Photo of a large beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, brown floor and white benchtop.

Build: Graystone Custom Builders, Interior Design: Blackband Design, Photography: Ryan Garvin
Inspiration for a large country galley open plan kitchen in Orange County with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

A hip young family moving from Boston tackled an enormous makeover of an antique colonial revival home in downtown Larchmont. The kitchen area was quite spacious but benefitted from a small bump out for a banquette and additional windows. Navy blue island and tall cabinetry matched to Benjamin Moore’s Van Deusen blue is balanced by crisp white (Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace) cabinetry on the perimeter. The mid-century inspired suspended fireplace adds warmth and style to the kitchen. A tile covered range hood blends the ventilation into the walls. Brushed brass hardware by Lewis Dolan in a contemporary T-bar shape offer clean lines in a warm metallic tone. White Marble countertops on the perimeter are balanced by white quartz composite on the island. Kitchen design and custom cabinetry by Studio Dearborn. Countertops by Rye Marble. Refrigerator--Subzero; Range—Viking French door oven--Viking. Dacor Wine Station. Dishwashers—Bosch. Ventilation—Best. Hardware—Lewis Dolan. Lighting—Rejuvenation. Sink--Franke. Stools—Soho Concept. Photography Adam Kane Macchia.

Renovations + Design by Allison Merritt Design, Photography by Ryan Garvin
This is an example of a beach style l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Gorgeous Remodel- We remodeled the 1st Floor of this beautiful water front home in Wexford Plantation, on Hilton Head Island, SC. We added a new pool and spa in the rear of the home overlooking the scenic harbor. The marble, onyx and tile work are incredible!

Derek Makekau
Inspiration for a beach style open plan kitchen in Miami with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Photo of a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

This is an example of a large mediterranean kitchen in Detroit with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and recessed-panel cabinets.

This is an example of a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

This is an example of a traditional l-shaped kitchen in Seattle with with island, a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, grey splashback, light hardwood floors and grey benchtop.

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Photography: Eric Roth Photo

Inspiration for a country l-shaped kitchen in Other with marble benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop, shaker cabinets, white cabinets and subway tile splashback.

As innkeepers, Lois and Evan Evans know all about hospitality. So after buying a 1955 Cape Cod cottage whose interiors hadn’t been updated since the 1970s, they set out on a whole-house renovation, a major focus of which was the kitchen. The goal of this renovation was to create a space that would be efficient and inviting for entertaining, as well as compatible with the home’s beach-cottage style. Cape Associates removed the wall separating the kitchen from the dining room to create an open, airy layout. The ceilings were raised and clad in shiplap siding and highlighted with new pine beams, reflective of the cottage style of the home. New windows add a vintage look. The designer used a whitewashed palette and traditional cabinetry to push a casual and beachy vibe, while granite countertops add a touch of elegance. The layout was rearranged to include an island that’s roomy enough for casual meals and for guests to hang around when the owners are prepping party meals. Placing the main sink and dishwasher in the island instead of the usual under-the-window spot was a decision made by Lois early in the planning stages. “If we have guests over, I can face everyone when I’m rinsing vegetables or washing dishes,” she says. “Otherwise, my back would be turned.” The old avocado-hued linoleum flooring had an unexpected bonus: preserving the original oak floors, which were refinished. The new layout includes room for the homeowners’ hutch from their previous residence, as well as an old pot-bellied stove, a family heirloom. A glass-front cabinet allows the homeowners to show off colorful dishes. Bringing the cabinet down to counter level adds more storage. Stacking the microwave, oven and warming drawer adds efficiency.

http://www.heidisbridge.com/

Troy Thies Photography
Design ideas for a traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Smooth Concrete counter tops with pendant lighting. Photographer: Rob Karosis
Design ideas for a large country kitchen in New York with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Custom kitchen with Danby Marble and Pietra Cardosa Counters
Photo of a country u-shaped kitchen in Boston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Caleb Vandermeer Photography
Photo of a large country galley open plan kitchen in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, with island and brown floor.

Photography by Trent Bell
Expansive contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Las Vegas with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, multiple islands, beige floor and white benchtop.