Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   The homeowners came to us looking to update the kitchen in their historic 1897 home. The home had gone through an extensive renovation several years earlier that added a master bedroom suite and updates to the front façade. The kitchen however was not part of that update and a prior 1990’s update had left much to be desired. The client is an avid cook, and it was just not very functional for the family. The original kitchen was very choppy and included a large eat in area that took up more than its fair share of the space. On the wish list was a place where the family could comfortably congregate, that was easy and to cook in, that feels lived in and in check with the rest of the home’s décor. They also wanted a space that was not cluttered and dark – a happy, light and airy room. A small powder room off the space also needed some attention so we set out to include that in the remodel as well. See that arch in the neighboring dining room? The homeowner really wanted to make the opening to the dining room an arch to match, so we incorporated that into the design. Another unfortunate eyesore was the state of the ceiling and soffits. Turns out it was just a series of shortcuts from the prior renovation, and we were surprised and delighted that we were easily able to flatten out almost the entire ceiling with a couple of little reworks. Other changes we made were to add new windows that were appropriate to the new design, which included moving the sink window over slightly to give the work zone more breathing room. We also adjusted the height of the windows in what was previously the eat-in area that were too low for a countertop to work. We tried to keep an old island in the plan since it was a well-loved vintage find, but the tradeoff for the function of the new island was not worth it in the end. We hope the old found a new home, perhaps as a potting table. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Photography by William Lavalette
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless single-wall brown floor and dark wood floor enclosed kitchen remodel in New York with an undermount sink, soapstone countertops, brick backsplash, an island, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, red backsplash, paneled appliances and black countertops

Wet Bar featuring the appliance lift cabinet for easy storage of coffee center. All inset cabinets by Wood-Mode 42. Featuring the Alexandria Recessed door style on Vintage Putty finish. Cabinets are finished off with a Mahogany wood top by Grothouse Lumber Co.

Example of a mid-sized 1950s u-shaped cement tile floor and gray floor enclosed kitchen design in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, cement tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, no island and black countertops

Casey Dunn
Enclosed kitchen - mid-sized contemporary l-shaped medium tone wood floor enclosed kitchen idea in Austin with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Inspiration for a mid-sized coastal l-shaped dark wood floor enclosed kitchen remodel in Boston with an island, a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, flat-panel cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Example of a small transitional l-shaped dark wood floor enclosed kitchen design in Dallas with shaker cabinets, green cabinets and white backsplash

Want beautiful grey kitchen tiles that fit your budget? Available in our budget-friendly Foundations Collection, our 2x6 Tile in French Linen maximizes style, square footage, and value in this chic NYC apartment kitchen. TILE SHOWN 2x6 Tile in French Linen DESIGN Grisoro Designs PHOTOS Regan Wood Photography

Treve Johnson Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized craftsman u-shaped light wood floor enclosed kitchen remodel in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, granite countertops, gray backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

When we started this project, opening up the kitchen to the surrounding space was not an option. Instead, the 10-foot ceilings gave us an opportunity to create a glamorous room with all of the amenities of an open floor plan. The beautiful sunny breakfast nook and adjacent formal dining offer plenty of seats for family and guests in this modern home. Our clients, none the less, love to sit at their new island for breakfast, keeping each other company while cooking, reading a new recipe or simply taking a well-deserved coffee break. The gorgeous custom cabinetry is a combination of horizontal grain walnut base and tall cabinets with glossy white upper cabinets that create an open feeling all the way up the walls. Caesarstone countertops and backsplash join together for a nearly seamless transition. The Subzero and Thermador appliances match the quality of the home and the cooks themselves! Finally, the heated natural limestone floors keep this room welcoming all year long. Alicia Gbur Photography

Michael J. Lee
Enclosed kitchen - mid-sized transitional single-wall medium tone wood floor enclosed kitchen idea in Boston with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Enclosed kitchen - large traditional dark wood floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen idea with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Inspiration for a large timeless u-shaped ceramic tile and beige floor enclosed kitchen remodel in Orange County with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

The owners of a charming home in the hills west of Paso Robles recently decided to remodel their not-so-charming kitchen. Referred to San Luis Kitchen by several of their friends, the homeowners visited our showroom and soon decided we were the best people to design a kitchen fitting the style of their home. We were delighted to get to work on the project right away. When we arrived at the house, we found a small, cramped and out-dated kitchen. The ceiling was low, the cabinets old fashioned and painted a stark dead white, and the best view in the house was neglected in a seldom-used breakfast nook (sequestered behind the kitchen peninsula). This kitchen was also handicapped by white tile counters with dark grout, odd-sized and cluttered cabinets, and small ‘desk’ tacked on to the side of the oven cabinet. Due to a marked lack of counter space & inadequate storage the homeowner had resorted to keeping her small appliances on a little cart parked in the corner and the garbage was just sitting by the wall in full view of everything! On the plus side, the kitchen opened into a nice dining room and had beautiful saltillo tile floors. Mrs. Homeowner loves to entertain and often hosts dinner parties for her friends. She enjoys visiting with her guests in the kitchen while putting the finishing touches on the evening’s meal. Sadly, her small kitchen really limited her interactions with her guests – she often felt left out of the mix at her own parties! This savvy homeowner dreamed big – a new kitchen that would accommodate multiple workstations, have space for guests to gather but not be in the way, and maybe a prettier transition from the kitchen to the dining (wine service area or hutch?) – while managing the remodel budget by reusing some of her major appliances and keeping (patching as needed) her existing floors. Responding to the homeowner’s stated wish list and the opportunities presented by the home's setting and existing architecture, the designers at San Luis Kitchen decided to expand the kitchen into the breakfast nook. This change allowed the work area to be reoriented to take advantage of the great view – we replaced the existing window and added another while moving the door to gain space. A second sink and set of refrigerator drawers (housing fresh fruits & veggies) were included for the convenience of this mainly vegetarian cook – her prep station. The clean-up area now boasts a farmhouse style single bowl sink – adding to the ‘cottage’ charm. We located a new gas cook-top between the two workstations for easy access from each. Also tucked in here is a pullout trash/recycle cabinet for convenience and additional drawers for storage. Running parallel to the work counter we added a long butcher-block island with easy-to-access open shelves for the avid cook and seating for friendly guests placed just right to take in the view. A counter-top garage is used to hide excess small appliances. Glass door cabinets and open shelves are now available to display the owners beautiful dishware. The microwave was placed inconspicuously on the end of the island facing the refrigerator – easy access for guests (and extraneous family members) to help themselves to drinks and snacks while staying out of the cook’s way. We also moved the pantry storage away from the dining room (putting it on the far wall and closer to the work triangle) and added a furniture-like hutch in its place allowing the more formal dining area to flow seamlessly into the up-beat work area of the kitchen. This space is now also home (opposite wall) to an under counter wine refrigerator, a liquor cabinet and pretty glass door wall cabinet for stemware storage – meeting Mr. Homeowner’s desire for a bar service area. And then the aesthetic: an old-world style country cottage theme. The homeowners wanted the kitchen to have a warm feel while still loving the look of white cabinetry. San Luis Kitchen melded country-casual knotty pine base cabinets with vintage hand-brushed creamy white wall cabinets to create the desired cottage look. We also added bead board and mullioned glass doors for charm, used an inset doorstyle on the cabinets for authenticity, and mixed stone and wood counters to create an eclectic nuance in the space. All in all, the happy homeowners now boast a charming county cottage kitchen with plenty of space for entertaining their guests while creating gourmet meals to feed them. Credits: Custom cabinetry by Wood-Mode Fine Custom Cabinetry Contracting by Michael Pezzato of Lost Coast Construction Stone counters by Pyramid M.T.M.

This Oceanside home, built to take advantage of majestic rocky views of the North Atlantic, incorporates outside living with inside glamor. Sunlight streams through the large exterior windows that overlook the ocean. The light filters through to the back of the home with the clever use of over sized door frames with transoms, and a large pass through opening from the kitchen/living area to the dining area. Retractable mosquito screens were installed on the deck to create an outdoor- dining area, comfortable even in the mid summer bug season. Photography: Greg Premru

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen remodel in San Diego with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and white countertops

By removing a wall and combining two previously compartmentalized spaces, the new kitchen is an efficient, welcoming space centered around a large island with seating for guests.

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped enclosed kitchen remodel in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, granite countertops, green backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

Mid-sized trendy u-shaped dark wood floor and black floor enclosed kitchen photo in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, stone slab backsplash, black appliances, no island, white countertops, marble countertops and white backsplash