From Quirky to Inviting: A Kitchen Transformed by Light and Color

Betsy McBride of Harrison Design reimagines a dated, dark kitchen using a warm palette and functional layout

Opting out of a formal dining room, the homeowners instead wanted a warm, casual place to entertain and gather together.

A china cabinet holds entertaining essentials and brings a traditional element to the space. Here, tableside cocktails and after-dinner drinks can be made with ease.

A happy surprise during the renovation, Cumaru wood flooring was found underneath the tile. After sanding down the original wood, a darker stain allows cabinetry and stone to stand out.

Some homes require imagination to see potential. The clients of Betsy McBride, principal at Harrison Design, have that in spades. When they purchased their early-aughts home, they saw the charm, even with its many quirks—think curved walls, heavy stained glass, and awkward spaces. “There were some really strange details, and not a lot of natural light,” recalls McBride.

The homeowners approached the designer with a vision for a brighter, more open kitchen. “The wife told me she loves blue and green but wanted the house to feel warm,” she says. The designer had already begun working within that palette when she discovered an Abaco quartzite slab veined with rust, blue, and gray. “She fell in love with that stone the moment she saw it,” the designer says. “We used it as our jumping-off point.” Incorporating the slab on the backsplash and counters, McBride layered soft greens, warm neutrals, and rich woods—a mix that subtly reflects the wife’s Indian background. “Her love of color and pattern comes from her heritage,” she adds. “We tried to incorporate little touches throughout.”

From an architectural standpoint, the transformation was dramatic. McBride and the architect removed heavy beams and raised the ceilings to let in light, refinished the existing Cumaru floors to a deeper, more sophisticated tone, and added sheer window treatments to filter the glow through surrounding trees. “Our main goal was to bring in as much light as possible,” she says.

From morning to night, the kitchen hums with family life. The large dining table and oversize island serve as not just places to eat, but also for homework, catching up on emails, or simply conversing with the couple—both passionate home cooks—as they put together an evening meal. “It’s a very usable kitchen,” says McBride. “Cooking is easy. Living is easy.”

INTERIOR DESIGNER Betsy McBride, Harrison Design ARCHITECT Bulent Baydar, Harrison Design CONTRACTOR Brookside Custom Homes CABINETRY Block + Chisel OVEN Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove QUARTZITE BACKSPLASH AND COUNTERTOPS Walker Zanger COUNTER STOOLS Arhaus ISLAND PENDANTS Allied Maker DINING TABLE The Urban Electric Co.