Houzz user aimzter wanted her kitchen to be a place of serenity and calm, which was far cry from her original kitchen space. "Our old kitchen always seemed a little messy and chaotic even when it was clean because of all the open storage spaces, and various surface and tile work," she says.

By adding two layers of above-counter storage, using simple cabinetry and countertop materials, and accenting with modern accessories, aimzter was able to create a fresh and clutter-free space, while still working within a limited budget.

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The two bold pendants hanging above a smooth Caesarstone kitchen island are the focal point of this kitchen. Despite contradicting advice, aimzter decided not to put a sink in her kitchen island. "I wanted a giant workspace where we could spread out cooking, crafts, or homework projects," she says. "It was important to me to have a solid surface for flexible use."

Although money was saved on the refrigerator (a KitchenAid they've had for more than 10 years), aimzter decided to splurge on the wall ovens. These high-end appliances were chosen for their great cooking features, as well as the fact that they could be installed flush to the cabinets.

Bar stools: SEBASTIAN bar stool from IKEA
Island: Caesarstone 6600
Pendants: Powell Street Pendant, 2Thousand Degrees
Wall ovens: Miele Master Chef Oven and Miele Speed Oven

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One of the biggest challenges during construction was installing the sliding glass pocket doors. From the very beginning, aimzter and her husband knew they wanted to open up the wall to the deck so they could fully appreciate their small backyard. "Although the system is pretty straightforward, the contractors were really stressed about making that work," she says.

Flooring: Oak, to meld with the rest of the house

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In the original kitchen, the walls, floor, and ceiling were sloped and uneven. The floor and ceiling had to be leveled so that the new cabinetry wouldn't appear crooked.

Aimzter made sure to include 3 trash pull-outs in the island, because San Francisco requires 3 waste bins for curbside pickup (compost, recycling and trash). "I didn't want to go through the whole remodel and still have an extra garbage can to trip on at the end of the counter," aimzter says.

Counters: Caesarstone 2020
Backsplash: Caesarstone 6600
Cooktop and range hood: Bosch 36" Gas Cooktop 800 Series, and Bosch Chimney Wall Hoods 500 Series

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IKEA base cabinets above the wall cabinets make great storage space for items that aren't necessarily for everyday use — such as special holiday dishes. The warm wood tones help warm up the smooth space and look custom — but without the additional cost. "The goal wasn't to add top-of-the-line pieces we didn't need, but to use resources as creatively as possible," aimzter says.

Cabinetry: IKEA, NEXUS in brown and ABSTRAKT in white
Sink: Mirabelle
Faucet: Grohe

Have an eclectic, colorful or unique kitchen? We'd love to see it. Upload a photo below!

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Comments

Lesley Hartwell this is a lovely Kitchen, so very well thought out, well done and I love that you kept the Island free, what a fabulous expanse of stone. Enjoy

21 months ago · Like

karenebenal How do you like the single bowl sink

21 months ago · Like

housel I love the island, and the lighting above it. The three layers of cabinets work really well together. What a gorgeous kitchen.

21 months ago · Like

Jake was going to blow money unnecessarily on custom cabinets. saw this from ikea dressed up well, thought, "wtf am I doing?". great job.

21 months ago · Like

aimzter thanks! karenbenal, we really like the single bowl sink. it can hide lots of dishes (and keep clutter off the counter!) before i had a double bowl sink but couldn't even get some larger pans to fit in it for soaking. now i have a small dish drain rack inside the sink (from ikea and still have room for pans to soak.

21 months ago · Like