Updated 1980’s kitchen in Sunset Hills, MO. Before the project, this space had classic cathedral‑style oak cabinets with an orange, dated finish and short 30" wall cabinets that stopped well below the ceiling, leaving wasted vertical storage and making the room feel visually choppy. The homeowners were ready for a bold, personalized update that would modernize the kitchen while still keeping some warmth and character.
To create that balance, they chose a fun, fresh Sherwin Williams Tansy Green for the base cabinets and pantry. This color brings energy and personality to the lower portion of the kitchen and pairs beautifully with their existing finishes. For the upper cabinets, they wanted something more timeless, so we used a traditional Portabella stain on maple for the wall cabinets. The stained maple adds warmth and grain detail, grounding the design and keeping a classic element that will age well over time. The combination of colorful bases and stained uppers gives the room a custom, designer look without a full cabinet replacement.
Functionally, the homeowners also wanted better storage and easier access to everyday items. To maximize storage and improve usability, we converted three standard base cabinets into deep drawer stacks—ideal for pots, pans, dishes, and small appliances. Drawers allow items to be pulled out fully, so nothing gets lost in the back of a dark cabinet. We also removed the original short 30" wall cabinets and replaced them with 42" wall cabinets that run higher up the wall. This added a significant amount of closed storage while visually lifting the room and making the ceilings feel taller.
The end result is a bright, updated kitchen that feels intentional and custom: bold color on the bases, warm stained wood on the uppers, smarter storage with new drawer stacks, and increased vertical capacity with taller 42" wall cabinets—all while working with the existing cabinet layout and overall footprint of the room.