Photographer, Morgan Sheff

Oak patching and refinish

NRG Flooring

This Old House, Bedford

Kathy Marshall Design

This Old House, Bedford. I was asked to be back on the team to work on the second oldest house TOH had ever worked on! It was a great project, super homeowners and a fair amount of discovery and challenges as we brought this old house back to her former glory. The homeowner needed more space and wanted to add on a great room of the kitchen. I was tasked with creating a kitchen that fit into todays modern world but celebrated the "old house" details. Exposed beams, uneven floors, posts and storage needs where all high on the to do and worry list! Working in a full size pantry with counters and a deep freeze provided that function and charm we were all hoping for in this new kitchen. A custom blue inset island with a beautiful 2" thick honed Danby marble top works nicely in the open concept feel. Glass fronted cabinets, blue and white tile and a hint of red in the back wall of the pantry all have a nod to the historic roots of the property and subtle reminder to it's part in the American Revolution. All the episodes of this exciting project may be viewed by going to www.thisoldhouse.com, search Bedford. Enjoy!

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Chalkhouse Kitchens

With plans all ready to update their Edwardian property in the centre of Cardiff, unexpectedly our clients found the house of their dreams for sale in the Vale and knew straight away it was an opportunity not to miss. The large house had been previously renovated in a very modern, open plan style which meant the generous, classic proportions of the formal rooms had been lost. The new owners were keen to bring a more traditional beauty back to the house, taking out the very modern fittings in the bathrooms and replacing in a more sympathetic style, changing the layout both upstairs and down to create rooms with a more balanced feel that suited the age of the property. The kitchen was moved into the former dining room which looks directly over the beautiful private garden that has fabulous distant sea views, a light filled space for a family who spend a lot of their time together cooking and entertaining. Opening up an existing chimney breast for the range cooker, adding in a traditionally styled window for light over the double Belfast sink and opening up the wall into the adjacent day/dining room created the large kitchen living space filled with light they had been looking for. The pale, pretty F&B Light Blue colour on all the kitchen furniture adds to the peaceful sense of calm in the room, picked up in the adjacent dining room for continuity. Quartz in a soft marble colour provides an easy clean surface around the sink whilst solid oak worktops on the island add warmth and pick up the colour of the stripped floorboards. With a double width food larder and a matching breakfront larder for appliances at either end of the sink run, the symmetry allows for brass wall lights either side of the window, casting a soft glow over the room and matched with the aged brass handles used throughout. A new induction hob on the island opposite the range cooker allows the couple to cook together, with seating on the island for family and friends to gather together for meals and coffee. The American fridge freezer is tucked behind the dividing wall with a bespoke tall unit alongside for the microwave, open shelving for books and the essential place for keys, letters and the day to day bits and pieces of family life. Prepping meals and cooking on the island, with views over their lovely garden has been a highlight of their first summer in their new home.

AMANDINE - 70m2 - Rénovation totale d'un appartement

C&O Studio

Rénovation complète d'un appartement haussmmannien de 70m2 dans le 14ème arr. de Paris. Les espaces ont été repensés pour créer une grande pièce de vie regroupant la cuisine, la salle à manger et le salon. Les espaces sont sobres et colorés. Pour optimiser les rangements et mettre en valeur les volumes, le mobilier est sur mesure, il s'intègre parfaitement au style de l'appartement haussmannien.

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Studio Design Elements

TALL PANTRY AND DRAWERS

Molly J Littlejohn Design

South Hampton House

D. Wang Photo

Happy Blue/White Home

Karen Spiritoso Designs LLC

Photos by Kris Palen

West University project

Ashwood Designs and Custom Homes

Tk Images

Mysore two bed

Burbeck Interiors ltd

Chris Snook

Kitchen Extension for Hannah Portman

Anna Stathaki | Photography

©Anna Stathaki

Evans Kitchen Case Study

Roundhouse

Roundhouse Urbo matt lacquer bespoke kitchen in Farrow & Ball Hague Blue and Little Greene Paint company French Grey and Patinated Silver matt metallic finish. Clamshell Caesar Stone Composite worksurface and polished plaster splashback. Photography by Nick Kane.

Bold, Blue Kitchen Cabiinets

Village Cabinet Design LLC

Washington Park Exotic Escape

Atelier Interior Design

This kitchen is a great place to gather when friends and family come over. The blue cabinets and the cook top back splash make this kitchen exciting to spend time in.

Early 1900's Kenwood Kitchen Remodel

TreHus Architects+Interior Designers+Builders

This beautiful two-story brick residence on the edge of Kenwood had a kitchen that had been poorly re-done mid-20th century, and needed to be brought up to the quality of the rest of the original home. All new finishes, cabinetry and additional windows transform the space entirely. Granite countertops and a farmhouse sink center on new windows that look out to a yard and traditional garage at the back of the house.

The Pimlico Kitchen by deVOL

deVOL Kitchens

Forest Hills

Millwerks

Two Tone Shaker in Thame

Ridgeway Interiors

Masterclass Shelford inkwell and light grey Tuscany white worktop Neff appliances Blanco sink and tap Our client wanted to create a social, open plan space where the family could come together to eat, talk and cook with each other on a regular basis. We use the Shelford to create this classic shaker kitchen with contemporary touch in two colours – inkwell and light grey. The quartz worktop in Tuscany white really brought the island and the wall units together as one space. The kitchen was completed with appliances from our Neff range along with a Blanco sink & tap.

Ashridge - A hand-painted Shaker kitchen with banquette seating

Simon Taylor Furniture

Our clients were seeking a classic and stylish Shaker kitchen with a contemporary edge, to complement the architecture of their five-year-old house, which features a modern beamed ceiling and herringbone flooring. They also wanted a kitchen island to include banquette seating surrounding one end of a large industrial-style dining table with an Ash wooden table top that our clients already owned. We designed the main run of in frame cabinetry with a classic cornice to completely fit within the recessed space along the back wall behind the island, which is hand-painted in Stewkey Blue by Farrow & Ball. This includes a central inglenook and an overmantel that conceals a Siemens canopy extractor hood above a white Everhot range cooker. Overhead cabinets and undercounter storage cupboards were included within the design, together with oak dovetailed deep drawer storage boxes. A Samsung American-style fridge freezer was also integrated within the run. A 30mm thick quartz worktop in Tuscany colourway extends on either side of the range cooker and this is repeated on the kitchen island as well, with an overhang on both sides of the u-shaped design to accommodate bar stools beneath. In the centre of the island, we created u-shaped banquette seating upholstered in grey velvet to surround one end of the large rectangular dining table. To store their collection of fine wines, we specified two undercounter wine conditioners by Miele to fit within each end of the island to store reds, whites and Champagnes. Along the length of the island, facing the Everhot is a large ceramic double-bowl Belfast sink by Shaws of Darwen and a Quooker Cube tap, providing hot, cold, boiling and sparkling water. On the task side of the island, two 60cm dishwashers by Miele are integrated at either end of the cabinetry together with storage for pull-out bins and utility items. On a further run to the left of the island, we designed and made a large Shaker two-door pantry larder, hand-painted in All White by Farrow & Ball and featuring deep dovetail drawer boxes beneath. Extending on either side of the pantry is natural oak contemporary open shelving to mix with the traditional design of the kitchen. A further freestanding cabinet with a natural solid oak top was handmade to sit beneath the client’s wall-mounted television. Cup handles and knobs are all brushed brass by Crofts and Assinder, with matching brass butt hinges.

Kitchen with Blue Cabinets and Light Hardwood Floors Design Ideas

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to planning your kitchen design. Where do you even start? Gathering some inspiration in a photo gallery is always a good starting point, as looking at different kitchen designs often brings up ideas you haven’t even thought of yet.

Browse Photos of Kitchen Designs for Inspiration and Collect Your Ideas

You can browse through photos of all kinds of kitchen styles, layouts and sizes on Houzz to get started before jumping into any design software or contacting a local professional for help. Here’s a few considerations to keep in mind when planning your kitchen.

1. What Makes a Good Kitchen Design, and Why is it Important?

For starters, you want to find a balance between aesthetics and function. You may have heard of the ‘kitchen work triangle’, which refers to the space between your fridge, sink and stove. You want everything within easy reach when you’re working in the kitchen and look beautiful at the same time. It’s a good idea to take note of both when browsing our photo gallery.

2. Consider Your Space to Determine Your Kitchen Layout

Firstly, consider the space you have, and the limitations that come with it. Do you have a small kitchen and need to maximise your workspace and storage? Can you allow yourself some more space and a big island with seating? Are you designing your kitchen from scratch or renovating an existing design? Which appliances do you already own and what are their measurements? Are there windows you need to take into consideration when planning cabinets? How do kitchen, living and dining areas connect? Depending on your space and needs, you want to use a shape that suits you. U, G, or L-shaped kitchen, with or without island or peninsula? Know your dimensions, plan cabinetry carefully and consider the placement of your appliances. You don’t want to end up with a finished design, only for your significant other to question where the fridge is supposed to go. Consider from the start where your fridge, oven, microwave and sink goes to save yourself from starting again from scratch - remember the kitchen work triangle! You also want to plan the layout of your cabinets. Maybe you’re planning for a pantry and can do with less storage space in your kitchen, so that your design can be one without upper or lower cabinets for a different look. A corner cabinet can be a smart storage solution if you want to keep the look clean and simple.

3. Decide on a Kitchen Style, But Don’t Forget Practicality

You want the style of your kitchen to reflect your personality and taste. We have curated a large array of kitchen styles here at Houzz, from traditional to contemporary to transitional and everything in between. Consider what your cooking style is for a start - Italy is known for its cuisine, so italian kitchen designs are generally popular. Also consider ergonomics - depending on how much time you spend in your kitchen, the height of your counters can make a big difference to your overall health. You also want to consider colour and finishes of cabinets, countertops and splashbacks. Which colour do you want your cupboards to be? Simple, timeless white or rather making a statement in black? Maybe rather a rustic wood? Also consider the colour of your floor - if you have dark floors, you may want to keep cabinets lighter. You could also go for an all-white look and choose black appliances for contrast. Once you know which style you fancy, don’t forget how you will be using the space. You want to keep cooking in mind, as well as how easy to clean and maintain the space will be. How many cooks do you need to accommodate? Do you have kids around? How much storage do you need? Maybe you want to go for open shelves rather than cabinets and allow for easy reach of key items you use when cooking. Again - remember the triangle! Lastly, choose lighting that both enhances the look of your kitchen as well as your cooking performance, providing light in all the right places.

4. Be Conscious of Your Budget

No matter what you plan for your kitchen design, cost is always a big factor. Be sure to plan with your budget in mind. It may make more sense to go for a modular kitchen design rather than custom build. You can save a lot of money if you get at least 3 estimates from professionals before locking in the job. And don’t forget to allow a 20% buffer for emergencies. Once you are ready to hire a pro, our directory will help you find one, no matter where you are. So whether you're looking for an Interior Designer in Melbourne or an Architect in Sydney, you can be sure to find a qualified expert for the job!