Kitchens
Composite granite sinks are my go-to sink, both for my clients and for my own kitchen. They are good looking, durable and don’t show water spots or scratches the way stainless steel sinks do. They come in a variety of neutral colors, but I prefer the darker grays, browns and black because they are less likely to show stains from things like coffee and red wine.
Constanada opened up a previously enclosed butler’s pantry to create a glamorous open bar that gives guests a spot to grab a drink and gather outside of the main work areas. The jet black area includes a sink, large wine cooler, open glass shelves suspended by brass rods and an acid-washed metal countertop.
Give your kitchen an element of surprise by contrasting standard cabinets with a vintage piece of storage furniture. Just one unusual cabinet can be enough to give the whole room a different look. The cabinets in this kitchen from Sigmar are a traditional Shaker design, but the glass display cabinet brings an eclectic feel to the space.
Features of transitional kitchens: ◦Shaker cabinets. Not too sleek, not overly embellished, Shaker cabinetry is just right. ◦Neutral color palette. White and gray are popular choices, while blue adds a subtle hit of color. ◦Marble or quartz counters. Light and elegant, marble or quartz counters bridge the gap between more traditional and contemporary elements. ◦Natural wood. Flooring, butcher block and other wood accents bring warmth to a transitional kitchen. ◦Clean-lined furniture. Bar stools can swing contemporary or updated-traditional.
Transitional Kitchen Design Clean but not starkly minimalist and refined without being stuffy, a transitional kitchen has wide appeal. This can be a beautiful compromise for couples with differing design tastes. The elegant finishes and hint of embellishment help satisfy the traditional design lover, while the clean lines and serene color palette nod to contemporary style.
lazy susan, narrow cabinet for vertical storage, wine cooler
food and beverage zone: The refrigerator is surrounded with storage, including a large pantry cabinet outfitted with rollout drawers. The zone also includes a coffee station, wine fridge and microwave drawer while leaving enough room for storing drinking glasses, opening bottles and loading the coffee maker. Everything is out of the way of the range and the sink, which helps the traffic flow
The hutch-like cabinetry on the left provides a central space for everyday china, Tupperware and additional pots and pans. Its location right across from the dishwasher makes unloading easy.
Cooking Zone The range is at the far end of the kitchen, which gives the cook a lot of room to move around. Although the range is across the room from the refrigerator, the peninsula makes a good spot for dropping off items for prep.
Dishwashing and Prep Zone The peninsula includes a farmhouse sink, dishwasher and trash pullout. It serves as a social area, serving area and prep station close to the range. The countertop cabinets just past the sink contain a garage for small appliances complete with a plug for the smoothie maker, mixer, food processor and toaster.
Zoned layout: The peninsula provides an eat-in area and prep space. The area to the right is the cooking and small appliance zone. The hutch-like cabinet in the center of the back wall is where they grab china; it makes for a pretty view from the dining room. To the left of that is the beverage and food station, which includes the refrigerator, coffee station, microwave and wine fridge. There’s also a wide path from the dining room to the beverage zone — this keeps traffic away from the prep, cooking and cleanup stations.
The paper towel holder sits in a walnut drawer that also stores dish towels. Below that are the trash and recycling bins.
A recessed paper towel holder is conveniently tucked away to the right of the sink.
The stainless steel undermount sink allows for a cutting board and tray with six prep bowls.
French range, tile backsplash
French bistro
tiled floor and walls, a raw-wood-slat ceiling, gunmetal gray cabinets and plenty of metal piping create a hardworking modern-farmhouse-meets-industrial style
elegant transitional look that mixes marble tile, wood shelves, white cabinetry and dark accents. The custom wood range hood and the herringbone-patterned marble tile around it provide a beautiful focal point.
raised ceiling; unused attic space enabled owner to raise ceiling and create architectural detail with beams
The main kitchen is L-shaped with a traditional work triangle from sink to range to fridge and a large island that provides work and social space. Alton used reclaimed lumber from the same source as the door for the ends of the cabinet runs and the island.
a mix of reclaimed wood, concrete-look floor tile, metal accents and open shelves hung by turnbuckles and cables to create a style reminiscent of a factory or warehouse while maintaining a warm and inviting vibe.
Fabricated from medium-density fiberboard, the hood cover has an epoxy coating color-matched to the copper cookware with automotive paint.
Green was a favorite color of the homeowners, and this pale green is 1920s period color,” Nelson says. The countertops are White Macaubas quartzite. “This stone has very soft grays and green in it, and they tie this more modern element to the character of the house,” he says. The team used polished nickel on the faucet to match other original finishes in the home. Three new mahogany casement windows fit in with the original architecture and provide a lovely view from the sink. Note that the backsplash extends all the way up to the windowsill, which is crafted of the same quartzite.
Designing cabinetry that went up to the 9-foot ceiling as well as incorporating glass in the top of those cabinets allowed the kitchen to feel larger than it actually was,
Black Pearl satin-finish honed granite countertops. Dark gray tile backsplash. Wire-brushed 7-inch white oak flooring in a natural water-based finish.
If you are putting in natural stone countertops, such as beautiful soapstone, think about installing an integrated sink to match. Some stones are susceptible to stains, though, so get a sample of the stone you are considering and test it out to make sure you are happy with how it stands up to staining. Soapstone is fairly stain resistant, but it is a softer stone, so you either need to be careful with it or be OK with it developing a patina over time.
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