One of the first blogs I read each day is color expert Maria Killam’s. When I saw the makeover she gave her kitchen, my jaw dropped.
Take a look at how open and bright the once dark and dated room looks now…
I went ahhhh when I saw it. It looks so light, clean, and fresh.
I’m loving the green and yellow accents.
She says the color combination represents “A new possibility that comes out of an immense challenge.”
Her home was featured in the April issue of Style at Home.
They asked her what she thinks is the biggest design mistake you can make, and she said, “Using copious amounts of accent tile that will date instantly. I’m known as the queen of subway tile, which sounds totally uncreative, but it’s a classic look that stands the test of time.”
Thanks to Maria for sharing her kitchen makeover with us!
Visit her blog Colour Me Happy for all the kitchen photos and details.
Photography by Tracey Ayton; kitchen design by Jan Romanuk.
Ditto on the caution about too-trendy accent tiles.
Pass me the subways + get out of my way!
Is everybody noticing the pale wood floors (like the one in this post)?
Is anybody on board? I am!
Stay tuned.
Thanks for the mention Julia! You rock! xo Maria
Thanks for sharing it with us, Maria! I hope everyone heads over to see the rest. Love the banquette you created for the room, too! xo
WOW is right! Fresh is the perfect description for this kitchen. I absolutely LOVE the all white look! The white subway tile is so classic, yet it adds tremendously to the overall design. Outstanding transformation.
I love Maria and her blog… now, her kitchen is getting on the list too! 🙂
Seeing her house on Style at Home was a treat!
Thank you for this post, Julia!
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
Every one beat me to my questions! I am a big fan of lots of white, but in reality my home should be painted camo! Love the floors, I thought they might be tile, I have to go look them up now. Thanks!
I love Maria! I found her blog when we were remodeling our kitchen and her advice was so helpful. I even flew to Toronto to take her True Colour Expert course and it was fabulous!
Did you really?! How fun that you got to take her course, Kimberly.
Wow! I love it, and I’m excited to head over and see the rest of the photos.
Hi Julia Wow I like this girls style. I have always loved splashes of colour especially this green, raspberry and yellow. Actually I was looking at tea cups on line (T2) to use for displaying small flower bouquets in the lounge room and the funny thing is these were the colours I was looking at and you have helped me decide to go for 2 cups a green and a red. Now let’s see what other damage I can do…Oh didn’t I tell you the weather over here has been a bit bleak so I’ve decided on some retail therapy and ….bonus I don’t have to get off the couch or leave home….splendid. Till next time Regards Esther from Sydney.
I love how there’s lots of natural light coming through the kitchen now and it feels much more warm and inviting.
I consulted with Maria on my remodel almost 2 years ago and still absolutely love the results! It’s been fun to follow her own house buying/reno journey on her blog!
This is an amazing kitchen, but I had a look at the other rooms, and although they are lovely, they are really feminine. Makes you wonder if a man lives there. I know mine wouldn’t.
Does the love it dance.
Quite a change! 🙂 I couldn’t stand too much white and no color (it would feel like a cold old hospital!) – but that’s not the feeling I get from the pictures, they seem fresh and cheerful to me. (Granted, I would probably add a few more knickknacks.) In our home, there’s lots of color in items I have on the walls, so what we intend to do is to paint all our walls ivory white… There’s plenty of color from accessories. 🙂
I love the transformation but unless more storage was added that we can’t see, that’s a lot of cupboard space to lose.
Wow – love the light, bright new kitchen!!! And I’m always a sucker for green accents.
The old one made me laugh, I think I’ve torn out a few of those giant fluorescent light fixtures! It was certainly past it’s prime.
Thanks for sharing Julia!
Laurel
I finally decided, after 16 years of a painted backsplash, to do tile. My BFF pushed for glass mosaic tile, which is so trendy right now. Thankfully before spending money on any tile, I found Maria’s website, and she convinced me of the timelessness of white subway tiles. We’re putting in a subway tile herringbone pattern now, which we love with our grey cabinets. Thank you Maria!!! And thanks Julia for featuring her kitchen on your blog!
I love the look of subway tile in a herringbone pattern. Sounds like your kitchen is going to be beautiful!