Much like a crisp white button-down shirt, a classic white kitchen is always a safe bet. But venturing into color territory doesn’t have to mean going bold. Need proof? Look no further than the work of Heidi Caillier. The Seattle-based designer’s portfolio is filled with kitchens that use sometimes-muted (and often moody) hues to maximum effect on cabinets and millwork. Whether you’re thinking of dipping your toe into color with a quiet blue-gray or diving right in with inky fir, these kitchens are full of inspiration.

Despite the California setting, “I wanted to lean away from that light, breezy look that you see so much here,” says Caillier of a house she worked on for longtime clients, whose once-modern design sensibility had started to lean more traditional. The two-toned kitchen (the island is painted in Railings and the upper cabinets in Wimborne White, both by Farrow & Ball) “is like a classic tuxedo,” says the designer. The traditional silhouette of the wood stools by Ann Morris “was very intentional and brings more warmth and softness to the space.” The island light is by Urban Electric; the chandelier above the BDDW dining table is by Lindsey Adelman. The dining chairs are by Sabin.

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“The kitchen in this new build is quite large and part of an open great room, so I knew we needed to make it a strong focal point,” says Caillier, who chose an attention-grabbing deep green (Studio Green by Farrow & Ball). Stool by Skylar Morgan. Faucet by Newport Brass. Chandelier by Apparatus Studio. Pendants by Roman & Williams Guild. Table by BDDW. Dining chairs by Niels Otto Møller through DWR. Vintage rug from Mehraban.

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Callier combined two previously separate rooms to create a kitchen large enough for a family of five. “It is very much of melding of styles and a play on and new,” she says. “The cabinets have a more modern profile, the tile is a play on classic Delft, and there’s a nice dose of richly patinaed brass.” The stools are by Thomas Hayes in a Keleen leather. Pendant lights by Roman and Williams Guild.

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This kitchen in a Craftsman house in Seattle had originally been cut off by a peninsula; Caillier opened the space up while “making it all feel fully built-in so it seems larger than it is.” The natural wood will patina with time. The cabinets are painted in Mouse’s Back by Farrow & Ball. Custom-designed shelves with brass detailing shows off glassware and other objets. Stool by Rejuvenation. Pendants by Olampia. Range by Wolf.

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The layout of the galley-style kitchen in a clients’ 1915 carriage house couldn’t be changed, so Caillier worked within the existing floorplan to create a classic, English-inspired space. Farrow & Ball’s French Gray on walls and cabinets unites the space. Ceiling lights by Urban Electric.