Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Philadelphia

A beautiful escape in your edible garden. Fruit trees create a privacy screen around a cedar pergola and raised vegetable beds.
This is an example of a farmhouse full sun backyard gravel vegetable garden landscape in Boston for summer.

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

Maximizing the functionality of this space, and coordinating the new kitchen with the beautiful remodel completed previously by the client were the two most important aspects of this project. The existing spaces are elegantly decorated with an open plan, dark hardwood floors, and natural stone accents. The new, lighter, more open kitchen flows beautifully into the client’s existing dining room space. Satin nickel hardware blends with the stainless steel appliances and matches the satin nickel details throughout the home. The fully integrated refrigerator next to the narrow pull-out pantry cabinet, take up less visual weight than a traditional stainless steel appliance and the two combine to provide fantastic storage. The glass cabinet doors and decorative lighting beautifully highlight the client’s glassware and dishes. Finished with white subway tile, Dreamy Marfil quartz countertops, and a warm natural wood blind; the space warm, inviting, elegant, and extremely functional. copyright 2013 marilyn peryer photography

Alan Blakely
Arts and crafts enclosed kitchen photo in Salt Lake City with shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets and stainless steel appliances

This beautifully crafted Scandinavian kitchen remodel blends the warmth of white oak shaker cabinets with the sleek elegance of a quartzite island, creating a space that feels fresh yet timeless. Brass hardware, a farmhouse sink, and a custom range hood add character, while panel-ready appliances and a full-height backsplash keep the look seamless. The open plan layout offers a bright, airy atmosphere, enhanced by natural wood tones, pendant lighting, and light flooring. A central island with seating invites casual dining and conversation, making this kitchen as functional as it is welcoming—perfect for cooking, gathering, and everyday living.

Best of Houzz Design & Service 2014. --Photography by Paul Dyer.
Eat-in kitchen - large transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in San Francisco with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances and an island

The Ocean Breeze kitchen is luxurious and functional, a space that incorporates the elements of the Californian lifestyle. The smell of salt in the air and pelicans flying overhead provides a peaceful and tranquil environment for cooking and entertaining. A unique kitchen feature is the "Butler's Pantry", perfect for making smoothies before a morning walk on the beach. The project is by our partner Blue Plum, San Carlos United States

This beautiful kitchen uses painted and stained cabinetry to create a warm and inviting space for family and friends to gather. A new functional layout with build in storage for appliances, spices and cutlery, cookware, dishes and recycling, makes working in this kitchen a dream. A raised dishwasher adds additional convenience. A furniture piece pantry (not shown) extends the storage even more. Beautiful marble tile detailing behind the range creates a stunning focal point. Scott Admunson Photography

In our world of kitchen design, it’s lovely to see all the varieties of styles come to life. From traditional to modern, and everything in between, we love to design a broad spectrum. Here, we present a two-tone modern kitchen that has used materials in a fresh and eye-catching way. With a mix of finishes, it blends perfectly together to create a space that flows and is the pulsating heart of the home. With the main cooking island and gorgeous prep wall, the cook has plenty of space to work. The second island is perfect for seating – the three materials interacting seamlessly, we have the main white material covering the cabinets, a short grey table for the kids, and a taller walnut top for adults to sit and stand while sipping some wine! I mean, who wouldn’t want to spend time in this kitchen?! Cabinetry With a tuxedo trend look, we used Cabico Elmwood New Haven door style, walnut vertical grain in a natural matte finish. The white cabinets over the sink are the Ventura MDF door in a White Diamond Gloss finish. Countertops The white counters on the perimeter and on both islands are from Caesarstone in a Frosty Carrina finish, and the added bar on the second countertop is a custom walnut top (made by the homeowner!) with a shorter seated table made from Caesarstone’s Raw Concrete. Backsplash The stone is from Marble Systems from the Mod Glam Collection, Blocks – Glacier honed, in Snow White polished finish, and added Brass. Fixtures A Blanco Precis Silgranit Cascade Super Single Bowl Kitchen Sink in White works perfect with the counters. A Waterstone transitional pulldown faucet in New Bronze is complemented by matching water dispenser, soap dispenser, and air switch. The cabinet hardware is from Emtek – their Trinity pulls in brass. Appliances The cooktop, oven, steam oven and dishwasher are all from Miele. The dishwashers are paneled with cabinetry material (left/right of the sink) and integrate seamlessly Refrigerator and Freezer columns are from SubZero and we kept the stainless look to break up the walnut some. The microwave is a counter sitting Panasonic with a custom wood trim (made by Cabico) and the vent hood is from Zephyr.

This dated 90s builder-grade kitchen was completely reimagined for a busy family, creating a brighter, more functional space with improved flow and thoughtful storage. Removing the desk area and pony wall opened the kitchen to the family room, while a new window and storage banquette added natural light and everyday functionality. Custom cabinetry, a floor-to-ceiling pass-through pantry, muted white cabinets, and a Smokey blue island bring timeless style and personality. Quartzite countertops, Zellige-look porcelain backsplash, and Versailles-pattern flooring complete this family-friendly transformation.

This dated 90s builder-grade kitchen was completely reimagined for a busy family, creating a brighter, more functional space with improved flow and thoughtful storage. Removing the desk area and pony wall opened the kitchen to the family room, while a new window and storage banquette added natural light and everyday functionality. Custom cabinetry, a floor-to-ceiling pass-through pantry, muted white cabinets, and a Smokey blue island bring timeless style and personality. Quartzite countertops, Zellige-look porcelain backsplash, and Versailles-pattern flooring complete this family-friendly transformation.

Clean lines and a high arc design of this faucet create a sleek, contemporary look that complements transitional and modern kitchen alike. This faucet is coated in brushed nickel to enhance its sleek and novel design. It features a swiveling spout with a dual function sprayer to facilitate different cleaning tasks and allow you to switch from powerful spray to aerated stream at a press of the button. - Constructed from stainless steel for durability and reliability. - Finished in a high quality, corrosion resistant brushed nickel. - Features a 360-degree swiveling spout design. - Not suitable for low pressure. Minimum required water pressure is 0.05 MPa (0.5 bar). - All mounting hardware is included.

The hidden breakfast unit is a cleverly designed feature that brings both form and function. A sliding door system allows the tall units to close flush - inside, the shelves and drawers echo the warm wood and white tones used throughout the design.

Transitional kitchen photo in Cincinnati

This darling young family of four recently moved to a beautiful home over looking La Jolla Shores. They wanted a home that represented their simple and sophisticated style that would still function as a livable space for their children. We incorporated a subtle nautical concept to blend with the location and dramatic color and texture contrasts to show off the architecture. Photo cred: Chipper Hatter: www.chipperhatter.com

The Ocean Breeze kitchen is luxurious and functional, a space that incorporates the elements of the Californian lifestyle. The smell of salt in the air and pelicans flying overhead provides a peaceful and tranquil environment for cooking and entertaining. A unique kitchen feature is the "Butler's Pantry", perfect for making smoothies before a morning walk on the beach. The project is by our partner Blue Plum, San Carlos United States

Cory Holland - Holland Photography
1960s kitchen photo in Seattle

Michele Lee Wilson
Walk-in shower - mid-sized craftsman 3/4 beige tile and subway tile ceramic tile and black floor walk-in shower idea in San Francisco with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink and soapstone countertops