When Lola Laz reached out to Corner about a new kitchen for her Pacific Palisades, California home, she started with a feeling rather than a checklist of things she’d like to see.

“I’d like a kitchen I’ll enjoy walking into in the morning,” Laz said. “Cozy, full of light, and full of color.”

Japandi felt like the right direction, with clean lines, natural materials, and a layout shaped for daily use. Choosing blue instead of a more expected neutral gave the kitchen a stronger identity without tipping it into something louder or more decorative.

Working with designer Julieta Risso, the direction became clear when they landed on a deep, dark blue for the cabinetry, executed in open-pore painted oak veneer. It brought richness and character to the kitchen without darkening the room. With large windows across the space, the blue tone shifts over the course of the day, softer in the morning and deeper by evening.

At the center of the kitchen is the island, where most of the kitchen’s daily activity happens. Prep, serving, coffee, and conversation all unfold around it. Curved and fluted detailing softens its profile, while the stone top and oak base bring contrast, warmth, and texture.

“Everything happens here,” Laz shared after moving in, “from quick breakfasts to long conversations over a cup of coffee.”

One of the kitchen’s defining elements is the upper cabinetry, where fluted glass fronts sit within custom-framed doors finished in the same blue-painted oak veneer, bringing texture, rhythm, and a more layered expression to the design.

Just as much attention went into how the kitchen would work day to day. Each storage detail makes the kitchen easier to use while keeping the overall look uncluttered.

The cabinets are fitted with finger-pull handles that keep the design clean while still being easy to open.

When the kitchen was finished, Laz put it simply: “This is a space where we feel at home.”

The finished kitchen feels personal, settled, and easy to live in, with color, light, and function held in balance. It has a clear point of view, but was designed first and foremost for daily life. What defines the kitchen in the end is how naturally it fits into everyday life.

About Corner
Founded in 2019, Chicago-based Corner is a DTC, design-forward kitchen brand focused on making high-quality design accessible. The company integrates AI-driven tools to help customers plan their kitchens, compare design variations, and explore material options. Once they finalize a design, they work with a Corner design consultant via video call to refine the details. All kitchens are produced in Corner’s facilities in Ukraine and delivered directly to homes across North America and worldwide.

Photos courtesy of Lola Laz