Kitchen
4. Natural selection. The heart of this Dallas kitchen is the island-breakfast bar, which features rich materials and a double waterfall structure. The raised breakfast bar is made of warm walnut, while the island top is white marble with gray veining. Homeowner and builder Chris Dauwe covered the space beneath the breakfast bar in reclaimed wood, sourced from a barn in North Carolina. Using natural-looking materials helped Dauwe achieve his goal of “a contemporary home with an industrial twist,” he says. Island and kitchen countertops: Mountain White marble; leather stools: Halo Styles
7. Your barn door is open. This Michigan kitchen features two barn doors on a single sliding track. One of the doors slides open to reveal a walk-in pantry, while the other door leads to the living room. Therefore, if the homeowners want to hide a messy pantry or keep guests out of the kitchen, the solution is just a slide away.Find barn door hardware
1. Going gray. Sophisticated gray cabinets envelop this spacious Nashville, Tennessee, kitchen, where storage likely will never be a problem for the homeowner. A herringbone-patterned wood floor, brass accents, spot-on symmetry and even thoughtful details like the glimpse of cabinet wood behind the glass doors come together to create a near-perfect kitchen.See what these pros think are the best gray paintsMoreHow to Reface Your Old Kitchen CabinetsYour New Kitchen: 7 Tricky Questions You Didn’t Know You’d AskOther Resources on HouzzFind a kitchen designerBrowse kitchen products
“An enormous number” of steel supports went into creating the single open space, says Kirby, who relished the opportunity to create such a big kitchen. “As much work goes into designing a tiny kitchen as a big one,” he says. “With a large space, though, you have the chance to incorporate everything you want. Here, the idea is that everything is one step away: The pantry is a step from the island and the ovens are just behind. It’s all close by, so you’re not running around the space.”Kirby and his team had worked with the owners before. “We designed the circular dining table for them about eight years ago,” he says. It’s made of European oak, bur oak, bur walnut and ebony veneer. “It was inspired by the Wishbone chairs by Hans Wegner positioned around it,” he adds.CH24 Wishbone chairs by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen: Ferrious
Kitchen at a GlanceWho lives here: A husband and wife, plus their two daughters when they’re home from collegeLocation: Near Chichester, West Sussex County, EnglandProperty: A detached farmhouse with five bedrooms, built in the 1930sSize: The kitchen, dining and living space is about 37 by 19 feet (11.2 by 5.8 meters); the working end of the kitchen is about 19 by 11 feet (5.8 by 3.4 meters)Designer: John Kirby of Dovetail Workers in WoodThe homeowners asked designer John Kirby to come up with a plan for creating a single living, dining and kitchen space out of four existing rooms. “We sat down with them to brainstorm what they wanted, submitted the planning and employed the builders too,” he says. Now the space is the heart of the home. “The owners recognized that they were going to live mainly in this area, and it was designed with that in mind,” Kirby says. “The room is flooded with light and has views over the South Downs. It’s a lovely place to relax.”
6. Find order. For these homeowners, incorporating their beloved cookware collection in a way that kept it easily accessible was a must. Two simple custom iron rails let the homeowners line up their beloved pieces according to size, shape and color. The collection is neat and within easy reach without overwhelming the kitchen design. Read more about this house
4. Play off a kitchen island’s proportions. This is a hefty island, and the structure of the rack overhead is substantial to match. A pot rack over an island needs to be scaled accordingly. For example, if your island is a square, a smaller square rack overhead is pleasing to the eye. If the island is rectangular, scale down the dimensions and center a smaller rectangular or oval pot rack overhead. A good rule of thumb is to imagine that the countertop edges extend up to the ceiling. All pieces hanging from the rack should fit within this imaginary box. As for height, you’ll want a clear view across at eye level and to keep the pieces within reach. Use the dimensions of the longest pieces plus the length of the hooks in your calculations.
1. Shine the spotlight on a standout collection. This kitchen design began with a beloved cookware collection. Interior designer Sandy Brock and her husband have brought pieces back from their world travels for decades, and displaying them prominently keeps their memories front and center. Brock designed the pot rack, which has integrated lighting in the center. The copper pieces bounce the light around beautifully.Read more about this house
1. Custom pantry. More than any other storage solution, Houzzers dream of a perfectly organized walk-in pantry. More than 580,000 users have saved this photo to their ideabooks, thanks to its pullout baskets, pocket doors and abundant shelf space.“People love pantries because they house everything all in one place,” says storage designer Marie Newton, who designed this pantry. “You can see it all, so you don’t end up buying something you already have.”Browse thousands of pantry photos
It’s important to think about the function of your island. Do you need additional storage space at the base of the island? Can it be open, such as the island above, or do you need closed storage? If it’s going to be an open shelf, think about what you will store there, as it will take center stage in your kitchen. Whatever is stored there could become a grease and dust collector unless it gets frequent use.
2. Dig in to the details. This sprawling Los Angeles kitchen has countertops that go on for days. But, then again, nothing is really glossed over here. Shiplap walls, gorgeous brass swing-arm wall sconces, a striking range hood and even the X detail on the end of the island — this corner kitchen packs some serious attention to detail.
5. Light and airy. Wrapping a kitchen in a corner and adding an open island table creates a breezy look, as evident in this spacious Denver kitchen.
10. Simple and soothing. In this kitchen in Birmingham, Alabama, a muted palette creates a soothing, welcoming space in a way that doesn’t compete for attention with other areas.
Like the transitional style, gray marble back splash and dark flooring
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