It's easy to see why Cameron Diaz fell for her Lake-Como-inspired Montecito estate. With its high ceilings, primarily neutral palette, and exquisite contemporary finishes, the property is a piece of Lombardy between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean – and no space epitomizes its style quite like the kitchen.
The actress, known for The Mask and The Holiday, regularly shares tutorials for her favorite recipes – many of which pair with wine from her organic label, Avaline. And while this is a treat for culinary enthusiasts – a look inside her white kitchen is just as welcome for those in the interior world.
Cameron Diaz's kitchen is a trove of design inspiration – beginning with its ageless white color ideas, whose popularity continues to endure. Paying homage to this color scheme, however, is another feature that steals all our attention: her classic subway tiles.
'Simplistic and elegant, ceramic metro tiles have populated the homes of kitchens and bathrooms around the world for many years, and today they continue to make a unique design statement,' say the experts from luxury tile manufacturers Craven Dunnill.
Much like their colorway (white), these tiles are already no stranger to the most stylish of homes – but that doesn't stop them from tapping into current interior design 'trends' – and choosing a neutral hue like Cameron Diaz's only makes them all the more impactful.
'We always say kitchens with the most impact have a certain something that sets them apart from the rest, it doesn't have to be brash or overly bold, but it is a commitment to the look,' says deVOL's Creative Director, Helen Parker (who recently designed a neutral subway tile of her own.
'Going all out with these tiles will create a very special space; it shows guts and style that a few tiles behind a cooker could never do.'
Cameron Diaz's kitchen wall tiles have got design experts talking, but even with the tiles aside, her classic color scheme is equally admired by those in the know.
‘Timeless white kitchens will be big in 2023,' says kitchen designer Tom Howley. Tom says he has observed a shift in how we want our homes to look, feel, and function over the past three years – 'having transitioned from the bustle of commuting to an office into a work-from-home lifestyle' – but white is versatile enough to adapt to all our kitchen needs.
Tom Howley is a designer and owner of his eponymous kitchen studio. He specializes in the design, manufacture, and installation of luxury fitted kitchens. The kitchen design studio prides itself on designing kitchens around the lifestyles of its clients to create spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful.
'We need our homes to feel that much roomier, lighter, and brighter. White kitchens do this perfectly, offering an energizing, transformative aesthetic to any space and mastering the art of illusion, making smaller rooms feel bigger,’ he says.
You can recreate Cameron's (eternally stylish) look with these three picks below.
These glazed ceramic tiles from Lowe's Hudson collection are dense, durable, and moisture resistant – perfect above the cooker, as demonstrated in Cameron's kitchen.
Cameron Diaz fans may have noticed the actress uses blue and white bowls (similar to this) to hold food on her countertops. This one is inspired by Ming and Qing period pottery.
Described as Backdrop's 'cleanest, pure white,' this easily-applicable, washable paint is 'green-certified,' making it a great choice if you want to get the look sustainably.
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Andrew Walker's wooden cabinets have made me rethink the concept of a classic neutral kitchen – they're simple without feeling overly minimalRaw, pared-back cabinetry has never felt so sophisticated – designers say they're a 'smart, long-term investment with lasting style'
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