Sprucing up or completely renovating your kitchen is a smart move for your home’s livability, your cooking comfort and for bringing family together
By Heather Shoning
Creating a beautiful kitchen that truly reflects your personality is about more than just function—it’s about curating a space that feels like home. The kitchen is often called the heart of the home, and it should pulse with the same energy, creativity and warmth that you bring to your everyday life.
Whether you lean toward bold expression or subtle elegance, the right blend of color, pattern and materials can transform a standard kitchen into a profoundly personal, design-forward space.
Start by thinking about how you want the space to feel. Do you gravitate toward the calm of soft neutrals or the energy of saturated hues? Color sets the tone, from a tuxedo palette of crisp black and white to perky peach cabinetry or a muted blue-gray with rich gold accents. Pattern—through tilework, wallpaper or even wood grain—can add rhythm and visual interest, creating layers of personality and depth. Architecture grounds the space and can create a decidedly symmetrical look and bolster function and flow.
Ultimately, a kitchen that reflects your personality isn’t about following trends; it’s about knowing what you love and finding fresh, beautiful ways to bring that into your space. When you design with intention and authenticity, your kitchen becomes more than just a place to cook—it becomes a true reflection of you. These three local kitchens inspire and delight their homeowners daily thanks to the perfect balance of function and fashion.
Bring on Color
This colorful kitchen remodel blends vibrant personality with thoughtful functionality. Owner and lead designer Angela Otten of Inspire Kitchen Design Studio and Kristina Sterling with Seek Interior Design reimagined the space for a young family that loves cooking, gathering and expressing their unique style through eclectic design choices.
The homeowners, already working with Sterling on other parts of the home, sought to bring the same spirited energy into the kitchen. A bold wallpaper in the adjacent living area became the starting point, inspiring the vibrant hue of the kitchen island. The rest of the palette is light and fresh, with white perimeter cabinetry providing balance to the rich green tile backsplash and dark countertops.
Though the kitchen’s footprint remained intact, the designers made several functional upgrades. A new custom island includes a rounded eating area designed with the family’s twin daughters in mind, offering a casual space for meals and connection. Storage was a key priority, with Ottenoptimizing cabinetry layout to meet the needs of the cooking-enthusiast husband.
One standout feature is the fluted range hood, a collaboration between Otten and Sterling that adds sculptural interest while retaining the home’s sophisticated, slightly retro vibe. Art Deco–inspired hardware and a multi-colored eating area add further character, honoring the clients’ love for Anthropologie-esque design and layered materials. At the same time, a newly arched service pantry entrance brings balance and symmetry to the architectural details.
With a careful blend of color and texture plus an enhanced layout, this kitchen reflects the homeowners’ eclectic taste and provides a beautiful, highly functional amalgamation of the design elements encompassing the open-concept living area.
Inspire Kitchen Design Studio
590 Quivas St., 3rd floor
Denver
720.650.0500
inspirekds.com
Seek Interior Design
seekinteriordesign.com
Resources
Builder/Contractor: Howard Construction
Appliances: Mountain High Appliance
Cabinetry design: Angela Otten
Cabinetry: Homestead Cabinet & Furniture
Countertops: Caesarstone
Kitchen backsplash: Decorative Materials
Kitchen sinks/fixtures: Ultra Design Center
Decorative lighting: Studio Como
“Black Tie” Style Meets Function
This stunning kitchen remodel in Greenwood Village exudes timeless sophistication with a fresh take on a traditional cabinetry style with a crisp black-and-white palette warmed by beautiful wood flooring and brushed brass accents. Executed in collaboration with Inside Stories interior design firm and brought to life by designer Kim Foutz of Caruso Kitchen Designs and her team, the project was part of a complete main-level renovation for a family relocating from Texas.
While the overall design vision was established early through Inside Stories’ client style packet, the final plan evolved through close collaboration with the homeowner, who had a clear vision and a strong focus on function. As a passionate home cook and a busy parent, she worked closely with Foutz’s team to fine-tune every detail—from appliance placement to drawer organization—ensuring the kitchen would support her daily rhythms with ease and elegance.
The sleek white cabinetry and Taj Mahal quartzite countertops provide a luminous foundation, while deep black accents—including custom lighting and carefully framed cabinetry details—anchor the space with drama and contrast. The standout moment is the range wall, where stone extends to the ceiling, giving the kitchen a stately focal point without sacrificing warmth.
Foutz detailed the service pantry—tucked just behind the kitchen—to house everything from small appliances to kids’ lunches, maximizing storage in a compact space. Features like toe-kick lighting, thoughtful corner cabinet solutions and a tailored traditional-style hood (scaled precisely to suit the home’s modest ceiling height) showcase the level of care and customization throughout.
With its refined palette, tailored lines, and high-function layout, this kitchen is a masterclass in elevated design that works just as beautifully as it looks.
Caruso Kitchen Designs
9138 W. 6th Ave.
Lakewood
720.487.9293
carusokitchens.com
Inside Stories
5650 S. Windermere St.
Littleton
303.783.9327
Resources
Appliances: Mountain High Appliances
Cabinetry: W. W. Wood Products, Inc.
Countertops/backsplash: Taj Mahal
A Moody Kitchen with California Soul
With rich walnut details, layered functionality and a moody palette anchored by honed stone slabs, this kitchen remodel is a study in thoughtful design for clients with a laid-back California vibe. Dawn Chau, principal designer and founder of Paradigm Interior Design, led the project in collaboration with designer and project manager Tamar Chang with Thurston Kitchen + Bath – Denver, transforming the space for longtime clients she’s worked with for more than a decade.
Initially sparked by a disliked sink and water-damaged flooring, the project quickly expanded into an entire kitchen overhaul. The clients—avid cooks and entertainers—were deeply involved in the process. Chau’s design focused on flow and function, carving out zones for bread-making, coffee and tea prep, and bar service. “Every drawer has a purpose,” Chau says. A galley sink with dual faucets became a standout feature, allowing for simultaneous prep and clean-up—a must for the culinary-minded couple.
The custom cabinetry features modern shaker fronts in a moody blue-gray and warm white. A standout design element is the laser-cut rich walnut panels above the beverage station, adding warmth and texture with a nod to nature. These cabinets—outfitted with sleek, motion-activated lighting—became a defining feature, custom fabricated by Thurston.
The veining in a pair of salvaged stone slabs served as the launch point for the kitchen’s color palette, while the surrounding spaces, open to the kitchen, echo the aesthetic with walnut built-ins and complementary hues.
Though no walls were removed, the island was reshaped to better suit the space, improving flow and usability. An appliance garage and subtle under-cabinet lighting keep the aesthetic sleek and organized.
With its elevated function and soulful modern vibe, this kitchen reflects the homeowners’ lifestyle.
Paradigm Interior Design
720.339.5593
paradigmdesigners.com
Thurston Kitchen + Bath – Denver
761 Kalamath St.
Denver
303.399.4564
thurstonkb.com
Resources
Builder/contractor: Colorado Craftsmen Services
Appliances: Specialty Appliance
Countertops/backsplash: Moros Fabrication
Kitchen sinks/fixtures: Ultra Design Center
Decorative lighting: Visual Comfort
AvidLifestyle asked local design professionals at our recent industry event, Hardhats & Highballs, what their kitchen “must-haves” are. Here’s what some of them said:
Kellie Murdock, Inspired By Design
Kirsten Laraby, Terra Firma Custom Homes
Chris Keale, T & G Flooring
Bill Kalin, Kalin Construction
Stephanie Herlory, IDC Building
Erica Clemens, Andrea Schumacher Interiors
