23 white kitchen ideas that are full of character
There can sometimes be snobbery surrounding white kitchens – just the idea of them can conjure images of sparse rooms with a distinct lack of character. Indeed, this may be the case in empty new-builds or freshly-renovated spaces, but doesn't mean that character is unavailable to those who choose to have a white kitchen. The below schemes demonstrate this perfectly. Indeed there are a number of modern kitchens which showcase beautiful worktops, chic lighting and clever storage solutions warmed by wooden details and unique accessories. More of a traditionalist? White has a starring role in country-style kitchens too, where traditional units are freshened up with bright paint and white walls and ceilings provide a chic contrast to rustic beams. And from a practical point of view, the right shade of white can make small spaces look bigger, which is always handy in small flats.
White kitchen ideas from the House & Garden archive
Dean Hearne1/23In our Food Editor Blanche Vaughan's kitchen, the blue Aga was a remnant from the previous owners. Above hangs Blanche’s collection of antique copper pans, some from Paris, some from Bailey's Home Store in Ross-on-wye. Blanche’s kitchen is warm and unfussy. She isn’t the kind of cook who goes in for gadgets, her only concession being the KitchenAid and her bean-to-cup coffee machine. The most important part of the room is her larder; ‘I like food stored at larder rather than fridge temperature and space to put the juices, jams and preserves that we make from the garden.’
Ursula Armstrong2/23Jennifer Pelzig, the interior designer behind Parsnip Design, has made clever use of space as she transformed her compact 18th-century house in the country into a beautiful and practical backdrop for family life. The kitchen walls are painted in Atelier Ellis' ‘Khadi’, a gentle backdrop for the smart deVOL kitchen. A reclaimed teacher’s desk repurposed with a marble top makes for a practical kitchen table, while 1930s bronzed and mirrored wall lights by Strand of London, found at Cooling & Cooling, lend patina to the space. The chairs and artwork above the table were auction finds.
Christopher Horwood3/23It would be hard to find a house more meticulously designed for the needs of its owner than this west London bolt-hole designed by Artichoke. According to Artichoke founder and creative director Bruce Hodgson, the kitchen was inspired by the US East Coast, where the client has a farmhouse – “We wanted to bring a degree of Americana into it for him.” Reeded glass on the cabinets and a planked ceiling add visual interest to the clean, fresh design of the space. Calacatta Oro marble was chosen for its neutral, pared-back colour and pronounced veining which complement the two-tone detail of the painted furniture and Nanz ironmongery.
Paul Massey4/23In this modern townhouse by Ann Boyd, the white kitchen is all the more appealing for the shape of the cabinet doors. Stroud Furniture Makers in Gloucestershire built the kitchen units to Ann’s design and their curved doors makes them quite unusual and all the better for it. Even more intriguing at the overhead locker-style cabinets that hang at the bottom of the upper row, providing extra storage while also softening the entire space.
David Mitchell5/23What makes this kitchen in a picturesque farmhouse in Massachusetts sing is the contrasting textures, specifically the Moroccan glazes zeillge tiles which form the splash back. Black accents, on the worktop and the cooker from La Cornue anchor the space.
6/23Designed by Buchanan Studio, this Officine Gullo kitchen is deeply glamorous and underpinned by a heavily veined marble on the worktops and splash back, with Merci Maison’s ‘Ce’cile’ stools and ‘Dodo Egg’ glass lanterns from Beata Heuman adding further intrigue to the space.
Christopher Horwood7/23The kitchen of this coastal house in Cornwall was designed by Emma Sims Hilditch in collaboration with Neptune. The colour scheme has been kept airy and white, allowing the views beyond to take centre stage, while tongue and groove panelling on the pitched ceiling add texture.
Jake Curtis8/23This flat in London features cups and bowls made by Laura Hamilton of Bird in the Hand, a splashback and worktop in eye-catching Verde Antigua marble are showcased against Howden's cabinets with plain custom oak doors. Sleek 'Mast wall lights by Astro and a plaster 'Cone' pendant from Rose Uniacke contrast with the weathered texture of an old butcher's block.
Sarah Griggs9/23In a Chelsea house by Studio Duggan, the kitchen is at once calm and characterful. Zellige tiles on the chimney breast dazzle in the light-filled space. A mirror from Balineum adds a touch of fresh colour.
Owen Gale10/23The home of photographer Laura Muthesius and her wife, stylist Nora Eisermann, a former schoolhouse. The kitchen was designed using many elements from deVOL, including their ‘Real Shaker’ cabinet range and ‘Crackle’ metro tiles. A Bertazzoni cooker has pride of place. The space has an oak parquet floor from Floors of Stone.
Owen Gale11/23Though in London, Alice Peto's kitchen would be at home deep in the countryside with its jolly red gingham curtains. The tiles were sourced on eBay. The chicken bowls are by Kate Tempest and the chicken picture is by Hugo Guinness.
Christopher Horwood12/23The kitchen in this smart Chelsea townhouse is from Blakes London, with ironmongery from Devol. The table in the window is from Robert Kime.
Christopher Horwood13/23The wall plate is by Claudia Rankin, the small bird artwork is by Hugo Guinness. Both were sourced at Wilson Stephens and Jones.
Michael Sinclair14/23Inside architectural designer Charles Rutherfoord's London house you'll find this elegant, minimal kitchen. Featuring white lacquered units and Moroccan limestone worktops, its clean design is a stark contrast to the rich, tobacco-coloured walls of the house's dining room. The house was once carved up into six flats and it took Charles and his partner Rupert Tyler more than 30 years before they finally owned the whole building and set about this tasteful and comprehensive renovation.
Paul Massey15/23The kitchen is decorated in a contemporary country style in a conversion of a disused chapel in Somerset. Artist Jonathan Delafield Cook, illustrator Laura Stoddart and their two children now call Brompton Ralph home. The kitchen was designed and made by Jonathan's brother-in-law Merlin Wright, in painted wood with a smooth Welsh slate worktop flecked with gold. Though Laura insists they are not big party givers, the shelf under the central island in the kitchen is stacked with huge platters and beautiful bowls in splash-glazed pottery.
Alicia Taylor16/23Cameron Kimber designed the kitchen for his house in New South Wales. White panelling, metro tiles, a chrome pendant light and black worktops make for a sleek, modern feel.
Andrew Beasley17/23Papers and Paints ‘Pure White’ paint has been used throughout this Somerset railway cottage, including in the new wing, which holds the open-plan kitchen and dining area. At the centre of this space is a large island with a dining table at one end and the cooking area at the opposite end.
Alexander James18/23The design of this white kitchen continues the feeling of quiet simplicity that runs throughout architectural designer Kim Wilkie's London flat. The all-white units and stainless-steel worktop and sink are the 'B3' design from Bulthaup.
Alexander James19/23This white country kitchen has been decorated with a soft colour palette and elegant furnishings, creating a fresh scheme. Large cabinets line the width of the space, complemented by a classic white Aga and blue tiling. 'The house isn't huge but it is perfectly proportioned,' says interior designer Caroline Harrowby. The kitchen was originally a series of small rooms; Treasure & Son of Ludlow did the necessary building work to alter the internal configuration.
Emma Lewis20/23Having moved from a Georgian manor, Clare Agnew reworked the conversion of a 300-year-old barn in Norfolk to create a secluded home for her family. Where Clare has been clever is that while this conversion is contemporary, it is wholly harmonious with its surroundings. Recessed wall storage, used to display the mix of functional and quirky kitchen items and utensils, has been painted black to contrast with the white walls and cabinets. Whirring appliances have been cunningly tucked away, so that they don't disturb the peace. French doors open from this room onto the patio, making outdoor entertaining a breeze.
Michael Sinclair21/23In photographer Joanna Vestey's farmhouse, white units and limestone floor of this kitchen contrasts with a black stool from Alfie's Antique Market beside the kitchen island. The lamp above the dining table adds to the clean look of the room. Similar lighting can be found from Old School Electric, and glass artist Alison Berger also produces similar work.
Alexander James22/23Wendy Nicholls of Sibyl Colefax and John Fowler has honed her personal and professional style in her London home, which is full of Victorian accents and unique accessories. Lubos Kracmar designed the white kitchen, which has a more modern, clean-lined feel compared to the rest of the house. The Sheila Maid, which complements the bare wooden floors, adds a slight rustic touch.
Simon Upton23/23In this kitchen, a simple wooden table is surrounded by chairs from The Conran Shop, made of metal but finished to look like wood. The country home in Oxfordshire belongs to Chelsea-based cartoonist and designer Sally Ann Lasson, her husband Simon Kelner, a former editor of The Independent, and their dachshund dog, Rovi. Despite it being called Chaucer's House, it's not entirely clear whether Geoffrey himself lived here, although his son Thomas did.
