The Modern Family Kitchen

Feeling a bit confined in their dated Hannibal, Missouri, kitchen, Lynn and Bobby Boland wanted a complete overhaul. Without adding an inch of square footage, designer Amie Corley gave them the stylish, family-friendly kitchen they were hoping for. Tour their new space.

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Fresh FlooringOut went the dated tile, and in went new walnut floors. "The natural color keeps it light and airy—not too heavy or serious. It works well with all the other colors we used," says Amie.

Bold Color
Lynn had always wanted aqua cabinets because they remind her of her grandmother's 1950s furniture. Amie found the ideal shade in Benjamin Moore's Kensington Green. White walls, Absolute Black granite countertops, and white marble on the island balance the strong color.

Cool Stock Cabinetry
Cabinetry offers this chic door style—an unexpected Shaker-style front with bamboo trim. Amie says, "The bamboo is a mid-century motif and adds the perfect detail."

L-Shaped Layout 
Lynn and Amie walled in an exterior door and shifted the eating area to the island to allow an impressive 285 cubic feet of cabinetry along the two walls.

Oversize Island 
Furniture detailing gives the hardworking 5- x 7 1/2-foot island the look of a decorative buffet piece.

Shelf Life Expansion 
"Because there is so much closed cabinetry, I thought it would be good to have open shelving to allow some display space," says Amie. While the shelves hang in front of the windows, they still let light pass through.

Kids-Only Refrigerator 
A mini-fridge beneath the open shelving keeps hungry children out of the cooking and prep space.

Tech-Savvy
A sliver of a desk—only 30 inches wide—is all Lynn needed for her laptop and the kids' paperwork. "I prefer to move around my kitchen, looking up recipes online," she says. "I don't need a real office."