Kitchen

7. Cookware on display. In a restaurant kitchen, pots, pans and dishes have to be close and easy to grab. Stock open shelving with simple, brasserie-style dishware (plain white or with a colored rim) and store cookware on a wall- or ceiling-mounted pot rack (bonus points if your pans are well-worn copper and steel).

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Dishes Storage

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8. Chalkboards. What's a bistro without the menu of the day scrawled in chalk? Even if you use your chalkboard for grocery lists and household reminders rather than for announcing soupe à l'oignon and charcuterie, you'll get the same effect. Stick with tradition and hang a framed chalkboard on the wall, or cover a refrigerator panel with chalkboard paint as these owners did.

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Classic kitchens. What is classic? The answer is as varied as cooks are. Still, white or cream kitchen cabinets, simple architectural details and black accents offer a blank slate that homeowners can personalize with contemporary, traditional and eclectic touches as they see fit.

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Craftsman kitchens. Craftsman style arose in the early 20th century as a reaction to the mass-produced fussiness of the Victorian era. Its rich woods, built-ins, handcrafted tiles and well-made simplicity continue to charm us.

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Transitional kitchens. Think of a transitional kitchen as the great moderator. With the warmth and welcome of traditional design and the clean, simple lines of contemporary style, transitional spaces project balance and harmony. Because they offer a great deal of flexibility, they're a great choice for homeowners whose taste spans the two.

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Tambour doors. Also known as a garage door, the tambour door is perfect for hiding small appliances used on a daily basis — like the blender, coffee maker or toaster. The door usually opens from top to bottom (some open from side to side), sliding up and down on a track inside the cabinet. Thin horizontal strips of wood with a fabric backing allow the wood to roll over the inside top of the cabinet when the door is open.

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