Courtyard Kitchen Mood Board

Kitchens are always a gathering spot, especially during the holiday season.  Imagine celebrating the holidays in a beautifully refreshed kitchen.  I had the pleasure of working on a client’s kitchen redesign recently.  The kitchen had good bones, but needed a facelift.  My client describes her style as traditional, also saying she likes to create a “Pottery Barn look for less” in her home.

As I learned about the layout of my client’s kitchen, I kept thinking about a courtyard in the center of a building.  Her kitchen truly was the hub of her home.  It sits in the center and has doorways directly to the living room, dining room, office/play room, laundry room, garage, and backyard.

Courtyards are light, open, and inviting.  They are meant for lingering and enjoying.  I wanted to give her kitchen that same feel.  A sky blue backdrop on the walls will create an airy feel, while complimenting the warm wood cabinets.  My client had lots of recessed lighting, but no hanging lights.  Dropping in some pendants over the island and table would make the space a lot more inviting.  Soft drapes around the windows would create a focal point and add much-needed softness to the room.  If your kitchen feels blah and sterile, try adding rugs and draperies…every room needs fabric.

My favorite part of this design is the color palette.  My client had a blue, red, and burnt orange color palette in the adjacent living room.  I believe in whole house color schemes, so I wanted to tie that palette into the kitchen.  My client also likes jewel tones, so I used those to create a variation on the living room palette.  The result was sky blue with rust orange, teal, and a hint of purple.  The purple appears on the bar stools, which come in this Miso color by Martha Stewart…a beautiful almost brown purple.

Upon receiving her mood board my client said, “LOVE it!  I just got back from the paint store with the wall and island paint.  We are having paint date night tonight!”

I am a big fan of date night DIY, so I love that they had their Saturday night reserved to start the makeover.  I hope for all my client’s that their designs do just that…give them everything they need to spring into action and create a room they will love.

Note:  Out of respect to my clients, I share completed mood board designs, but I do not share the source information.  I hope you find the mood boards inspiring.

Have a space you need help with?

My mood boards are like a visual shopping list for your perfect room.  In addition to the mood board, I include a free DIY ideas board for the room.  Get yours here.