Serene and inviting, pale neutral kitchens take steps beyond white in a few subtle ways. Pale neutral kitchens are done in light muted colors that often defy description. In discussing the mellow kitchen she designed for a house in California [top], the great Barbara Barry explained to House Beautiful magazine that the kitchen had been bright white but she felt it needed a … [Read more...]
Honeycomb Tile Kitchen
As a backsplash to set the tone for a neutral kitchen there’s nothing like dimensional honeycomb tile. When an internet mogul built a vacation home in Costa Rica, Atlanta designer Beth Webb was hired to create the décor. Channeling the dark, rustic Latin look of homes in Central America, and mixing it up with the needs of second home for upscale clients, the result was … [Read more...]
Celebrity Kitchens Are Just Like Ours
Are celebrity kitchens just like ours? The answer is yes, and why is something of a surprise. When I saw these four celebrity kitchens in Architectural Digest I thought to myself: they re not especially formal, they have a variety of styles, and they were created according to the needs and wishes of the owners. That's what makes them just like ours. Take the all-white … [Read more...]
Contemporary Ranch Kitchens
Those of us who live east of the Mississippi don’t see many contemporary ranch kitchens these days. I adore the tongue-cheek style of the log cabin kitchen in the Designer Log Cabin. And I’m a huge fan of Weathered Wood Kitchen Islands. So was quite taken by the full-on wood looks of these contemporary ranch kitchens in upscale Wyoming and Montana ranch houses. Well equipped, … [Read more...]
Black and White Illusion Kitchen
I’ve long admired the great design of a handsome black and white Steven Gambrel kitchen. What's interesting to me about this iconic Steven Gambrel kitchen is how it skillfully employs the ultra-popular black-and-white theme though not in the usual way. Rather than focusing on white cabinets with black counters, the designer has taken it very boldly to the floor and walls … [Read more...]
Aspects of Yellow Kitchens
Yellow is the most visible of all colors. That's why yellow kitchen features show so well. That’s also why yellow used for traffic signs, pavement markings and for low-vision computer keyboards. I knew it was the lightest hue but never connected that with it being so easy to see. It’s also the color of the sun as well as many foods, and known to be mentally stimulating and … [Read more...]
Contemporary Fireplace Kitchen
A stunning way to take the idea of “warm” literally is to install a kitchen fireplace. A sleek gas kitchen fireplace – installed into a wall of cabinets – is a unique feature of a post-industrial-style Vancouver kitchen. Sometimes referred to as a “hole in the wall” fireplace, this one floats in the wall, spreading the warmth of its flickering flames at eye level. The … [Read more...]
Red Gingham Ceiling Kitchen
Vibrant retro theme kitchen showcases a red gingham ceiling and the owner’s collections. When the dynamic hand of New York’s Diamond Baratta (now Anthony Baratta as William Diamond has retired) goes to work in a house expect knockout color, exceptional pattern and amazing attention to detail. All those elements are present in this nostalgic Connecticut kitchen with a red … [Read more...]
Modern Mountain Kitchen
Red base cabinets made a strong design statement in a a kitchen space with complex aesthetics. Designer John Oetgen and kitchen designer Sally Ann Sullivan put a modern twist on a mountain aesthetics by using vibrant red base cabinets in the kitchen of a contemporary but rustic home. As it happens, the kitchen was the darkest room in the house. To brighten things, the lipstick … [Read more...]
Stainless Steel Range Niche
A balance of details creates a successful stainless steel range niche with a classically modern look. Sometimes less is more. On the other hand, sometimes more is better. That's the case with this stainless steel range niche. It's not unusual to see a sheet of stainless used for the cooking area backsplash -- something architect Ken Linsteadt often does, as we showed in … [Read more...]
Antique Island Kitchen
An antique island stands out in a pale yellow, contemporary cottage kitchen. There’s something very neat and understated about the antique island in this East Coast country house kitchen which shows a welcome balance between warm and cool, old and new. On the warm side are the elegant pale yellow, Shaker style perimeter cabinets. Then there's the dark wood antique island with … [Read more...]
String Bean Color Kitchen
String bean color green painted cabinets create a singular and unforgettable NY apartment kitchen. Recently, I showed several food-green kitchens – lime, pea, green apple and mint. Green kitchen are very beautiful and their style can range from modern to cottage depending on the hue. This one is string bean color, done in an in-your-face hue by top New York designer Miles … [Read more...]
Turquoise Tile Kitchen
Long a fashion color, turquoise tile creates a clear "statement kitchen." The spirit of Mexican and rustic California Mission architecture is embodied in this turquoise tile kitchen which combines vivid color of semi-precious stones – declared “color of the year” for 2010 by Pantone – with the warm reddish browns of Mexico's natural Saltillo tiles. The centerpiece -- an … [Read more...]
Modern Eucalyptus Kitchen
Simple and luxurious, a eucalyptus kitchen has a rich look that is perfectly planned down to the last detail. This contemporary kitchen, with its glorious book-matched sustainable Eucalyptus veneer cabinets manages to be both exciting and serene. While the stainless steel lining of the stove cove requires considerable maintenance, the workability shines through. There is acres … [Read more...]
