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BARBOURSVILLE, WV — This tri- colored kitchen in Barboursville, WV, is often referred to as 'the blue kitchen.' Rightfully so, as the custom-matched Moody Blue color seems to capture a lot of attention, according to Rachel Hernstrom of Kitchens by Woody's, who de- signed the space for a local builder who shares the home with his wife and two young children. "It's an unexpected pop of color," she says. "It really makes the design stand out." The hue makes several appearances throughout the kitchen, including as a foun- dation for one of the kitchen's two islands, as a 'frame' for the dual KitchenAid dishwashers, as a base to the perimeter's Kohler farm sink and as a surround to the Sub-Zero refrigerator and KitchenAid double ovens. The homeowners also use the color as a way to tie the kitchen to the rest of the home. Walnut is a second color of choice, gracing the floor as well as several perimeter cabinets throughout the kitchen. "They wanted some wood grain in the kitchen," she says. "Because the floors are walnut, they wanted to maintain the same wood specie, so we looked for a stain that was a little darker than the floor, ultimately deciding on Truffle for the walnut cabinets." With two colors successfully selected, the homeowners revisited a fondness for white, which they decided to include as well. To accommodate this desire, Hernstrom suggest- ed off-white for the second island as well as the ventilation hood. "Since the flat blue paint didn't have a glaze, we thought adding another flat paint color would make the kitchen look too modern," she says, noting the addition of an Allspice glaze to the White Pewter maple cabinets from Candlelight Cabinetry. It helps to support the transitional design theme that is enhanced with a touch of Southern elegance highlighted in the furniture-style cabinetry and decorative details such as the Jeffrey Alexander door hardware with a slight fleur de lis motif. Determining where to include all three colors was perfected during the design process using 20/20 software. "I could choose what color to make a particular element, such as an island, then change it to see what looked best," she says. "There was a lot of playing with color! "I did want to make sure that wherever some- one stood, they saw all three colors," Hernstrom continues. "The homeowners really liked the blue, and they wanted a large, distinct area of col- or – which is the refrigerator wall – with support- ing color throughout. One thing I like to consider when designing any space is to look at it from all angles, considering what will be a person's first view as they enter through each door." In this kitchen, most visitors' initial view is through to the breakfast nook, with the cooking wall to the right. "With this view, the blue wall isn't as prominent," she says. "Instead, you Pops of Color Highlight Tricolor Kitchen BY KIM BERNDTSON A blend of Truffle, White Pewter and Moody Blue creates a colorful yet well-balanced kitchen that captures attention. Photos: Kaskel Photography QUARTZ ISLAND TOP Pulls together several colors used in the kitchen and adjacent spaces 'TRUFFLE' WALNUT CABINETRY Provides continuity with the walnut flooring, showcasing a bit of a darker hue MOODY BLUE CUSTOM COLOR Offers unexpected pops of color through- out the kitchen 38 Kitchen & Bath Design News • December 2016 PROJECT CASE STUDY SPOTLIGHT ON CREATIVE, PROBLEM-SOLVING KITCHENS AND BATHS