The Key to Making This New-Build Kitchen Feel Lived-In? The Perfect Shade of Warm White
Words by Morgan Goldberg
Photography by Stephanie Russo
Achieving warmth and character in a new build can be a challenge, but that’s exactly what Alex Adamson did in a recent Alpine, Utah kitchen.
The Salt Lake City-based interior designer used custom Shaker-style cabinets with curved details and a mix of brass hardware—from bail pulls to knobs—to produce an updated traditional cooking space that looks like it belongs in a historical East Coast house. “I love creating homes that make people doubt when they were actually built,” she shares.
Alex painted the kitchen in Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore, a “tried and true” warm white that helps age the room. Meanwhile, the adjacent pantry, which offers additional storage and a small workstation, is covered in a soft blue-green hue. “Rather than try to conceal it with doors, we embraced the opening and added transom windows so you see into the space and get this little jolt of color,” she explains.
Most importantly, the kitchen is a workhorse and a gathering place for the young family that inhabits it. Alex ensured plenty of counter space for prepping meals and seating for the children to join their parents while cooking. The homework area is conveniently situated nearby, too, so no one is ever too far from the heart of the home.
The project: A new construction
The location: Alpine, Utah
The space: An open kitchen and pantry
The client: A young family
Photography by Stephanie Russo
The biggest problem to solve
For a family with lots of kids who needed a good amount of storage, there wasn't a huge footprint for cabinetry—uppers especially. We created long towers rising from the countertop to the ceiling to maximize the cupboards. And then we built out a long, galley-style pantry.
The item that started it all
We wanted an East Coast traditional feel, so we kicked off the design with the copper and brass pendants hanging above the island. They felt nostalgic to me—they could’ve been designed a long time ago or could be brand new. I liked that feeling of timelessness.
Photography by Stephanie Russo
The piece that anchors the space
We wanted to make the range hood the focal point and emphasize its tapered shape by not using upper cabinetry next to it so it’s the first thing you see. We cased out the entire opening around the hood and wrapped it in Carrara marble tile with recessed spice shelves on each side.
The design risk with the biggest payoff
Painting the entire pantry in a blue-green color was a risk. We covered the whole hallway—its cabinetry, walls, and ceiling—in Pigeon by Farrow & Ball. Luckily, the client loved it in the end. It's soft enough that it doesn't take away from the kitchen but it adds interest to peek into this darker area.
Photography by Stephanie Russo
The little detail with a big impact
The whole house has beautiful long hallways that we divided with transom windows. They’re not only in the kitchen, they continue throughout the home. They add character and light to every room.
The splurge and steal in the room
The cabinetry is where I spent the most. We went custom and used a great local workshop that I love. The pendants were a steal.
Photography by Stephanie Russo
The happy accident
The pantry has a tight footprint so we couldn't run lower cabinetry all the way to the door. To fit enough storage into the space while still having clearance to walk, we designed a China hutch that’s recessed from the rest of the cupboards. It feels like a piece of furniture and it's perfect to display pretty dishes. It was a tricky puzzle to solve, but I love the end result. It feels custom and intentional.
The final vibe
Warm, inviting, cozy. There's personality, but nothing overly competes for your attention. It feels calming and for a recent construction, it doesn't feel too new.
