Francis Dzikowski
Transitional l-shaped light wood floor kitchen photo in New York with shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and subway tile backsplash

A spacious colonial in the heart of the waterfront community of Greenhaven still had its original 1950s kitchen. A renovation without an addition added space by reconfiguring, and the wall between kitchen and family room was removed to create open flow. A beautiful banquette was built where the family can enjoy breakfast overlooking the pool. Kitchen Design: Studio Dearborn. Interior decorating by Lorraine Levinson. All appliances: Thermador. Countertops: Pental Quartz Lattice. Hardware: Top Knobs Chareau Series Emerald Pulls and knobs. Stools and pendant lights: West Elm. Photography: Jeff McNamara.

Liz Daly
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless galley medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in San Francisco with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and green cabinets

INTERNATIONAL AWARD WINNER. 2018 NKBA Design Competition Best Overall Kitchen. 2018 TIDA International USA Kitchen of the Year. 2018 Best Traditional Kitchen - Westchester Home Magazine design awards. The designer's own kitchen was gutted and renovated in 2017, with a focus on classic materials and thoughtful storage. The 1920s craftsman home has been in the family since 1940, and every effort was made to keep finishes and details true to the original construction. For sources, please see the website at www.studiodearborn.com. Photography, Adam Kane Macchia and Timothy Lenz

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. Eric Roth Photo

We opened up the kitchen in this Old Portland condo by removing two walls, creating a new generous entry and extra dining space with the addition of a breakfast bar. Extra storage was created with drawers installed into the toe-kicks, and the cabinets were taken to the ceiling to create visual height while adding more storage. Views over the breakfast bar keep the cook connected with guests. All materials were selected for beauty, function, and sustainability. The cabinets and woodwork are handcrafted from reclaimed lumber. The back splash tiles are handmade by a Pacific Northwest artisan. The floor is made of sustainable cork, and is comfortable underfoot.

This bright, transitional kitchen blends timeless materials with thoughtful, functional details. Full-height Carrara marble tile creates a classic backdrop, accented by walnut floating shelves and a walnut-clad range hood for warmth and contrast. Crisp white cabinetry with cup pulls is paired with a custom gray-green island. Glass pendant lights, layered houseplants, and a window above the sink enhance the airy feel, while a pot filler and under-counter wine fridge add everyday convenience. Hartmann & Forbes woven window shades introduce natural texture, completing a kitchen that feels both elegant and inviting. Photo by Christopher Stark.

The homeowners moved into this beautiful house, but the kitchen needed a face lift and the homeowners came to Caves Kitchens for their ideal kitchen. We brightened the kitchen up with the white overlay maple cabinets and designed the under cabinet lighting to really accentuate the kitchen's atmosphere. When the kitchen was finished, the homeowners felt like they finally were living in their home, not just a house. -Allison Caves, CKD Caves Kitchens

Keith Hill. Solid Apollo LED. In this beautiful yet simple kitchen remodel, the owners wanted to highlight the carefully chosen back splash and granite counter top with extra lighting that their traditional lights could not reach. Here Pure White LED Strip Light has been added just behind the front lip of each cabinet, providing a large amount of bright workable and dimmable lighting. The LED Strip Light is perfect for this area, as the flexible strip comes with strong double sided sticky back tape and is easy to customize in length, as the LED Strip Light can be cut into smaller sections only several inches long.

This island has an under-counter microwave close to the main cooking area and a warming drawer to the left of the microwave. The warming drawer is covered with an appliance panel drawer front and has an oversized appliance pull to handle the extra weight and remind the homeowner which drawer is the warming drawer.

KitchenAid under counter, built-in microwave in Cabinets.com Shaker II cabinets.
Inspiration for a transitional home design remodel in Boise

Design Studio2010
Example of a beach style matchstick tile and gray tile alcove shower design in Austin with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, green walls and brown countertops

Interior design by SOCO Interiors. Photography by Giovanni. Built by Stock Development.
Elegant l-shaped kitchen photo in Miami with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, multicolored backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

A custom library ladder works in the Kitchen and also the Living Room. John Wilbanks Photography
Example of an arts and crafts single-wall kitchen design in Seattle with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

David Duncan Livingston
Inspiration for a large coastal dark wood floor kitchen/dining room combo remodel in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Close-up view highlights the linear look of this modern kitchen design with its stainless steel appliances and Caesarstone quartz countertops. Glass-covered, flush-mounted induction stove and cooktop. The stainless steel backsplash includes two appliance garages, providing for additional hideaway storage. Glass-fronted cabinets include in-cabinet lighting. Photo by Rusty Reniers

Keith Hill. Solid Apollo LED. In this beautiful yet simple kitchen remodel, the owners wanted to highlight the carefully chosen back splash and granite counter top with extra lighting that their traditional lights could not reach. Here Pure White LED Strip Light has been added just behind the front lip of each cabinet, providing a large amount of bright workable and dimmable lighting. The LED Strip Light is perfect for this area, as the flexible strip comes with strong double sided sticky back tape and is easy to customize in length, as the LED Strip Light can be cut into smaller sections only several inches long.

A Dillard-Jones Builders design – this custom mountain home was inspired by Southern Living Magazine and the North Georgia Mountains. Its elegant-rustic design flows throughout the entire home. Photographer: Fred Rollison Photography

Keith Hill. Solid Apollo LED. In this beautiful yet simple kitchen remodel, the owners wanted to highlight the carefully chosen back splash and granite counter top with extra lighting that their traditional lights could not reach. Here Pure White LED Strip Light has been added just behind the front lip of each cabinet, providing a large amount of bright workable and dimmable lighting. The LED Strip Light is perfect for this area, as the flexible strip comes with strong double sided sticky back tape and is easy to customize in length, as the LED Strip Light can be cut into smaller sections only several inches long.