7 Houzz Users' Kitchens That Really Work

patricia beharry Love the butcher block counter tops, but I'm wondering about the stovetop on them.how difficult it would be to keep clean. I am a messy cook. Grease and spills all over the place.

adel97 Some of these are lovely. I love 1 and 2 for successful combination of form and function in vastly different styles. As for many of the rest, well they may be aesthetically pleasing, but kitchens without venting hoods over the range cannot be said to "really work." Good venting, if one cooks even a moderate amount, is of primary functional importance! I have lived--and would never again want to live --in a house without it (gross, uncomfortable and unhealthy) and it amazes me how many high end kitchens have no venting. And no, the ones that pop-up behind the range or the ones built into the OTR MWs that merely try to filter the HOGS don't work (basic physics). Dad in no. 6, replace that OTR MW with a real hood and you've got a winner--your kitchen has a great layout with clearly defined zones and great prep space in a small footprint. Love the banquette as well.

kbumgar To patricia beharry - we also have a black walnut island top and it is incredibly easy to keep clean. We had the wood professionally cut and glued and we sealed the top ourselves with a satin polyurethane floor finish. It takes spills and scrubbing with ease and the best part is that sanding and refinishing will be very easy when it actually comes time for it, although it's been two years now and it still looks like new.

I think you make a good point about having the cooktop installed in the island. I imagine that there might be crumbs that would collect in the seam, although this would be the same issue no matter what the island top material. With the polyurethane sealer that we use, I am sure grease splatters and splashes would not harm the wood itself.

taureg I love the beautiful, but cost saving, idea of using white appliances and building them in to a white cabinets. And the colored pulls.

kathyforcum Vanessa you rock! You brought some stuff here that I've never seen before, interesting kitchens for sure!

jhowellfineart Can you tell me where the cream colored glass pendant lights in kitchen number 4 were purchased?

horsecrazy1959 Love the antique pendant light in #2 kitchen. I love to use antiques as much as possible.

witchzelda4 Help! We are deciding between wolf and thermador range any ideas?

kennedytarheel they've all done an excellent job reinventing their kitchen. the tile in the first kitchen has a huge wow factor, but i'd take any of these kitchens!

jhowellfineart To witchzelda4. I have had both a Wolf and Thermador. I loved my Wolf. But in our new kitchen remodel (different house) we bought a Bertazonni, Italia. Reasonable price compared to others in same category. Consumer Reports didn't like because it doesn't have a lot of extras. But boy oh boy does it cook evenly and with the convection on with a pizza stone in it makes a great pizza. It is a beautiful range. I got stainless (because of the deal they were having) but it comes in gorgeous enamel colors as well. Only have had it 6 months but so far so good and everyone that visits comments on it.

sissy49 Have only had a Wolf electric range, and while it looked lovely, the electric cooktop was much slower to heat up than a GE Profile. Had the Wolf repairman out and he said it was working as it should be. I bought it new in 2006.

jsanti I have had butcher block in my kitchen for about 7 years, I just seal it with Watson Butcher Block Oil about every six months and it looks fabulous. The only problem is a small dark circle from placing a hot glass bowl directly on the counter from the stove.

writerinfact 1. Absolutely stunning; the cabinet knobs were an inspired choice.
2. Love this one, despite my bias against white cabinets (after all, I personally don't have to live here ;-). The green table is fabulous, and the pendant makes a graceful statement.
3. I envy the island; nice choice of not-white for the cabinets, great pendants!
4. Very, very classy. Today's my day for lighting; these are light and airy - great!
5. This one is really special, from the pot rack to the dishwasher decor. Window sill wide enough for pots larger than 3"! And the great thing about golden oak is - it will take just about any darker stain you care to apply.
6. Yes, big improvement over all-white! That teal pendant is perfect (lighting again). Inspired shelf between counter and banquette; no sideboard necessary. And yes, we know the sticky fingerprints will still appear, but they'll be a little less noticeable until there's time - and energy - to deal with them.
7. No joke; it's definite;y lighting day! I like these. And they work well with black, white and shades of gray.

mko120 To
witchzelda4

We have a Wolf cooktop flush mounted which is lovely to look at and easy to keep clean, but works really poorly....there's a problem with the electronics. I would warn against it.

lindacongrove I loved seeing the magnetic letters on the dishwasher in the Michigan kitchen. I had those when I was little :-). They add some fun and color. I wonder if there is really a little one in the house to play with them or if they are just a fun design element?

snekvasil love the kitchens with all the great back splash . Would like to find full sheets of colored glass. Do you know where to look

Alicia Any image can be transferred onto marble, ceramic and glass tiles, also any image can be redesigned as a mosaic tile mural

Indoor or outdoor projects

http://www.AliciaTappDesigns.com

monalisastone I love the artisan backsplash. Obviously, the homeowners gave much thought to what makes them happy. I work in design/salesof tile and always tell people that future buyers will not reject your house just because they don't like the backsplash. The backsplash is the most cost effective way to make a big change in a kitchen--go ahead and make the change if you hate it! These pictures bring up a pet peave of mine--the "backsplash" on the range! Aren't there enough ranges to choose from that are slide ins? The artisan backsplash must have been fairly expensive--why does the range have to disrupt it in such a way?

mrsben Different tastes, different needs, different budgets but all very inspiring!
P.S: I am particularly swooning over the antique lighting fixture in the fourth pic down (in kitchen 2).

the_misfit All fascinating kitchens! I would have enjoyed hearing more about their specific needs (great detail for kitchen #6) and how their kitchens worked with that. I'm remodeling my own and doing almost all the work by hand, so the principle cook (me!) is making all the decisions, and I'm interested to hear how other people have made these decisions. For example, I'm picking cabinetry sizes and spacing with a pretty exact idea of what's going to go on every shelf, and what I'll want it to be nearest. I have at least three times as many baking dishes as pots and pans, so that affects where I put things. I tend to have twice as much frozen food as refrigerated, so I'm incorporating a chest freezer even though the kitchen is small. I have never in my life felt the need for task lighting in a kitchen (and I'm as blind as a bat. And clumsy - and yet I practically never injure myself in the kitchen), but I'm incorporating it anyway because everyone seems to think it essential. (I am still mystified by this.) My kitchen is small (not quite 11x11), so it can't be a truly two-cook kitchen, but the work areas I am carving out are designed with very specific needs in mind: the people who visit us drink coffee (we don't), and should be able to get it without stepping on someone washing dishes or cooking food. My sister will visit at Christmas, and she and I will inevitably be in the kitchen at the same time. So I have planned work space to accommodate Christmas cookies specifically (of course, in a small kitchen, it has to double as generic prep space and/or visitor seating). I bought a stove with continuous burner grates because the heaviest cooking we do regularly is brunch, which means large-sized pots and lots of them. The only way I can make more space is to use all 9 feet of wall height, so I have 52" cabinets. We're relatively tall people (though I do still need a stool); for someone very short, my kitchen would be much harder to use. I'm enjoying my project, but I do ponder how my choices will be viewed by prospective buyers down the road. So, as I said, I'm fascinated to hear what role others' specific cooking habits played in all their little design choices!

gschneider Like how the Berkeley kitchen utilizes L-shaped shelves in the corner instead of cabinets that likely would have then made it hard to access their dishware.

bookwench to witchzelda4: We recently remodeled our kitchen and installed all Thermador for cooking (and got a free dishwasher too). After installation we got a 2-1/2 hr. one-on-one training for our Thermador appliances! We love our Thermador range top with the star-shaped burners (more heat to surface area) and the XLo heat feature. But the piece de resistance is the convection/steam oven -- awesome, so versatile!!! Our refrigeration units are all Sub-Zero. PS: I am NOT a paid spokesperson.

cataquiz We gutted our kitchen and adjoining dining room to incorporate a 15-foot butcher block & quartz island. It accommodates our multi-cook kitchen demands and our large 6 person family. Our butcher block is treated only with mineral oil so it is food safe, and provides tons of viable prep space.