Fifty Shades of Nope

By Harmony Morris, Architectural Designer at Creative Building Concepts

She’s holding up the sample like it’s the final rose on The Bachelor..

“Okay but... what do you think of this one?” she asks, eyes wide with hope. It’s grey. A very familiar grey. The kind of grey that has flooded Instagram feeds, kitchen remodels, and resale-focused minds for the past decade.

I take a slow sip of my coffee. Internally, I am screaming.

On the outside, though, I smile. “Tell me what you love about it.”

She pauses, surprised by the pop quiz.

“I mean... it’s safe?” she says, sounding more like she’s asking me than telling me. “Everyone’s using grey. My friend just did her whole kitchen in this tone and it looks amazing. Everyone compliments her on it.”

Ah, yes. Everyone.

I glance at the samples she’s already ruled out—quiet, creamy off-whites, a dreamy mushroom tone with warmth and depth, even a soft clay color that absolutely sings in her lighting. But here we are. Hello again, Grey.

I gently slide the grey sample out of her hand and replace it with the mushroom. It positively glows, even on this dreary morning.

“Here’s the thing,” I say. “Grey had her moment. And we are all grateful. She gave us an alternative to the white kitchen when we needed one. But now she’s tired. And you, my friend, are not tired.”

She laughs, nervously. “But if I don’t do grey or white, then isn’t it going to feel a little too out there? I don’t want to regret this.”

I shake my head. “Not if it feels like you.”

There’s a pause. One of those golden ones where something lands.

“And before you reach for navy blue,” I add quickly, moving it from out of reach “No. No blue for you. Not for this house. Not with the light you get in that space. Not with the floors you already have.”

Her eyes flick around my office, as if she’s expecting one of her friends to pop out and protest. They don’t.

“Okay,” she says, slowly. “So what do we do?”

There it is. She’s thinking about what she wants. It’s not a light switch moment - it’s more like a dimmer, inching toward bright. I can feel her becoming more empowered.

“I think we need to lean into something a little smarter. Into cabinetry that doesn’t look like it’s just happy to be here.”

“You talk about cabinetry like it’s got its own life!” She’s laughing at me.

“Well, doesn’t it? This kitchen is where you’ll spend the majority of your time - entertaining, cooking, counseling… This kitchen needs to feel like it will support your family the way it needs to and that might mean being a little stronger. A little sharper. A little more present. More of a contributor than a spectator.” I feel my passion for design building inside me. “Let’s design this kitchen for you, not for your friends.” Now she’s smiling just to smile.

—

Later, as we stand back and gaze upon the pile of finishes; rich deep green that reminds her of the lake she would vacation to as a child. Downy white and dramatic medium wood grains add texture and warmth. Worn antiqued brass hardware pulls the copper flecks out of the natural stone countertops. She inhales deeply next to me and I can see she feels regulated once again.

“I’m proud of you,” I tell her. “This is going to be absolutely beautiful.”

“I never would have picked this on my own. But now I can’t imagine anything else.”

____

Harmony is the in-house architectural designer and founder of Creative Concierge, the design department within Creative Building Concepts where she specializes in creating custom residential spaces with timeless character and thoughtful detail. When she’s not sketching floor plans or walking job sites, you’ll find her mentoring and teaching young, aspiring designers through class and application. She lives just outside of Carlisle within a private plot in the woods, among her beloved gardens with her husband, their three kids and two rambunctious border collies.