What do you do when you have a small narrow kitchen with high ceilings? you build up! in this kitchen we used every inch of space. creating a u shaped kitchen with a narrow island in the center and cabinets all the way up the 10 foot ceiling. The white shaker cabinets, white quartz counter tops and white beveled subway tiles, all help create a clean and minimalist look that does not cramp the space.

This kitchen is the perfect example of how dark stained cabinets don't necessarily create a dark space. The natural and artificial light in this kitchen's design allow the space to be bright and welcoming. Scott Amundson Photography, LLC

Beginning this full home remodel in the kitchen, we added a cozy banquette, built-in custom cabinets, and a PentalQuartz Super White countertop for a contemporary vibe. The kitchen’s central feature is an inset bar in rich macassar ebony and Flavor Paper’s Monaco gold foil wallpaper that was formerly a fireplace.

Transitional ceramic tile kitchen photo in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, blue backsplash, an island, an undermount sink and stainless steel appliances

Amy Williams Photography
Mid-sized transitional u-shaped porcelain tile kitchen photo in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and quartzite countertops

http://www.nicelydonekitchens.com Photo credit: Chipper Hatter

Uneek Image
Large elegant open concept living room photo in Orlando with yellow walls

Custom kitchen design with a modern style. Light grey wood finish perfectly match with the cream tile. Floor to ceiling cabinets gives the impression of a higher ceiling. Interior wood cabinets.

The remodeled kitchen expanded into the oversized dining room, making space for a large island, double ovens, ample storage, custom cabinetry, and a large range top, perfect for entertaining. A coffered ceiling adds character and elegance. Recessed lighting, pendants, and in- and under-cabinet lighting offer a warm glow and provide task lighting for meal prep. The room is a mix of rustic and refined, with a distressed cherry island top and a coffered ceiling and white cabinetry. Photo Credit: David Bader Interior Design Partner: Becky Howley

Small elegant single-wall porcelain tile and brown floor wet bar photo in Other with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, gray backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash and white countertops

Homeowner needed more light, more room, more style. We knocked out the wall between kitchen and dining room and replaced old window with a larger one. New stained cabinets, Soapstone countertops, and full-height tile backsplash turned this once inconvenient,d ark kitchen into an inviting and beautiful space. We relocated the refrigerator and applied cabinet panels. The new duel-fuel range provides the utmost in cooking options. A farm sink brings another appealing design element into the clean-up area. New lighting plan includes undercabinet lighting, recessed lighting in the dining room, and pendant light fixtures over the island. New wood flooring was woven in with existing to create a seamless expanse of beautiful hardwood. New wood beams were stained to match the floor bringing even more warmth and charm to this kitchen.

The clients desired an Industrial and Contemporary look for their new kitchen. The original town home kitchen was smaller in size with a larger dining and family room area. Heavily influenced by the feel of New York lofts, the project started with strong and sturdy combination of metals, dark blues, woods, and greys. A softer, matching backsplash was added to balance and create a second focal point in the room. Expansive storage was achieved through multiple ceiling-height cabinets, double-sided island storage, and a sink facing open shelf cabinet. Treve Johnson Photography

Easton, Maryland Traditional Kitchen Design by #JenniferGilmer with a lake view http://gilmerkitchens.com/ Photography by Bob Narod

Lisa Monteagudo - Photographer
Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Seattle with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Photography by Richard Mandelkorn
Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Boston with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets and subway tile backsplash

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Photography: Eric Roth Photo

Joe Kwon Photography
Inspiration for a large transitional brown floor and dark wood floor kitchen remodel in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Jeffrey Totaro
Enclosed kitchen - transitional u-shaped black floor enclosed kitchen idea in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

This kitchen is home to two taller individuals who both use the space equally and requested a taller workspace to comfortably accommodate their needs. The island cabinets are standard 34-1/2” tall but the Iceberg countertops were installed with a 3” build-up to add height to the island. Cabinets on the long wall were designed to break up the wall of white: buffet on the end with walnut-framed glass cabinets and seashell backsplash; double refrigerators in a painted, distressed mahogany finish were pulled forward to simulate texture and depth on the wall; wide pantry cabinets with roll-out drawers sitting on the countertops flank the refrigerators. On the opposite wall, a new window box at the kitchen sink was built to add more countertop behind the sink and to let in more light, adding dimension to the room. The cabinetry in the original existing kitchen was disjointed at the dining room entrance and made the room appear much smaller than it really was. To remedy this, the entry to the dining room from the kitchen was closed up and relocated around the corner from the foyer; 2 simple, stacked columns were built to highlight the new opening. These transitional style columns and wider room openings at the family room and dining room entrances provide an open layout suitable for large groups to mingle comfortably; family room cabinetry and dining room fireplace surround matches kitchen cabinets.