Contemporary Intuo Matt Glass Kitchen with Bespoke Additions

As part of a large open-plan extension to a detached house in Hampshire, Searle & Taylor was commissioned to design a timeless modern handleless kitchen for a couple who are keen cooks and who regularly entertain friends and their grown-up family. The kitchen is part of the couples’ large living space that features a wall of panel doors leading out to the garden. It is this area where aperitifs are taken before guests dine in a separate dining room, and also where parties take place. Part of the brief was to create a separate bespoke drinks cabinet cum bar area as a separate, yet complementary piece of furniture. Handling separate aspects of the design, Darren Taylor and Gavin Alexander both worked on this kitchen project together. They created a plan that featured matt glass door and drawer fronts in Lava colourway for the island, sink run and overhead units. These were combined with oiled walnut veneer tall cabinetry from premium Austrian kitchen furniture brand, Intuo. Further bespoke additions including the 80mm circular walnut breakfast bar with a turned tapered half-leg base were made at Searle & Taylor’s bespoke workshop in England. The worktop used throughout is Trillium by Dekton, which is featured in 80mm thickness on the kitchen island and 20mm thickness on the sink and hob runs. It is also used as an upstand. The sink run includes a Franke copper grey one and a half bowl undermount sink and a Quooker Flex Boiling Water Tap. The surface of the 3.1 metre kitchen island is kept clear for when the couple entertain, so the flush-mounted 80cm Gaggenau induction hob is situated in front of the bronze mirrored glass splashback. Directly above it is a Westin 80cm built-in extractor at the base of the overhead cabinetry. To the left and housed within the walnut units is a bank of Gaggenau ovens including a 60cm pyrolytic oven, a combination steam oven and warming drawers in anthracite colourway and a further integrated Gaggenau dishwasher is also included in the scheme. The full height Siemens A Cool 76cm larder fridge and tall 61cm freezer are all integrated behind furniture doors for a seamless look to the kitchen. Internal storage includes heavyweight pan drawers and Legra pull-out shelving for dry goods, herbs, spices and condiments. As a completely separate piece of furniture, but finished in the same oiled walnut veneer is the ‘Gin Cabinet’ a built-in unit designed to look as if it is freestanding. To the left is a tall Gaggenau Wine Climate Cabinet and to the right is a decorative cabinet for glasses and the client’s extensive gin collection, specially backlit with LED lighting and with a bespoke door front to match the front of the wine cabinet. At the centre are full pocket doors that fold back into recesses to reveal a bar area with bronze mirror back panel and shelves in front, a 20mm Trillium by Dekton worksurface with a single bowl Franke sink and another Quooker Flex Boiling Water Tap with the new Cube function, for filtered boiling, hot, cold and sparkling water. A further Gaggenau microwave oven is installed within the unit and cupboards beneath feature Intuo fronts in matt glass, as before.

Austin Penthouse

McWalters Collaborative

Inspiration for a large contemporary l-shaped separate kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, mirror splashback, with island, stainless steel cabinets, marble benchtops, metallic splashback, coloured appliances, light hardwood floors and brown floor.

Luxurious Residence - Kitchen

Martin Manley Architects

A luxurious and well-appointed house an a ridge high in Avon's Wildridge neighborhood with incredible views to Beaver Creek resort and the New York Mountain Range.

Residential Kitchen in Vail, Colorado Illuminated

Evo-Lite

The translucent Lumix Stone island, cabinet top, and counters are lighted with LED light panels in this expansive modern kitchen. Lots of daylight in a space can diminish the visual effect of backlighting during the day, FYI.

Chicago Bread Baker's Kitchen. Design by Fred M Alsen of fma Interior Design.

FMA Interior Design, Inc.

Mike Kaskel
Large contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Chicago with a single-bowl sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, cork floors and with island.

Brown

Roundhouse

Photo of a contemporary kitchen in London with a single-bowl sink, glass-front cabinets, black cabinets, mirror splashback, with island, multi-coloured floor and green benchtop.

Splendid Kitchen Magesty

Lustig Custom Cabinets

Brittanica quartz by Cambria & glass subway tile next to the large hood. Mandi B Photography
Photo of an expansive transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a single-bowl sink, glass-front cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Victory Model in Plymouth MN | Shenadoah Lane | Tayler Creek

WEST BAY HOMES real estate development

Andrea Rugg
This is an example of a mid-sized arts and crafts galley eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, mirror splashback, light hardwood floors and with island.

Hart

The Cousins

The new kitchen is not only more open and airy, but a window was knocked out to put in a dutch door that leads to the new deck.
Inspiration for a transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, mirror splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Perfect Harmony

Accent on Cabinets LLC

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in St Louis with a drop-in sink, glass-front cabinets, black cabinets, marble benchtops, mirror splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Soledad, Pacific Beach

Simi Razavian LEED AP, CGBD, CNE / MSA&Assoc.Inc

Jim Brady, Simin Razavian
Photo of a small modern u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Diego with a double-bowl sink, glass-front cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, travertine floors and with island.

West Side Danville Residence

Barry & Wynn Architects, Inc.

Mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with a double-bowl sink, glass-front cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, metallic splashback and brown floor.

Kitchen Island with Breakfast Bar

LWK London Kitchens

Kitchen Finish: Handleless Basalt Grey gloss lacquer Worktop: Silestone Calypso Quartz with American Walnut Breakfast Bar
This is an example of a large modern open plan kitchen in London with glass-front cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, black appliances, porcelain floors and with island.

Bespoke Galley Kitchen

Freeman & Whitehouse

Photo by Nathalie Priem Navy blue galley kitchen with stainless tell worktop and kitchen partition designed by Freeman & Whitehouse.
Inspiration for a mid-sized scandinavian galley eat-in kitchen in London with a single-bowl sink, blue cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors and glass-front cabinets.

Edina Elegance

RLH Studio

Spacecrafting Photography
This is an example of a large traditional open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, mirror splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Expansive Traditional in Scarsdale

Bilotta Kitchen & Home

For this project, the entire kitchen was designed around the “must-have” Lacanche range in the stunning French Blue with brass trim. That was the client’s dream and everything had to be built to complement it. Bilotta senior designer, Randy O’Kane, CKD worked with Paul Benowitz and Dipti Shah of Benowitz Shah Architects to contemporize the kitchen while staying true to the original house which was designed in 1928 by regionally noted architect Franklin P. Hammond. The clients purchased the home over two years ago from the original owner. While the house has a magnificent architectural presence from the street, the basic systems, appointments, and most importantly, the layout and flow were inappropriately suited to contemporary living. The new plan removed an outdated screened porch at the rear which was replaced with the new family room and moved the kitchen from a dark corner in the front of the house to the center. The visual connection from the kitchen through the family room is dramatic and gives direct access to the rear yard and patio. It was important that the island separating the kitchen from the family room have ample space to the left and right to facilitate traffic patterns, and interaction among family members. Hence vertical kitchen elements were placed primarily on existing interior walls. The cabinetry used was Bilotta’s private label, the Bilotta Collection – they selected beautiful, dramatic, yet subdued finishes for the meticulously handcrafted cabinetry. The double islands allow for the busy family to have a space for everything – the island closer to the range has seating and makes a perfect space for doing homework or crafts, or having breakfast or snacks. The second island has ample space for storage and books and acts as a staging area from the kitchen to the dinner table. The kitchen perimeter and both islands are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Paper White. The wall cabinets flanking the sink have wire mesh fronts in a statuary bronze – the insides of these cabinets are painted blue to match the range. The breakfast room cabinetry is Benjamin Moore’s Lampblack with the interiors of the glass cabinets painted in Paper White to match the kitchen. All countertops are Vermont White Quartzite from Eastern Stone. The backsplash is Artistic Tile’s Kyoto White and Kyoto Steel. The fireclay apron-front main sink is from Rohl while the smaller prep sink is from Linkasink. All faucets are from Waterstone in their antique pewter finish. The brass hardware is from Armac Martin and the pendants above the center island are from Circa Lighting. The appliances, aside from the range, are a mix of Sub-Zero, Thermador and Bosch with panels on everything.

ART HOUSE

dSPACE Studio Ltd, AIA

white kitchen, modern cabinets, high end appliances, white countertops, gray cabinets
Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, porcelain floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Uxbridge Remodel

Tamara Rene Designs

Kelly Orr
Inspiration for a transitional eat-in kitchen in Orange County with glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances and no island.

Luxurious Residence - Kitchen

Martin Manley Architects

A luxurious and well-appointed house an a ridge high in Avon's Wildridge neighborhood with incredible views to Beaver Creek resort and the New York Mountain Range.

Contemporary Intuo Matt Glass Kitchen with Bespoke Additions

Searle & Taylor

Kitchen with Glass-front Cabinets and Mirror Splashback Design Ideas

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to planning your kitchen design. Where do you even start? Gathering some inspiration in a photo gallery is always a good starting point, as looking at different kitchen designs often brings up ideas you haven’t even thought of yet.

Browse Photos of Kitchen Designs for Inspiration and Collect Your Ideas

You can browse through photos of all kinds of kitchen styles, layouts and sizes on Houzz to get started before jumping into any design software or contacting a local professional for help. Here’s a few considerations to keep in mind when planning your kitchen.

1. What Makes a Good Kitchen Design, and Why is it Important?

For starters, you want to find a balance between aesthetics and function. You may have heard of the ‘kitchen work triangle’, which refers to the space between your fridge, sink and stove. You want everything within easy reach when you’re working in the kitchen and look beautiful at the same time. It’s a good idea to take note of both when browsing our photo gallery.

2. Consider Your Space to Determine Your Kitchen Layout

Firstly, consider the space you have, and the limitations that come with it. Do you have a small kitchen and need to maximise your workspace and storage? Can you allow yourself some more space and a big island with seating? Are you designing your kitchen from scratch or renovating an existing design? Which appliances do you already own and what are their measurements? Are there windows you need to take into consideration when planning cabinets? How do kitchen, living and dining areas connect? Depending on your space and needs, you want to use a shape that suits you. U, G, or L-shaped kitchen, with or without island or peninsula? Know your dimensions, plan cabinetry carefully and consider the placement of your appliances. You don’t want to end up with a finished design, only for your significant other to question where the fridge is supposed to go. Consider from the start where your fridge, oven, microwave and sink goes to save yourself from starting again from scratch - remember the kitchen work triangle! You also want to plan the layout of your cabinets. Maybe you’re planning for a pantry and can do with less storage space in your kitchen, so that your design can be one without upper or lower cabinets for a different look. A corner cabinet can be a smart storage solution if you want to keep the look clean and simple.

3. Decide on a Kitchen Style, But Don’t Forget Practicality

You want the style of your kitchen to reflect your personality and taste. We have curated a large array of kitchen styles here at Houzz, from traditional to contemporary to transitional and everything in between. Consider what your cooking style is for a start - Italy is known for its cuisine, so italian kitchen designs are generally popular. Also consider ergonomics - depending on how much time you spend in your kitchen, the height of your counters can make a big difference to your overall health. You also want to consider colour and finishes of cabinets, countertops and splashbacks. Which colour do you want your cupboards to be? Simple, timeless white or rather making a statement in black? Maybe rather a rustic wood? Also consider the colour of your floor - if you have dark floors, you may want to keep cabinets lighter. You could also go for an all-white look and choose black appliances for contrast. Once you know which style you fancy, don’t forget how you will be using the space. You want to keep cooking in mind, as well as how easy to clean and maintain the space will be. How many cooks do you need to accommodate? Do you have kids around? How much storage do you need? Maybe you want to go for open shelves rather than cabinets and allow for easy reach of key items you use when cooking. Again - remember the triangle! Lastly, choose lighting that both enhances the look of your kitchen as well as your cooking performance, providing light in all the right places.

4. Be Conscious of Your Budget

No matter what you plan for your kitchen design, cost is always a big factor. Be sure to plan with your budget in mind. It may make more sense to go for a modular kitchen design rather than custom build. You can save a lot of money if you get at least 3 estimates from professionals before locking in the job. And don’t forget to allow a 20% buffer for emergencies. Once you are ready to hire a pro, our directory will help you find one, no matter where you are. So whether you're looking for an Interior Designer in Melbourne or an Architect in Sydney, you can be sure to find a qualified expert for the job!