This house was designed as a second home for a Bay Area couple as a summer retreat to spend the warm summer months away from the fog in San Francisco. Built on a steep slope and a narrow lot, this 4000 square foot home is spread over 3 floors, with the master, guest and kids bedroom on the ground floor, and living spaces on the upper floor to take advantage of the views. The main living level includes a large kitchen, dining, and living space, connected to two home offices by way of a bridge that extends across the double height entry. This bridge area acts as a gallery of light, allowing filtered light through the skylights above and down to the entry on the ground level. All living space takes advantage of grand views of Lake Washington and the city skyline beyond. Two large sliding glass doors open up completely, allowing the living and dining space to extend to the deck outside. On the first floor, in addition to the guest room, a “kids room” welcomes visiting nieces and nephews with bunk beds and their own bathroom. The basement level contains storage, mechanical and a 2 car garage. Photographer: Aaron Leitz

Werner Segarra
Kitchen - mediterranean u-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen idea in Phoenix with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, paneled appliances, an island and gray backsplash

A beautiful and spacious kitchen that emanates warmth and whim. The stunning view of the outdoor woods adds a subtle pop of green, while the interior shows off an elegant color palette of neutrals. Classic white shaker cabinets pair beautifully with the thunderstorm gray kitchen island and bar stools as well as the lustrous herringbone backsplash. Natural wooden floors complete the look, as the rich organic hues add a timeless charm that fits perfectly in a Pacific Northwest home.

A PLACE TO GATHER Location: Eagan, MN, USA This family of five wanted an inviting space to gather with family and friends. Mom, the primary cook, wanted a large island with more organized storage – everything in its place – and a crisp white kitchen with the character of an older home. Challenges: Design an island that could accommodate this family of five for casual weeknight dinners. Create more usable storage within the existing kitchen footprint. Design a better transition between the upper cabinets on the 8-foot sink wall and the adjoining 9-foot cooktop wall. Make room for more counter space around the cooktop. It was poorly lit, cluttered with small appliances and confined by the tall oven cabinet. Solutions: A large island, that seats 5 comfortably, replaced the small island and kitchen table. This allowed for more storage including cookbook shelves, a heavy-duty roll out shelf for the mixer, a 2-bin recycling center and a bread drawer. Tall pantries with decorative grilles were placed between the kitchen and family room. These created ample storage and helped define each room, making each one feel larger, yet more intimate. A space intentionally separates the upper cabinets on the sink wall from those on the cooktop wall. This created symmetry on the sink wall and made room for an appliance garage, which keeps the countertops uncluttered. Moving the double ovens to the former pantry location made way for more usable counter space around the cooktop and a dramatic focal point with the hood, cabinets and marble backsplash. Special Features: Custom designed corbels and island legs lend character. Gilt open lanterns, antiqued nickel grilles on the pantries, and the soft linen shade at the kitchen sink add personality and charm. The unique bronze hardware with a living finish creates the patina of an older home. A walnut island countertop adds the warmth and feel of a kitchen table. This homeowner truly understood the idea of living with the patina of marble. Her grandmother’s marble-topped antique table inspired the Carrara countertops. The result is a highly organized kitchen with a light, open feel that invites you to stay a while. Liz Schupanitz Designs Photographed by: Andrea Rugg

Soft green ceramic tile kitchen backsplash
Inspiration for a small timeless u-shaped dark wood floor enclosed kitchen remodel in New York with an undermount sink, marble countertops, green backsplash, ceramic backsplash, recessed-panel cabinets and white cabinets

Eat-in kitchen - large cottage u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, granite countertops, multicolored backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

Kitchen - traditional galley gray floor kitchen idea in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Scott Hargis Photography
Trendy l-shaped kitchen photo in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and beige backsplash

Bathroom - coastal white tile bathroom idea in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets and gray walls

Inspiration for a timeless medium tone wood floor and brown floor home bar remodel in Portland with recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and white countertops

Eric Rorer
Example of a beach style dark wood floor kitchen design in Denver with recessed-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, multicolored backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Open concept kitchen - mid-sized traditional galley dark wood floor open concept kitchen idea in New York with white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets and subway tile backsplash

Kelly Keul Duer and Merima Hopkins
Eat-in kitchen - transitional eat-in kitchen idea in DC Metro with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, glass tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Dan Piassick
Example of a large trendy master white tile, gray tile and marble tile marble floor and white floor freestanding bathtub design in Dallas with gray cabinets, gray walls, an undermount sink, marble countertops, a hinged shower door and glass-front cabinets

Example of a country u-shaped open concept kitchen design with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

An outdated 1920's bathroom in Bayside Queens was turned into a refreshed, classic and timeless space that utilized the very limited space to its maximum capacity. The cabinets were once outdated and a dark brown that made the space look even smaller. Now, they are a bright white, accompanied by white subway tile, a light quartzite countertop and polished chrome hardware throughout. What made all the difference was the use of the tiny hex tile floors. We were also diligent to keep the shower enclosure a clear glass and stainless steel.

Example of a large trendy u-shaped porcelain tile eat-in kitchen design with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, matchstick tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Project by: Dichotomy Interiors
Example of a small trendy single-wall home bar design in New York with wood countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and brown countertops

Small minimalist l-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Los Angeles with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, brown cabinets, solid surface countertops, white backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island