Kitchens for Every Style

Choosing just one metal finish, lighting style or counter surface is like settling for a one-ingredient meal. Spice things up with a more interesting blend, such as this kitchen's gilded hardware and black sconces, all enhanced by warm woods and intricate tilework.

Wisconsin designer Jordan Gottsacker reimagined her parents' 1970s split-level home, moving the gathering spaces—including the kitchen—upstairs to take advantage of the views. The roomy island and shelves crammed with cookbooks please her mom; her dad likes to relax in the nook doing crosswords. Mismatched stools and galvanized lamp fixtures evoke an old farmhouse, while speckled wallpaper adds pep inside glass-front cabinets.

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A white tile backsplash and quartz countertops breathe visual air into the galley kitchen of this Omaha home. Another trick: Shaker molding makes the cabinets look taller.

Gold-tone hardware mingles casually with stainless-steel appliances (silver for the dishwasher and fridge, black for the double ovens). 

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To balance the kitchen's light-and-bright cabinets, walls, and islands, the owner of this Minnesota lakeside home incorporated stained white oak floors, gold accents and dark, richly veined soapstone for the sink, countertop and backsplash.

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Traditional subway tile runs from counter to ceiling in this Minneapolis kitchen, created from a former garage in a 1927 Tudor home. Refinished garage windows add historic charm. "We are inspired by classic design that still feels updated and fresh," says the homeowner.

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In this Minneapolis area home, the kitchen, dining room and den form a large gathering space in the back of the house, where big windows bring in natural light and views. Walnut cabinetry, travertine countertops and backsplash surfaces, plus a custom-oiled steel range hood glove, give the kitchen historic flavor.

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Chicago designer Steph Flemming turned a dark, awkwardly divided kitchen into a beautiful and functional space with a palette of calm colors and a stroke of layout liberation.

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Jill and Kevin Hall annexed a former screened-in porch to make room for a 16-foot kitchen island when they updated their 1980s Kansas City, Kansas, home. A sleek alabaster quartz waterfall countertop frames cabinets and drawers low enough for their young children to access snacks on their own. Natural materials (white oak cabinets, leather stools, turned-wood lights) warm up the modern kitchen.

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Just the thought of removing storage might make you gasp, but without upper cabinets, your kitchen will look larger, and countertops become a more pleasant work space when no longer shadowed beneath cabinets. Open shelving is one way to use above-counter wall space, but windows, pot racks, art and tile also shine.

Michigan designer Michelle Adams opted for honed marble in her kitchen. It will etch, she admits, "but honestly, I think that adds character and history."

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Hang art or lean it on counters or shelves to give your kitchen instant personality. Bonus: You'll see it often. This kitchen also gets a style boost from the rich green hues of the walls and cabinets as well as the timeless appeal of marble.

We're floored by how fresh geometric designs look underfoot, whether in a pantry or the entire kitchen. Pick a style that nods to your home's architecture for the best staying power.

The softly variegated natural glaze of Moroccan terra-cotta tiles provides handmade personality and matches pieces made by the homeowner's father, a potter. Brass fixtures and a vintage rug warm up the cool tones. 

Humble shiplap rules as the current go-to wood, adding warmth and texture to ceilings, walls and islands.

The kitchen of this Nebraska farmhouse originally had dark wood cabinets, making the 10x12-foot room feel even more cramped. To open up the space, the homeowner painted the cabinets white and removed doors from upper cabinets flanking the window. A 39x19-inch island conceals recycling and trash cans on the sink side. A new apron-front sink, modern faucet and butcher-block counter meld with the country character.

At this Indiana lake house, an open floor plan relaxes beneath tall ceilings and windows capping the soaring atrium. Adding the atrium sacrificed some second-floor living space, but ensures an airy, bright kitchen. Warm wood floors, simple base moldings and Shaker-style kitchen cabinets further the country feel. Iron light fixtures and wrought-iron barstools with antique-reproduction bases add rusticity similar to the farm implements hanging on the upstairs walls.

A suburban Minneapolis homeowner found quick, stylish ways to customize her blank-slate builder kitchen. She traded upper cabinets for simple maple shelves that matched the warm wood tones of the stools and floor. And rather than rely solely on plain recessed ceiling fixtures, she added a pair of pendant lights. Colorful accessories such as an inexpensive step stool and wall clock warm up the high-contrast combo of black countertops and white cabinets. Curvy mid-mod stools also personalize the space.

A St. Louis doctor transformed his old one-car garage into the ultimate hobby kitchen with big spaces for everything. Stainless-steel shelves make it easy to quickly spot and grab cookware, while a pendant provides stylish work-space lighting.

In the kitchen of this Lake Michigan cabin, salvaged washing machine drums provided the raw materials for suspended lights, reflecting the homeowners' passion for repurposing vintage materials throughout the property. A lofted bedroom above the kitchen houses four built-in twin beds for guests. See more photos of this beachfront hideaway.

A backsplash of robin's-egg blue glass tile sparkles in the sunlight streaming through undercabinet and clerestory windows in this kitchen of a Lake Michigan home.

The character in this Door County, Wisconsin, kitchen comes from a stone wall, soaring ceiling and hand-rubbed, stained cabinets.

Open shelving reflects the informal style of this Michigan lake home. Warm wood accents-most notably, the dark floor and vent hood-ground the all-white palette. To cover the stainless-steel hood, the owner's uncle cheated the look of pricey walnut panels by cutting grooves in walnut plywood with a router then sealing it with satin water-based clear polyurethane.

Floor-to-ceiling blue cabinets and tile appear seamlessly serene-almost neutral-thanks to color consistency in this Arkansas kitchen.

Nothing says country like the barn look of flat-board paneling. Here, paneling adds texture to the island base and cabinet fronts and backs, while stained paneling puts subtle color on the walls. Dashes of barn red enliven the space.

Streamlined and inventive, the breakfast area of this galley kitchen multitasks as an entertaining bar with access to outdoor living spaces. A slim vintage console serves as an island or table without crowding the narrow room like a round table would. But don't let the stature fool you: Its bold design commands full attention from early-morning bagels until the last call.

The small kitchen of a 1905 southwest Michigan farmhouse gets maximum impact from smart design. A free-standing island is both prep area and casual dining space; the pot rack to the left of the stove adds visual texture and frees up storage space elsewhere.

Paneled cabinetry, open shelving, brightly colored accessories and pine plank floors combine to give this new Door County kitchen an old-fashioned cottage feel.

Mix salvaged pieces with modern stainless-steel upper shelves and appliances for a colorful, vintage vibe. In this Minnesota kitchen, a rusty metal sign propped against the countertop-to-ceiling tilework takes the place of a traditional backsplash behind the range. Instead of another cabinet door, vintage fabric hung on a tension rod creates a curtain to hide supplies. A red cup dispenser mounted on the window frame lets kids quickly grab drinks. A rusty 6-foot iron gate becomes unexpected decor on cabinet fronts.

A large window takes the place of upper wall cabinets and fills this Indiana kitchen with light. Painted green base cabinets wearing round white knobs pair with the natural wood flooring and island top for a casual feel. Boat paddles, vacation memorabilia and a yellow hutch with vintage dishware add cottage charm.

Energetic color works in the kitchen because it is such an active family space. Here, bright green upper cabinets pop above black base cabinets and white marble counters, creating a memorable palette. Stainless steel appliances and accents add the right amount of contemporary style.

The cottage-style kitchen in this Michigan home encourages guests to gather around the 9-foot-long island. Four barstools offer plenty of seating for socializing. Beaded-board cabinetry, a herringbone-pattern tile backsplash and open shelving highlight the casual design.

Secondhand finds and low-cost materials-including an island of reclaimed wood-bring thrifty country style to this Indiana kitchen.Read more about this kitchen.

Stock kitchen cabinetry is budget-friendly and smart in this Indiana beach house full of active kids and summer fun. If a door breaks or gets stained or scratched, the homeowner can simply take it off the hinges and get a new door front.

A side door in this St. Louis garage-turned-kitchen leads to a garden area and the owner's favorite appliance-his wood-burning pizza oven. Designer Jenny Rausch softened the kitchen's commercial look with subway tile walls, marble-look quartzite counters, driftwood-finish cabinets and reclaimed pine flooring. A butcher-block top with a thick edge treatment warms the island. Floor-to-ceiling tile is an easy-to-clean option for busy kitchens.

White-painted recessed-panel cabinetry in the kitchen, paired with stately crown moldings and traditional hardware, keeps a cottage look grounded. Deepen the warm, collected-over-time vibe with a weathered island in an earthy hue. Then let a bright accent wall or lively backsplash, along with sassy accessories, serve as a vivid reminder of your overall color scheme.

Husband-and-wife architects Elissa Morgante and Fred Wilson used their Chicago-area home as a canvas for experimenting with new materials and tweaking the rules. Among the features of this kitchen:

* The fridge and many cabinets wear Lumicor, a lightweight plastic that looks like glass.
* Although the kitchen displays a contemporary aesthetic, wooden elements ensure that it's cozy.
* Sleek, stainless-steel hardware accents white-painted cabinets to mirror appliances. Walnut banding outlines cabinets. A mix of open and closed shelving adds visual interest while providing plenty of out-of-sight storage.
* The perimeter wall of horizontal cabinets has walls that lift up, not out, so doors don't get in the cook's way.
* Hand-made backsplash glass tiles work with horizontal cabinetry and handles to create linear flow.

This kitchen gets some of its personality from the homeowners' love of salvaged and unusual materials. Open storage shelves brighten gray vintage-reproduction subway tile, while a salvaged industrial light fixture spotlights the island. Teak countertops and leather drawer pulls add style.

Splurges on a high-arc faucet and streamlined cabinet hardware modernize the look of this classic white kitchen.

In this Chicago-area kitchen, the homeowner uses a vintage library cart on wheels in place of a kitchen island. "I like that it can be moved around," she says. She removed cabinet doors under the farm sink and hung a skirt of vintage fabric for old-fashioned charm.

Designing a fully wheelchair-accessible kitchen was a challenge for this Ohio homeowner, but clever modifications give access to the prep areas and appliances. In fact, many of the design decisions make cooking easier for everyone. Appliances, such as dishwasher drawers and a side-opening wall oven, are easy to reach.

Classic beaded board, an apron sink and hardware give this kitchen its cottage style, but teak counters, a wrought-iron divider and glass transoms dress up the look. Separate cooking, cleanup and prep areas make it super functional.