Bright Ideas

When Jennifer Calcao and her husband, Tony, envisioned their dream kitchen, they just couldn’t get excited about the ubiquitous all-white options. “I’m from the Caribbean and we love color,” Jennifer says. “Going full-on white was too much of a departure for us.” With help from architect and designer Brad Burch of Index AD and builder Dan Drury of Field West Construction, the couple devised this color-drenched kitchen for their new Boulder digs. “It’s the anchor of the home,” Burch says. The space suits the buzz of everyday life, with a galley-style island (by Norcraft Cabinetry) that doubles as a buffet and homework station, and an in-island sink that allows the cook to socialize with family and guests while prepping food or cleaning up. The blue-gray island and Ann Sacks’ Lucian glass tile in Mist evoke the sea, bright-red Marais barstools by Tolix add a bold Caribbean-inspired hue, and whisk pendant lights by Benclif Designs hint at Jennifer’s love of baking. It’s a perfect expression of the couple’s tastes—and a strong argument for ditching white kitchens for good.