Charles Hilton Architects, Robert Benson Photography From grand estates, to exquisite country homes, to whole house renovations, the quality and attention to detail of a "Significant Homes" custom home is immediately apparent. Full time on-site supervision, a dedicated office staff and hand picked professional craftsmen are the team that take you from groundbreaking to occupancy. Every "Significant Homes" project represents 45 years of luxury homebuilding experience, and a commitment to quality widely recognized by architects, the press and, most of all....thoroughly satisfied homeowners. Our projects have been published in Architectural Digest 6 times along with many other publications and books. Though the lion share of our work has been in Fairfield and Westchester counties, we have built homes in Palm Beach, Aspen, Maine, Nantucket and Long Island.

Wolfe Stovetop

Lasley Brahaney Architecture + Construction

The range hood is beautifully hidden within custom recessed cabinetry surrounded by white subway tile and white bead board layered surfaces.
This is an example of a large traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, soapstone benchtops, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

1902 Historic Kitchen & Pantry Alamo Heights Remodel

Haven Design and Construction

This 1902 San Antonio home was beautiful both inside and out, except for the kitchen, which was dark and dated. The original kitchen layout consisted of a breakfast room and a small kitchen separated by a wall. There was also a very small screened in porch off of the kitchen. The homeowners dreamed of a light and bright new kitchen and that would accommodate a 48" gas range, built in refrigerator, an island and a walk in pantry. At first, it seemed almost impossible, but with a little imagination, we were able to give them every item on their wish list. We took down the wall separating the breakfast and kitchen areas, recessed the new Subzero refrigerator under the stairs, and turned the tiny screened porch into a walk in pantry with a gorgeous blue and white tile floor. The french doors in the breakfast area were replaced with a single transom door to mirror the door to the pantry. The new transoms make quite a statement on either side of the 48" Wolf range set against a marble tile wall. A lovely banquette area was created where the old breakfast table once was and is now graced by a lovely beaded chandelier. Pillows in shades of blue and white and a custom walnut table complete the cozy nook. The soapstone island with a walnut butcher block seating area adds warmth and character to the space. The navy barstools with chrome nailhead trim echo the design of the transoms and repeat the navy and chrome detailing on the custom range hood. A 42" Shaws farmhouse sink completes the kitchen work triangle. Off of the kitchen, the small hallway to the dining room got a facelift, as well. We added a decorative china cabinet and mirrored doors to the homeowner's storage closet to provide light and character to the passageway. After the project was completed, the homeowners told us that "this kitchen was the one that our historic house was always meant to have." There is no greater reward for what we do than that.

Traditional Kitchen

Mid-sized traditional l-shaped kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, with island, brown floor, black appliances, dark hardwood floors and grey cabinets.

Jane Street Brownstone

Key+Shade Interior Design

Francine Fleischer Photography
Inspiration for a small traditional galley separate kitchen in New York with white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, no island, blue floor, an integrated sink and flat-panel cabinets.

Brooklyn Townhouse

LAVA interiors

Photography by William Lavalette
Mid-sized traditional single-wall separate kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, soapstone benchtops, brick splashback, with island, brown floor, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, red splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors and black benchtop.

NC Countertops Projects

NC Countertops llc

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional single-wall kitchen in Raleigh with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, black floor and black benchtop.

Addition & Renovation to John Bartram Reproduction | Malvern, PA

Period Architecture Ltd.

Angle Eye Photography
Inspiration for an expansive traditional u-shaped separate kitchen in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, beige cabinets, soapstone benchtops, beige splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

English Cottage

Kuklinski + Rappe Architects

Leslie Schwartz Photography
This is an example of a small traditional galley separate kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, coloured appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island and black benchtop.

Eco-friendly kitchen

Dream Kitchens, Inc.

The goal of the project was to create a more functional kitchen, but to remodel with an eco-friendly approach. To minimize the waste going into the landfill, all the old cabinetry and appliances were donated, and the kitchen floor was kept intact because it was in great condition. The challenge was to design the kitchen around the existing floor and the natural soapstone the client fell in love with. The clients continued with the sustainable theme throughout the room with the new materials chosen: The back splash tiles are eco-friendly and hand-made in the USA.. The custom range hood was a beautiful addition to the kitchen. We maximized the counter space around the custom sink by extending the integral drain board above the dishwasher to create more prep space. In the adjacent laundry room, we continued the same color scheme to create a custom wall of cabinets to incorporate a hidden laundry shoot, and dog area. We also added storage around the washer and dryer including two different types of hanging for drying purposes.

The Parkway

Foster Custom Kitchens

Plain inset drawers and frame and panel doors. Natural cherry with sable glaze.
Photo of a mid-sized traditional u-shaped kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, medium wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Lakeside Farmhouse

Fluidesign Studio

Building Design, Plans, and Interior Finishes by: Fluidesign Studio I Builder: Structural Dimensions Inc. I Photographer: Seth Benn Photography
Design ideas for a large traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, blue splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Park Slope Transitional Renovation - In Progress

LEAD Studios - Architecture and Design

Otto Ruano
Photo of a small traditional galley eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, yellow cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and a peninsula.

Blue English Country Kitchen in Connecticut

Nukitchens

This charming blue English country kitchen features a Shaw's farmhouse sink, brushed bronze hardware, and honed and brushed limestone countertops. Kyle Norton Photography

Travertine

Floor Coverings International of Charleston

Photo of a large traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Charleston with travertine floors, with island, beaded inset cabinets, green cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances and a farmhouse sink.

Croton On Hudson Kitchen

Joan Bigg Design LLC

Working within a set of constraints, whether of space or budget, challenges my creativity and leads to a beautiful end result. The old kitchen used the space very poorly. The intent was just to replace the countertop. But once we investigated, the inferior cabinets needed replacing, too, so a rethink of space usage created a small and stylish kitchen of lasting quality.

kitchen

Rasmussen / Su Architects

Halkin Mason Photography
Design ideas for a traditional kitchen in Philadelphia with soapstone benchtops, glass-front cabinets, beige cabinets and stainless steel appliances.

Historic soapstone home tour

The Stone Studio

High backsplash and integrated windowsill in this Indianapolis kitchen give the sink area a vintage feel. Dorado Black Minas soapstone is from The Stone Studio in Batesville, IN.

Mill Valley Gourmet

EJ Interior Design, Inc.

Inspiration for a traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, subway tile splashback, soapstone benchtops, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and stainless steel appliances.

Kitchen Expansion

Tenhulzen Residential

Layout to improve form and function with goal of entertaining and raising 3 children.
Large traditional u-shaped kitchen in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, soapstone benchtops, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, red splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Traditional Kitchen with Soapstone Benchtops 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 Traditional 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!