A Chicago Rental Kitchen With a Few Smart, Stylish Solutions

Cambria Bold
Cambria Bold
Cambria Bold is the Executive Editor of Cubby, and one of Apartment Therapy Media’s first full-time editors from way back when. She was The Kitchn's founding Design and Lifestyle Editor as well as Managing Editor of Re-Nest, Apartment Therapy’s late '00s green living site. She…read more
published Sep 9, 2013
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(Image credit: Carolyn Purnell)

Marti and Jarrod’s Lincoln Square kitchen is a great example of how to make a boring rental kitchen (with those ubiquitous oak kitchen cabinets!) into something really great. “I wish our kitchen cabinets weren’t oak and I really wish they didn’t have that arch at the top,” says Marti. But you hardly notice those cabinets because of a few really smart design decisions:

(Image credit: Carolyn Purnell)

The half-painted wall — black on the bottom, white on the top — immediately creates drama and interest, and draws your eye away from the cabinets. Plus, notice how well the stool and the white trash can pop against it! I love the colorful runner, too, which covers up the bland floor tiles and provides just the right amount of pattern and texture.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

If you have pretty copper pots, don’t hide them!

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)
(Image credit: Carolyn Purnell)

Love how the hanging broom almost looks like a piece of art in this photo!

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Small details make all the difference. Here, a bottle opener attached to the wood door frame sits above a white ceramic pot from IKEA.

Such simple changes, but they create an entirely new feeling in the kitchen — graphic, modern, cool.

See the Full Tour → Mitch and Jarrod’s Graphic Modern Home at Apartment Therapy

(Images: Carolyn Purnell)

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