder blue beauty with beautiful silver accents, more open shelving and lots of natural light:

Last, but not least, is this gorgeous oak kitchen with that showtopping marble! I love how Gambrel used the same material on the floors as on the counters and backsplash:

I’ve always been a huge admirer of Gambrel’s style and how he sticks to the same beautiful elements over and over again when creating drama and cohesion in all of his spaces, but most definitely in his kitchens. Unlacquered brass, wood, glass, marble, topiary and woven pieces are the decorative elements he uses time and again. Below are a few of my picks for creating a similar feel in your own kitchen:

Marble tray / Marble butter dish / Rattan cloche / Topiary / Unlacquered flush mount light / Rattan charger / French wine glass / Forged iron bowl / Oversize rattan basket / Wooden bread board / Glass canisters