Black & White Kitchen

I'm not one normally to obsess over hardware, but ever since I saw the Simplice Faucet in Matte Black ($389) from Kohler in last month's Metropolitan Home, I can't get it out of my head. You know that silly Kohler commercial where the rich couple demands that the high-end architecture firm design an entire house around a faucet? Well, I wouldn't consider it ridiculous to design an entire kitchen around this.

To keep the focus on the amazing faucet, I'd keep the countertops a cool white (like Silestone's White Zeus). For maximum sleekness, I'd go with an integrated sink to create a seamless transition. For backsplash, I'd go with simple glazed white subway tiles. Cabinetry would be white beadboard, with a combination of glass-fronted and solid door upper cabinets. Inside the glass-doored cabinets, I'd keep all my colorful dishes or glassware for an interchangeable pop of color. Walls not tiled or covered by cabinetry would be painted a soft gray, like Sherwin-Williams' Aloof Gray (pictured above).

To coordinate with the faucet, I'd go with a similar matte black finish on the hardware. Lowes' has some great options to choose from, but I'm partial to the Gatehouse black egg knob ($2.57) for the upper cabinets and the Gatehouse black cup pull ($3.36) for the lower cabinets. On white beadboard cabinets, these knobs and pulls would really pop, and together would give the kitchen a modern cottage look.

For the floors, I'd go for something a bit more retro to play off the very modern counters and play up the timeless cabinetry. Michael S. Smith mosaic tile from Ann Sacks has a lovely basketweave motif and the black and white floors would help ground all the white counters and cabinetry without making the kitchen feel bottom-heavy. For lighting, I'd go with Mod white pendant lighting from Jonathan Adler to play up the modern aspects of this kitchen.

With the basics in place, I'd bring in colorful accessories to add warmth and some fun to the kitchen. Colorful glassware like these new Pop Glasses ($18-$22) from Jonathan Adler would be a great anecdote to all the black and white. Colorful kitchen utensils and dishtowels would complete the look.