Before & After: Bold Green Cabinets Create a Dreamy Oasis Out of a “Dark” Gray Kitchen

Six years ago, when Kas, her partner, Tom, and their two children moved into their home in Central Hove, U.K., the kitchen wasn’t the most functional. The sink was so small it couldn’t fit pans or trays, and there was limited counter space — and for Tom, who loves to cook, that wasn’t going to work.

The “dark” kitchen wasn’t aesthetically pleasing to Kas, either. It had deep gray walls, black countertops, and a small window. The kitchen leads out onto their lush garden, and Kas dreamt of cultivating a connection between the two spaces. She wanted the two areas to “feel like one big room,” so she sought inspo on social media for the renovation. 

She decided the new space had to be open-concept, with an island and a butler sink. An architect helped the couple map out where certain elements would go, like the skylights and the stove in the center of the island. 

While professionals did the bulk of the renovation, Kas saved some money by painting the kitchen cabinets herself in Farrow & Ball’s Duck Green (the walls are Farrow & Ball’s Pink Ground). “Although [green kitchens are] becoming more popular, there weren’t that many when we did it back in 2021,” Kas said. 

The deep green cabinets, large bifold glass doors, and skylights helped to achieve Kas’ desired “indoor and outdoor flow.” While cooking a family meal, they can now look out to their lush oasis outside. Plus, a utility cupboard adds much-needed storage to the room! The kitchen took six months to complete and cost just shy of $92,000 (or £72,500).