The renovation of the kitchen and family spaces in this 1950's house in Needham, Massachusetts transformed the dark central core of the house into a light-filled kitchen with a physical connection to all of the living areas. Abundant windows and skylights in the dining area connect the exterior landscape to the interior spaces and the dark wood and light stone countertops compliment the mid 20th century modern furniture collection. Photo: Matthew Delphenic

Elegant galley dark wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Orange County with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, limestone countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white cabinets

Peter Rymwid
Large transitional l-shaped dark wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in New York with an undermount sink, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and shaker cabinets

joy coakley photographer
Open concept kitchen - mid-sized transitional u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen idea in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, blue backsplash, ceramic backsplash, an island, stainless steel appliances and gray countertops

Transitional medium tone wood floor kitchen photo in Birmingham with limestone countertops, beige backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, shaker cabinets and gray cabinets

Black and White - Transitional horizontal design.
Example of a large transitional l-shaped light wood floor kitchen design in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, white countertops and recessed-panel cabinets

Tracy Taha Photography
Inspiration for a large farmhouse u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Austin with white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, soapstone countertops, gray backsplash, stone tile backsplash and an island

Example of a huge cottage u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen design in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, an island, marble countertops, gray backsplash, marble backsplash, multicolored countertops, paneled appliances and shaker cabinets

Douglas Johnson Photography
Inspiration for a large timeless l-shaped light wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

THE SETUP Client Background: Our clients, a couple who have transitioned into the empty nest phase, have cherished their home for over three decades without undergoing any significant renovations. With a newfound desire to adapt their living space to better suit their current lifestyle, they’ve embarked on a journey to reimagine their kitchen — the heart of their home. Their aspiration is to cultivate a serene, neutral-toned sanctuary on the first floor that seamlessly merges with their family room, ensuring a harmonious and inviting environment. Design Inspiration: The renovation is inspired by the couple’s penchant for soft, calming neutrals, using their cherished family room and the kitchen’s existing tile flooring as the cornerstone for the color scheme. This approach aims to foster a sense of warmth and tranquility throughout. Design Objectives: Harmonize the kitchen with the family room by adopting a soothing, neutral color scheme, ensuring a seamless flow across the first floor. Enhance kitchen functionality with thoughtfully designed cabinetry, providing a designated place for every item and maximizing storage efficiency. Cultivate an inviting and comfortable atmosphere that reflects the homeowners’ desire for a calm and relaxing space. Design Challenges: The homeowners wish to retain the existing kitchen tile flooring and integrate it into a refreshed, modern design. Accommodating a dining area spacious enough for family visits without compromising the kitchen’s open feel or functional layout. Despite liking the current placement of plumbing and appliances, the homeowners aspire for a more open floor plan to facilitate better movement and interaction. The need to amplify natural light in the kitchen, especially around the sink area, where existing lighting is insufficient. Preserving the half-wall between the kitchen and family room, a feature the homeowners want to keep, while ensuring it complements the new design. THE RENEWED SPACE Design Solutions: By choosing a neutral color palette that complements the existing tile, the design unifies the kitchen with the adjacent spaces. The tile’s grout was cleaned and restored, enhancing the floor’s appearance and integrating it seamlessly with the new kitchen aesthetic. The inclusion of a larger island with seating for two, alongside maintaining a substantial dining table, was achieved by optimizing the spatial layout. This allowed for a sociable yet functional kitchen, accommodating large family gatherings without feeling crowded. Minor adjustments to the kitchen’s layout maintained the preferred locations for plumbing and appliances while introducing an ‘open’ design concept. Strategic modifications, such as angling the pantry wall, improved the flow and accessibility within the space. Replacing the garden window with a broader, standard window significantly increased natural light, transforming the sink area into a bright, welcoming space with enhanced views of the outdoors. The decision to keep the half-wall was ingeniously leveraged to define the dining area while maintaining an open connection to the family room. This feature not only serves as a visual separator but also ties the two spaces together through the shared color scheme and design elements. The homeowners are thrilled with their newly remodeled kitchen, which has become a hub of warmth and hospitality. Hosting a wedding shower and a birthday party, they have shared their renewed space with friends and family, who have been equally enamored. This remodel has not only met their functional and aesthetic desires but has also enriched their home with a fresh sense of serenity and joy. The upstairs part of the home is shaping up nicely. Here’s their newly remodeled primary bathroom.

The original house was demolished to make way for a two-story house on the sloping lot, with an accessory dwelling unit below. The upper level of the house, at street level, has three bedrooms, a kitchen and living room. The “great room” opens onto an ocean-view deck through two large pocket doors. The master bedroom can look through the living room to the same view. The owners, acting as their own interior designers, incorporated lots of color with wallpaper accent walls in each bedroom, and brilliant tiles in the bathrooms, kitchen, and at the fireplace tiles in the bathrooms, kitchen, and at the fireplace. Architect: Thompson Naylor Architects Photographs: Jim Bartsch Photographer

This small but practical bar packs a bold design punch. It's complete with wine refrigerator, icemaker, a liquor storage cabinet pullout and a bar sink. LED lighting provides shimmer to the glass cabinets and metallic backsplash tile, while a glass and gold chandelier adds drama. Quartz countertops provide ease in cleaning and peace of mind against wine stains. The arched entry ways lead to the kitchen and dining areas, while the opening to the hallway provides the perfect place to walk up and converse at the bar.

Beautiful kitchen with two islands for a large family to gather in. One island with lots of seating while the other is used prepare meals still leaving the cook with lots of workspace. Between the built-in refrigerator and freezer a pewter countertop was used to mirror the materials used on the hood on the opposing wall.

Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized transitional galley dark wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in Boston with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood countertops, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, an undermount sink and stone tile backsplash

Large transitional galley light wood floor and beige floor open concept kitchen photo in Dallas with white cabinets, an island, shaker cabinets, quartzite countertops, multicolored backsplash, stone slab backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Example of a trendy u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen design in Miami with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige backsplash, paneled appliances, an island, an undermount sink, quartz countertops and glass tile backsplash

Example of a mid-sized trendy l-shaped travertine floor and beige floor open concept kitchen design in San Diego with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, a peninsula, stainless steel appliances, multicolored backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, solid surface countertops and white countertops

The knee wall between the original kitchen and living room was removed. The island was planned with seating and the sink. Another opening to the back butlers pantry are was opened to allow easy access to stock items and an extra refrigerator.

Our clients wanted the ultimate modern farmhouse custom dream home. They found property in the Santa Rosa Valley with an existing house on 3 ½ acres. They could envision a new home with a pool, a barn, and a place to raise horses. JRP and the clients went all in, sparing no expense. Thus, the old house was demolished and the couple’s dream home began to come to fruition. The result is a simple, contemporary layout with ample light thanks to the open floor plan. When it comes to a modern farmhouse aesthetic, it’s all about neutral hues, wood accents, and furniture with clean lines. Every room is thoughtfully crafted with its own personality. Yet still reflects a bit of that farmhouse charm. Their considerable-sized kitchen is a union of rustic warmth and industrial simplicity. The all-white shaker cabinetry and subway backsplash light up the room. All white everything complimented by warm wood flooring and matte black fixtures. The stunning custom Raw Urth reclaimed steel hood is also a star focal point in this gorgeous space. Not to mention the wet bar area with its unique open shelves above not one, but two integrated wine chillers. It’s also thoughtfully positioned next to the large pantry with a farmhouse style staple: a sliding barn door. The master bathroom is relaxation at its finest. Monochromatic colors and a pop of pattern on the floor lend a fashionable look to this private retreat. Matte black finishes stand out against a stark white backsplash, complement charcoal veins in the marble looking countertop, and is cohesive with the entire look. The matte black shower units really add a dramatic finish to this luxurious large walk-in shower. Photographer: Andrew - OpenHouse VC