CAM 01-13.4:Cambria
5/27/10
10:04 AM
Page 10
STYLE UPDATE/COLOR
The Colors of
Cambria
THE FEATURED PALETTE
For an unforgettable kitchen, consider using a rich palette anchored by one of Cambria’s array of stunning countertop colors OVER THE YEARS, OUR KITCHENS AND WHAT WE EXPECT OF THEM
SUSSEX
NOTTINGHAM
BENJAMIN MOORE’S WI LMI NGTON TAN
Nottingham (center) contains flecks of many colors that are reflected in other parts of this palette and thereby forms a visual link between the greenish Sussex and the warmer color of Wilmington Tan.
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CAMBRIA STYLE
have changed immeasurably. What was once a rather small, strictly utilitarian workspace a generation or two ago has now grown up and increasingly encompasses additional roles as central gathering place for family and primary entertainment venue for guests. And because of all these added responsibilities, the kitchen of today is expected to not only function well, but to look good while doing it. But how does one approach the creation of a hightraffic, efficient cooking and living space that also combines many different materials—wood, stone, metal, fiber—into one cohesive and elegant design? The answer for many interior designers involves the use of a rich color palette as their foundation. Carol Ahlstrand, a Minneapolis-based interior designer at Advance Design Associates, says this notion of starting with a pre-matched set of richer, complementary colors was the launching pad for her showroom kitchen design seen here. “I wanted to go with an earthy elegance,” she explains. “These richer palettes all tend to utilitize deeper, darker, and more saturated colors.” In preparation, Ahlstrand says she developed three different potential color palettes using different paints and stains, hardware and appliances, as well as solid surfaces. But when it came time to pick a starting point for this model kitchen’s actual design, she chose a Cambria countertop. “As a designer, I like to find my bridge first,” she explains, “that one element that pulls the rest of the space together.” Within the main Cambria countertop she chose as her design inspiration (Nottingham, from the Quarry Collection), she notes that there are three or four other complementary accent colors—some darker and some lighter—that she used as color guides for much of the rest of the kitchen. “For example, the colors I chose for the walls and cabinet stains (Benjamin Moore’s Wilmington Tan and maple Wood-Mode
KITCHEN CREDITS:
Wood Mode cabinets and island, design by Belle Kitchen in International Market Square Minneapolis, MN PAINT: Benjamin Moore Wilmington Tan BACKSPLASH TILE:
California slate 1X1 ceramictileworksmn.com ISLAND COUNTERTOP:
Cambria Sussex with a 5-inch edge PERIMETER COUNTERTOPS:
Cambria Nottingham SINKS AND FAUCETS: Kohler RANGE: Viking