The Updated Traditional Kitchen

Family-Friendly Kitchen

When Caroline and Andy Roeser purchased their Houston home, it was done with a love of the neighborhood and a lot of vision. Its windowless galley kitchen felt cold and dated, so the couple wasted no time renovating it to become a sunny, open space. Tour how they made the transformation.

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Chic Details

Pops of Color
Patterned fabrics in a vibrant ginger red enliven the white palette (and also coordinate with the Wolf range's knobs!), while two large-scale lanterns in a verdigris finish grab attention over the island.

Scene-Stealer Accent
Because of the hood's central location in the kitchen, Allison and Erika wanted it to be a focal point. The cabinetmaker built the handsome white wood hood, adding custom metal straps.

Functional Layout
A new U-shaped plan allowed the appliances to be repositioned, with the refrigerator now on an end wall. Newly added windows flanking the range flood the room with natural light.

Favorite Feature

Double-Duty Island 
The room's size didn't allow for a freestanding dining table. A lower, custom-built extension of the island in a dark natural wood provides the ideal solution.

Tucked-Away Storage 
Open shelves keep cookbooks handy at one end of the island, while the microwave is housed at the other.

Classic Space

Timeless Materials 
White cabinets, polished nickel hardware, a subway tile backsplash, and honed-marble countertops with curved ogee edges all give the kitchen an upscale look that won't become dated.

Efficient Pantry
A walk-through butler's pantry now connects the kitchen and dining room, offering glassware storage, a wine refrigerator, a dishwasher drawer, and enough counterspace for staging during parties.

Stylish Desk

Combined Function & Style
With its dark wood finish and tapered legs, the built-in desk mimics the island's table and looks like furniture.