Kitchens are generally very active spaces, serving as the social and functional heart of a home. It comes as no surprise that several celebrities, what with their already hectic lives, have chosen to incorporate soothing green in their kitchen designs. Whether they have private chefs or are chefs in their own right, these celebrities’ green kitchens forgo Hollywood style in favor of earthy appeal.
Ina Garten’s Fresh Greens
The Barefoot Contessa not only possesses impressive skills in the kitchen, but her East Hampton home, which was published in House Beautiful magazine, features a kitchen to envy. Subtly striped olive green wallpaper sets off crisp white cabinets, topped with a black honed granite countertop. Charming black and white tile looks old-school beneath the modern Sub Zero fridge and 8-burner Viking stove where Garten whips up her delicious concoctions. She recently renovated an old barn on the property and began filming her show in a larger kitchen within this structure, so this green kitchen is now truly a cook’s private respite…or does she order take out when she’s off the clock?
Lance’s Luxurious Kitchen
A world-class cyclist and celebrity in his own right, Lance Armstrong’s kitchen features decidedly masculine details. Exposed beams, granite counters and stainless steel pendant lights complement the unique shade of smoky green-painted cabinets. A palette of browns, greens and golds spans many hues without being match-y, resulting in sophisticated layers of color. For such a luxurious kitchen, which has been featured in Architectural Digest, it is also family friendly—Armstrong shares the home with his three children—with a comfy banquette dining area and casual bar stools.
Big on Style: Kirstie Alley
Put all jokes aside that come to mind when “Kirstie” and “kitchen” are uttered in the same sentence. Alley’s kitchen walls feature a beautiful glazed diagonal tiled design with chocolate brown trim. Like Garten, she opted for the clean look of painted white cabinets against a black and white tiled floor. Designer Nate Berkus is responsible for the transformation of Alley’s kitchen, which was featured on an episode of Oprah. See the kitchen for yourself on her show Kirstie Alley’s Big Life…and stay tuned to find out if Alley can transform her body to match the sleek lines of her kitchen!
Green Rings Kristen’s Bell
There’s something to be said for keeping it simple. Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell accents her clean white kitchen with pops of green, including mossy carpet and fabric-covered stools with a complementary orange floral pattern. In keeping with the citrus theme, yellow accessories such as a bright tea kettle and a vase of daisies look just as cheery as Kristen does. She even coordinates her outfits to match her backdrop!
Charlie Sheen Green
Since he always seems to be embroiled in some scandal or another, Charlie Sheen no doubt enjoyed the respite of his spacious kitchen featuring crisp green cabinets. This cool color palette complements the design of the Mediterranean-style home in the Los Angeles neighborhood Los Feliz, where Sheen lived with his wife Brooke Mueller. Large windows bring the green of the outdoors in, and a cowhide rug injects a little whimsy.
Ready to Try Green in Your Kitchen?
It seems that most kitchens either feature a neutral color palette or a very warm one, such as tones of red, yellow or orange. Green is usually left to the living room, bath or bedroom. But think about it: cooking calls to mind vegetables and herbs. What color is more fresh than green? Also, as a cool color, green recedes into the background, making small kitchens appear larger.
If you’re after a modern look, consider shades of lime green or spring green that include a hint of yellow. How awesome are these funky, green lacquer cabinets?
However, if you tend towards the traditional or simply prefer your kitchen a little more low key, try painting your walls a deep olive or moss green. Also take a look at green glass tiles, which are especially beautiful when they contain a bit of variation in tone.
Some of these celebrity kitchens illustrate, green pairs well with black and white, but if you’d like to accent with another color, consider orange, brown, red or purple. Don’t go green with envy; choose one surface to make green—either your walls, cabinets or backsplash—to avoid adding too much of a good thing. And if you’re not quite ready to commit to this color scheme, try adding a few natural green accents such as a bowl of limes or green apples on your counter or a grouping of succulents in your kitchen window.
As overexposed as celebrities are in this world of gossip blogs and reality TV, we rarely get a glimpse into the more intimate spaces in their homes. These green kitchens probably won’t appear on MTV cribs anytime soon, but their serenity and sophistication is surely worth emulating.
[Image sources: apartmenttherapy.com, houselovely.blogspot.com, architecturaldigest.com, oprah.com, littlebluechairs.blogspot.com, hookedonhouses.net, alno.co.uk]
Article by Murrye Bernard LEED AP
Murrye Bernard holds a Bachelor of Architecture, is a LEED Accredited Professional and has worked in architecture firms on a range of building types. She left the drafting board, or rather CAD station, to pursue her true passion: writing—about architecture. A native of the South, Murrye’s perception of space, color and texture was undoubtedly shaped by the humid backdrop of cotton fields and deteriorating downtowns. Now she calls the Brooklyn waterfront home. Her work has been published extensively on the web and in print, including Architectural Record, Eco-Structure and Architectural Lighting.
has written 23 awesome articles for Alluminare.
You must log in to post a comment.