Before
After
This Central Florida kitchen was a typical builder-grade layout — honey oak raised-panel cabinets, brown speckled granite countertops, diagonal beige tile backsplash, and a small peninsula with two bar stools. The space was functional but visually tired, with decorative metal vine scrollwork above the cabinets, assorted items stored on top of the uppers, and countertops that had become a catchall for appliances and everyday clutter. The homeowners wanted a kitchen redesign that would modernize the look and, more importantly, give them a proper place for the family to sit and eat together in the kitchen rather than at a separate dining table.
Marilou Stones focused the redesign on two high-impact changes that transformed the room without a full gut renovation. First, every cabinet was repainted in a dark charcoal grey — a bold shift from the original honey oak that immediately gave the kitchen a more contemporary, grounded feel. The existing raised-panel door profiles were kept, which means the paint color does the heavy lifting while the cabinet structure stayed intact. This is a cost-effective approach that avoids the lead time and expense of full cabinet replacement.
Second, the old peninsula was removed and replaced with a substantially larger kitchen island that doubles as the primary dining surface. The island features a light cream quartz countertop — a clean, warm surface that contrasts deliberately against the dark cabinetry — with seating for six dark-stained wood chairs around it. Above the island, a farmhouse-style linear chandelier with a wood-and-metal frame provides task lighting and gives the kitchen a visual centerpiece it never had. The perimeter countertops were also replaced with the same light quartz, tying the surfaces together. The existing diagonal tile backsplash and stainless-steel appliances were retained — both still worked with the new palette. The wall decor and above-cabinet items were removed entirely, and the walls were repainted in a clean, warm neutral.
The kitchen now functions as the center of the home in a way the old layout never allowed. The oversized island means the family eats, works, and gathers in the kitchen itself, and the six-seat arrangement handles weeknight dinners and weekend hosting equally well. The dark charcoal cabinets against light quartz countertops create a clean, high-contrast palette that reads modern without being cold. Clearing the above-cabinet clutter and the decorative wall pieces made the room feel taller and more open. This is the kind of interior design project in Central Florida where smart, targeted changes — paint, countertops, and one new element — deliver a result that feels like a complete renovation. To see how Marilou and the Stones Design team approach kitchen transformations, explore the portfolio or get in touch.
Yes, and it is one of the most cost-effective kitchen updates available. In this project, the original honey oak raised-panel cabinets were professionally prepped and repainted in dark charcoal grey. The result looks like entirely new cabinetry. Marilou recommends professional-grade paint and proper surface preparation — sanding, priming, and multiple coats — to ensure the finish holds up to daily kitchen use.
It depends on the floor plan and how the family uses the kitchen. In this Central Florida project, the old peninsula seated two people and mostly held clutter. We replaced it with a freestanding island large enough for six chairs, turning the kitchen into the home’s primary dining and gathering space. An island works when there is enough clearance on all sides — typically 36 to 42 inches — for comfortable movement around it.
We often pair dark cabinetry with a light quartz surface to create contrast and keep the kitchen from feeling too heavy. The cream quartz used in this project reflects light and balances the charcoal cabinets without competing with them. Quartz is also non-porous and low maintenance, which makes it practical for a kitchen island that doubles as a dining table.
A project of this scope — cabinet repainting, countertop replacement, island build, and new lighting — typically takes four to six weeks from design approval. The cabinet painting alone usually requires one to two weeks for proper prep, priming, painting, and curing. We coordinate countertop templating, fabrication, and island construction to run in parallel where possible.
If the backsplash still works with the new color palette, keeping it saves significant cost and time. In this project, the existing diagonal beige tile backsplash complemented both the new dark cabinets and the light quartz countertops, so there was no reason to replace them. Marilou evaluates each surface individually — the goal is a cohesive result, and sometimes the existing materials support that without needing to be changed.
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Marilou Stones is an award-winning, licensed interior designer and ASID member serving Winter Garden and Central Florida for over 40 years.
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