This is the view of the kitchen from the dining room. “The kitchen is charming and cozy. In other words, small,” Curtis says with a laugh. “I was hoping to find a vintage piece that could serve as an island but couldn’t find anything in the right scale.” Instead, she designed this piece to look like an antique and had it made.
Before, the dining table and chandelier were in the middle of the room, and it blocked the traffic flow into the kitchen,” Curtis says. To remedy this, she moved the table closer to the window and centered the chandelier over it. A long custom wooden bench she designed accommodated this move. Using chairs on that side would have required allowing more room for people to push them out.
The colors the designer wanted to play with on the living room furniture inspired the dark paint. “I wanted to experiment with color and use greens and rust. Those sofas would have looked completely different with a white backdrop,” she says. Wood and white accents in the living room create connections to the lighter palette in the dining room.
The most-saved kitchen of 2022 is a warm and inviting space with cozy cottage style and a touch of rusticity. The homeowners looked at inspiration photos on Houzz before hiring designer Hannah Oravec of Lawless Design to help them realize their vision. Warm white walls, marble countertops and a row of windows above the sink keep the space bright and welcoming. A rustic stone-look accent backsplash and quartersawn white oak cabinets in a natural finish give it character, while a gas fireplace takes it to another level of charm.
This New York kitchen by designer Karen Wolf is all about subtle sophistication. The light-gray-painted cabinetry and range hood subtly contrast with the white walls and pick up the gray veining in the marble countertops. Warm wood touches show up on the island, floor, ceiling beams and hood detail. A tiled backsplash has a soft pattern that brings low-key movement. The curved-back counter stools and wavy glass pendant lights introduce rounded forms. And the black hardware and fixtures finish the room with a modern touch.
This uplifting Texas kitchen by Tonia Coleman of Le Belle Maison Interiors is awash in warm white walls and Shaker-style cabinets (Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams). Varying cream tones in the handcrafted 4-by-4-inch clay zellige backsplash tiles and the quartzite countertops keep the space bright while adding design nuance and interest. Maple shelves and range hood detail, as well as wood stools and weathered zinc pendants, keep the space from veering too stark.
To make this Chicago-area kitchen look as large as possible, designer Stephanie Frees of Plain & Posh added white cabinets on the perimeter and used the same marble-look quartz slabs for the countertops and backsplash to visually blend elements together. She also installed the slabs so the gray veining runs slightly horizontal to virtually widen the room. A gray-stained wood island base and wood flooring anchor the room in warmth.
the whole color theme
Chantilly Lace in semigloss (cabinets), eggshell (walls), flat (ceiling) and satin (trim), Benjamin Moore
From the cozy leather sofa and ottoman to the armchairs upholstered in a forest scene to the custom window bench with views of a lush garden, the space beckons one to stay awhile. Or at least stay for a casual game of chess at the coffee table.
When working with an open concept, repetition can be your best friend. Fiorella Design repeated similar colors in the living area and kitchen to create a seamless connection in this San Francisco home. The leather sofa, rattan baskets, white coffee table and blue area rug in the living area visually connect to the wood beams, white countertops and blue island in the kitchen.
Loads of white and cream furnishings, including a large cushy sectional, give this Rhode Island living room by Desiree Burns Interiors a cloud-like feel. A large jute rug and wood accent pieces add warmth and ground the design enough to keep it from floating away.
black and white embracing subtle but effective contrast. The white elements in the room, including the walls, painted brick fireplace and sectional sofa, provide a stark backdrop to the black window and door frames, firebox and flat-screen TV. A black-and-white area rug punctuates the palette, while a jet black vase, floor lamp and console base round out the design approach. The wood floors, coffee table and console keep things from veering too sterile, as does the potted greenery.
Navy millwork, an Oriental rug and vintage artwork make the mudroom an attractive spot. A bench provides a place to remove shoes.
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