Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Dallas with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

This kitchen has a new layout which resulted in more organized storage and work space. A flush mounted ceiling hood give it an open feel. A custom baking center keeps like items in their proper place and accessible. Off white glazed cabinets and ogee edged quartz countertops make an elegant statement. A raised live-edge bar and beverage cooler make entertaining a breeze.

Designer Sarah Robertson of Studio Dearborn helped a neighbor and friend to update a “builder grade” kitchen into a personal, family space that feels luxurious and inviting. The homeowner wanted to solve a number of storage and flow problems in the kitchen, including a wasted area dedicated to a desk, too-little pantry storage, and her wish for a kitchen bar. The all white builder kitchen lacked character, and the client wanted to inject color, texture and personality into the kitchen while keeping it classic.

Photo of a mid-sized scandinavian open plan kitchen in Raleigh with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Luxuriously dark cabinetry, light worktops and walls with a spacious feel - this is a cool take on a classical kitchen design. Custom made for a couple with a keen eye for design, who work hard, know how to relax and absolutely adore their pups. Their kitchen renovation was part of a whole house restoration. With busy careers and two pups the brief highlighted two main aims. Firstly, to create space to enjoy the kitchen, for cooking and relaxing. Secondly, to provide customised storage so that everything has a place to help keep the space tidy. The main kitchen area is where the culinary magic happens with space to unwind. The home bar for gin and wine lovers, includes wine racks, antique mirror, glazed shelves for the gin collection and two fridge drawers for wine and mixers. Designed with pocket doors it can be left open to admire the beautiful bottles, or closed – maybe for Dry January?! It’s positioned cleverly next to their outdoor ‘lounge’ area complete with comfortable chairs and an outside rug. The larder cupboard has spice / oil racks, baskets and boxes at the bottom for treats. There are electrical points inside so the coffee machine is plugged in here and ready to serve that morning espresso. Being able to keep the kitchen tidy was important so we created a ‘home for everything’ using drawers within drawers, an Oak baking tray divider, pan drawers with lid holders and integrated chopping board and tray spaces. The ovens, warming drawer, induction hob and downdraft extractor are positioned together with the plenty of prep worktop space. The cooking section is aligned with the washing area including Fisher and Paykel dishwasher drawers, beautifully glossy white ceramic sink and boiling water tap. With a slim Oak shelf above for displaying favourite things. The Island serves as a breakfast bar as well as a sweet spot for a casual supper. There is a Zebrano wood knife block inset into the Island worktop so that their Global knife collection is on hand for food prep by the hob and oven. The table and chairs are painted in the same colour as the cabinets and upholstered in black and white, with bench seating by the window including drawers for dog toys conveniently by the doors to the garden. The second part of the design is the walk-in butler’s style pantry. This area was designed to keep the kitchen ‘clutter’ out of the main area. And it is a brilliant area to stack all the dirty dishes when entertaining as it’s completely out of sight. The cabinetry is an a classic ‘u’ shape and houses the fridge, freezer, cupboards for large appliances, oversized dishes and one for the mop and bucket. The tall cupboards with bi-fold doors are for food storage, and you can see from the photos that everything is beautifully kept – rice, pasta, popcorn, quinoa all in lovely named jars. It’s an organisers dream come true. There is also a sink for washing vegetables and oodles of prep surface. Colour pallet The cabinetry is hand painted in Farrow and Ball ‘Off-Black’. Dark and inky, it just lures you right in, timeless and deeply refined. With the cabinetry being grand in proportion too, with detailed cornicing it creates a really bold statement in this space. It can be daunting to go for a dark shade of black, blue or green, but you can see the drama of the cabinets is perfectly matched with plenty of natural light, the white walls and warm Oak floor tiles. The white patterned Domus ‘Biscuit’ tiles bring texture and playfulness. The worktop, Caesarstone Ocean Foam, is a white quartz with speckles of grey crystals. In a classic polished finish it lets the rest of the room do the ‘singing’ while providing a clean light reflecting practical surface for preparing and enjoying food and drinks. The floor tiles bring the warmth. No two tiles have the same pattern so they really do look like wood, but are better suited to the pups as they don’t scratch and are non-slip. Lighting Design The slim black framed windows with doors onto the garden flood the kitchen with natural light and warmth during the day. But atmospheric lighting into the evening was important too, so we incorporated custom lighting in the glass cabinet, gin cabinet and pantry. “It is so well integrated and was a really important thing for me, along with all the smart lighting in the room, and Mike did a great job with it all.” It was such a pleasure to make this kitchen. They wanted to work with a local company and we feel so lucky they picked us.

An open plan kitchen with white shaker cabinets and natural wood island. The upper cabinets have glass doors and frame the window looking into the yard ensuring a light and open feel to the room. marble subway tile and island counter contrasts with the taupe Neolith counter surface. Shiplap detail was repeated on the buffet and island. The buffet is utilized as a serving center for large events. Photo: Jean Bai / Konstrukt Photo

Deborah Hutton's Hamptons style kitchen featuring Freedom Kitchens Designer Range cabinetry with the 'Sierra' shaker style door profile in Matt White, with overhead cabinets featuring fluted / broadline glass fronts.

Beautiful kitchen remodel in a 1950's mis century modern home in Yellow Springs Ohio The Teal accent tile really sets off the bright orange range hood and stove. Photo Credit, Kelly Settle Kelly Ann Photography

Design ideas for an expansive country kitchen in Denver with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, travertine splashback, panelled appliances, with island, grey benchtop, grey cabinets, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

This is an example of a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in London with flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, with island, a drop-in sink, panelled appliances, concrete floors, grey floor and brown benchtop.

In the kitchen looking toward the living room. Expansive window over kitchen sink. Custom stainless hood on soap stone. White marble counter tops. Combination of white painted and stained oak cabinets. Tin ceiling inlay above island. Greg Premru

Melissa Oholendt Photography
This is an example of a large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Large country l-shaped kitchen in Columbus with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and quartz benchtops.

This contemporary farmhouse is located on a scenic acreage in Greendale, BC. It features an open floor plan with room for hosting a large crowd, a large kitchen with double wall ovens, tons of counter space, a custom range hood and was designed to maximize natural light. Shed dormers with windows up high flood the living areas with daylight. The stairwells feature more windows to give them an open, airy feel, and custom black iron railings designed and crafted by a talented local blacksmith. The home is very energy efficient, featuring R32 ICF construction throughout, R60 spray foam in the roof, window coatings that minimize solar heat gain, an HRV system to ensure good air quality, and LED lighting throughout. A large covered patio with a wood burning fireplace provides warmth and shelter in the shoulder seasons. Carsten Arnold Photography

Scott Zimmerman, Modern kitchen with walnut cabinets and quartz counter top.
This is an example of a large contemporary kitchen in Salt Lake City with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

David Kingsbury, www.davidkingsburyphoto.com
Mid-sized traditional l-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with a single-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Perimeter cabinets are Sherwin Williams Wool Skein and island is Sherwin Williams Topsail, both with a custom glaze. Bar pendants are from Visual Comfort.

This kitchen features the Audus Bespoke handleless micro shaker range, which exudes sophistication and sets the tone for a seamless cooking experience. The choice of light finishes ensures a clean look throughout the space. As you step into the room, your gaze is immediately drawn to the luxurious centre island made of curve-slatted panels, which break up the linear design and add a dynamic visual element. Topped with 20mm Calacatta Quartz worktops supplied by Algarve Granite, this island is a functional and stunning art piece that acts as the kitchen's focal point. The carefully selected appliances from Siemens and Bora seamlessly blend into the aesthetic while offering top-of-the-line performance. The Blanco sink and Quooker tap add to the kitchen's efficiency. Every piece enhances both form and function. To meet the client's specifications, a hidden pantry is added for optimal storage and effortless organisation. This pantry discretely conceals essentials, maintaining the clean lines of the space. An underground wine cellar concealed in a glass floor panel adds a unique touch while showcasing the client's collection of wine in an elegant fashion. Light colours dominate the open-plan space, creating an atmosphere of airiness and cleanliness. Meanwhile, accent pendant lights are strategically placed, casting a warm glow to illuminate the workspaces while elevating the overall look and feel of the kitchen. The shaker-style aesthetic seamlessly meets modern contemporary, resulting in a beautiful and practical space. Huge thanks to HH Interiors for their collaborative efforts in bringing this kitchen to life.

This modern kitchen has statement lighting above the island with a dropped wood soffit with wood slats. The island has waterfall ends and most of the appliances are stainless steel. The refrigerator and freezer are paneled with a flush application. The counters, backsplash and hood are all quartzite.