Moody Hues Define These 3 Philly Kitchens
Bold cabinet colors and materials with age and character amp up the drama.
Kitchens, redefined. / Photographs by Rebecca McAlpin (left) and Jason Varney
So long, bright and light. These three kitchens amp up the drama with rich hues.
The Modern Jewel Box
Photograph by Rebecca McAlpin; styling by Gabrielle Langdon
Heather Safferstone knew she needed to blend her clients’ differing styles (he favors modernism; she’s drawn to Bucks County farmhouse charm) into the renovation of their Doylestown kitchen. Her solution: an airy layout anchored by earthy hues. “Be bold with cabinet colors!” says the designer behind Safferstone Interiors in Quakertown. “With natural light and a balance of ancillary materials like counters and backsplash, the space can evoke a moody vibe without feeling dark.” Neolith porcelain counters and a white oak island contrast beautifully with the cabinets in Sherwin-Williams’s Roycroft Bottle Green, adorned with unlacquered brass hardware.
The European Charmer
Photograph by Jason Varney
While the amenities of this Fitler Square kitchen, designed by Ashli Mizell, are slickly of the moment — a baking center, for example — the aesthetic exudes old-world appeal. Mizell, a Logan Circle–based interior designer, married time-worn materials (plaster walls, Calacatta Viola marble countertops, an oak island, and a metal hood with a custom charred bronze finish) with rich color. Cabinets are drenched in Benjamin Moore’s Tulsa Twilight, an inky hue laced with violet undertones. Mizell’s tips for amping up the drama? “Lean into warm lighting, saturated jewel tones, and materials with age and character.”
The Classic Carriage House
Photograph by Jason Varney
When NoLibs architecture and design firm Kaminski + Pew undertook the transformation of a circa-1902 Tudor Revival carriage house in Mount Airy, there was a lot to work with, like diamond lattice windows. The kitchen was informed by this history — a beadboard backsplash, durable Nero Mist granite countertops that are reminiscent of timeless soapstone, and a stained walnut island with fluted glass cabinet doors and brass hardware. “Aged brass fixtures add depth, keeping a moody space from feeling too austere,” says Kevin Kaminski. A last touch: cabinets swathed in Sherwin-Williams’s Rookwood Red, inspired by Victorian pottery.
Published as “Perfect Palette” in the May 2026 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
