Ideas From the Year’s Top 10 Kitchens of the Week
Get inspired by the found objects, reclaimed hardware, efficient storage and work zones in our top kitchens of 2016
The Houzz Kitchen of the Week series offers a wide range of advice and inspiration to help you update or transform the heart of your home. In reverse order, here’s a roundup of the 10 most popular Kitchens of the Week from 2016, as measured by the number of people who have saved these photos to their personal Houzz ideabooks this year. Click on the links for a full tour of each kitchen and more useful ideas for your own place.
Two countertop materials — granite for the island, quartz for the perimeter — create visual interest and help break up the space. “It would make this kitchen seem too narrow and long if we used the same material for both the island and perimeter counters,” Lober says. “We wanted to break up the room so it doesn’t look like a bowling alley.”
The island features an open bookcase for cookbooks, a prep sink, a full-size second oven used during large parties and holiday meals, and drawers on the end across from the range for pots and pans.
Take the kitchen tour: More Storage and a Better Layout
The island features an open bookcase for cookbooks, a prep sink, a full-size second oven used during large parties and holiday meals, and drawers on the end across from the range for pots and pans.
Take the kitchen tour: More Storage and a Better Layout
9. Farmhouse Charm
Design takeaway: Use reclaimed hardware, tile and wood to add timeless character.
Marie Barth and her husband, Brian Forcine, brought the simplicity and warmth of an antique Italian farmhouse kitchen to their new home in Pennsylvania. “We wanted something relaxing and unpretentious,” says Barth, who has a passion for design. Working with cabinetmaker Kevin Ritter of Timeless Kitchen Cabinetry, they mixed reclaimed chestnut boards, copper grilles, simple oil-rubbed bronze hardware, European antiques, plaster walls, terra-cotta floors and salvaged pieces to create an inviting kitchen that looks as though it has been here for centuries rather than months.
Design takeaway: Use reclaimed hardware, tile and wood to add timeless character.
Marie Barth and her husband, Brian Forcine, brought the simplicity and warmth of an antique Italian farmhouse kitchen to their new home in Pennsylvania. “We wanted something relaxing and unpretentious,” says Barth, who has a passion for design. Working with cabinetmaker Kevin Ritter of Timeless Kitchen Cabinetry, they mixed reclaimed chestnut boards, copper grilles, simple oil-rubbed bronze hardware, European antiques, plaster walls, terra-cotta floors and salvaged pieces to create an inviting kitchen that looks as though it has been here for centuries rather than months.
A French antique reinforced the tone — the faux cow head on the range hood was the project’s mascot. “He inspired the entire kitchen,” Barth says. Originally, she wanted to attach it to a zinc hood, but when that proved too costly, she took things into her own hands, painting the hood to look like zinc. “I love teaching myself how to do things,” she says.
The backsplash and counters are Carrara marble. The piece over the range is an antique Italian fireback with a 1733 family crest.
Take the kitchen tour: Found Objects and Old Italian Farmhouse Charm
The backsplash and counters are Carrara marble. The piece over the range is an antique Italian fireback with a 1733 family crest.
Take the kitchen tour: Found Objects and Old Italian Farmhouse Charm
8. Radiant in Rhode Island
Design takeaway: Forgo hardware on cabinets by adding cutouts to them.
Craving a more user-friendly kitchen for their busy family, which includes two teenagers, Chris and Pattie Holzwarth built an addition to their 1930s Colonial Tudor that allows space for a warm and serene kitchen with a better connection to surrounding rooms and the outdoors.
Working with designer Sophia Shibles of SCS Design and architect Cory Kallfelz of Bridge Hall Design, they achieved a kitchen that features a multipurpose island providing good traffic flow on all sides as well as plenty of surface space for homework, meals, unloading groceries and prepping food.
Design takeaway: Forgo hardware on cabinets by adding cutouts to them.
Craving a more user-friendly kitchen for their busy family, which includes two teenagers, Chris and Pattie Holzwarth built an addition to their 1930s Colonial Tudor that allows space for a warm and serene kitchen with a better connection to surrounding rooms and the outdoors.
Working with designer Sophia Shibles of SCS Design and architect Cory Kallfelz of Bridge Hall Design, they achieved a kitchen that features a multipurpose island providing good traffic flow on all sides as well as plenty of surface space for homework, meals, unloading groceries and prepping food.
This photo shows the richness of the island’s Calacatta Gold marble top with a polished finish. “It has a pretty dramatic vein that’s very wide that runs through it and reflects the colors used in the space,” Shibles says.
The darker perimeter counters are fossilized pistachio limestone with a honed finish for contrast. This photo also shows the cutouts used to open the island drawers, where the Holzwarths keep dishes, bowls, silverware and a stainless breadbox.
Take the kitchen tour: A Better Design for Modern Living in Rhode Island
The darker perimeter counters are fossilized pistachio limestone with a honed finish for contrast. This photo also shows the cutouts used to open the island drawers, where the Holzwarths keep dishes, bowls, silverware and a stainless breadbox.
Take the kitchen tour: A Better Design for Modern Living in Rhode Island
7. A Little Bit Modern, a Little Bit Country
Design takeaway: Mixing higher- and lower-end items wisely will save money without taking away from the overall aesthetic.
This kitchen serves as the true hub of this busy family’s home. “As soon as we touched the kitchen, everything else got involved,” says interior designer Cynthia Soda. The new modern-country style of the kitchen spread to the dining room, hallway, entrances, mudroom, staircase and family room. The owners’ love of the warmth of reclaimed wood was a strong influence on the design, while Soda laid things out for the best possible functionality and views to the backyard.
Design takeaway: Mixing higher- and lower-end items wisely will save money without taking away from the overall aesthetic.
This kitchen serves as the true hub of this busy family’s home. “As soon as we touched the kitchen, everything else got involved,” says interior designer Cynthia Soda. The new modern-country style of the kitchen spread to the dining room, hallway, entrances, mudroom, staircase and family room. The owners’ love of the warmth of reclaimed wood was a strong influence on the design, while Soda laid things out for the best possible functionality and views to the backyard.
Soda brought in warmth via a cultured stone backsplash. It has a color palette similar to the new brick veneer in the family room addition.
The homeowners found the black hardware at Ikea. “If you mix higher- and lower-end items right, the whole thing winds up looking high-end,” Soda says. The Shaker cabinets are custom, and the perimeter countertops are a dark leathered granite, a modern update on the soapstone typically seen in farmhouse kitchens.
Take the kitchen tour: A Balance of Modern and Country for a Family Home
The homeowners found the black hardware at Ikea. “If you mix higher- and lower-end items right, the whole thing winds up looking high-end,” Soda says. The Shaker cabinets are custom, and the perimeter countertops are a dark leathered granite, a modern update on the soapstone typically seen in farmhouse kitchens.
Take the kitchen tour: A Balance of Modern and Country for a Family Home
6. Belgian Bliss in Minnesota
Design takeaway: Find global inspiration for your kitchen and re-create it at home
A homeowner’s love for Belgian design shows in this updated kitchen, designed by Kate Roos, that offers great function with transitional style. Gray walls and custom cabinets plus a crisp white ceiling set a soothing tone. The vintage glass pendant lights over the island once hung in a Belgian grocery store. The glass door on the right leads to a terrace.
Design takeaway: Find global inspiration for your kitchen and re-create it at home
A homeowner’s love for Belgian design shows in this updated kitchen, designed by Kate Roos, that offers great function with transitional style. Gray walls and custom cabinets plus a crisp white ceiling set a soothing tone. The vintage glass pendant lights over the island once hung in a Belgian grocery store. The glass door on the right leads to a terrace.
The updated layout includes a bar around the corner from the navy-blue French range. “While the range was definitely a splurge, we were able to use porcelain tile under $10 a foot for the floor,” says Roos, who placed the tiles in a herringbone pattern. The floor has radiant heat, which comes in handy during the cold Minnesota winters. Shallow shelves added on each side of the range allow display storage of oils and spices. A piece of salvaged wood caps the range area.
Take the kitchen tour: Modern and Traditional Elements Mix in Minneapolis
Take the kitchen tour: Modern and Traditional Elements Mix in Minneapolis
5. Stylish in Seattle
Design takeaway: Adding a vaulted ceiling will make a narrow kitchen feel more open.
The small, dark 1960s kitchen of interior designer Harmony Weihs and her family wasn’t working. “The ceilings were under 8 feet high, the cabinets were falling off their hinges, and two people could not do anything in here at the same time without bumping into each other,” she says. By adding a modest extension and remodeling the rest, she brightened up the room and created a layout that functions without all that bumping.
Here we are looking at the new portion of the kitchen, which extends just 7½ feet but makes all the difference. A view out a large picture window enlarges the space visually. The 4-by-6-foot window provides a lovely focal point and is surrounded by a stacked slate accent wall. The slate is a natural stone veneer on mesh-backed tiles that can be installed by a tile installer rather than a mason.
Design takeaway: Adding a vaulted ceiling will make a narrow kitchen feel more open.
The small, dark 1960s kitchen of interior designer Harmony Weihs and her family wasn’t working. “The ceilings were under 8 feet high, the cabinets were falling off their hinges, and two people could not do anything in here at the same time without bumping into each other,” she says. By adding a modest extension and remodeling the rest, she brightened up the room and created a layout that functions without all that bumping.
Here we are looking at the new portion of the kitchen, which extends just 7½ feet but makes all the difference. A view out a large picture window enlarges the space visually. The 4-by-6-foot window provides a lovely focal point and is surrounded by a stacked slate accent wall. The slate is a natural stone veneer on mesh-backed tiles that can be installed by a tile installer rather than a mason.
From this vantage point, we are looking toward the existing part of the kitchen. The ceiling had been under 8 feet high. The new vaulted ceiling extends the entire length of the kitchen, seamlessly tying the addition into the existing room. She outfitted the ceiling with four skylights and white, 5½-inch tongue-and-groove paneling.
“We have a lot of gray days in the Pacific Northwest, so making things light and bright is important here,” the designer says.
Take the kitchen tour: A Bright Update for Seattle’s Gray Days
“We have a lot of gray days in the Pacific Northwest, so making things light and bright is important here,” the designer says.
Take the kitchen tour: A Bright Update for Seattle’s Gray Days
4. Beach Bungalow Beauty
Design takeaway: Use retro-inspired appliances to create a cool vintage vibe.
When sitting in this kitchen, it’s hard to tell that the recent renovation was a gut job. Interior designer Dominique Tharp of QualCraft Construction and the homeowners prioritized keeping the 1940s beach bungalow’s charm, perhaps nowhere more so than in the cheerful kitchen. Beadboard, retro-style appliances, a Hoosier-style cabinet, schoolhouse pendant lights, seeded glass and crystal drawer knobs are just a few of the details that keep the home’s original spirit alive in this vacation home in Coronado, California.
Design takeaway: Use retro-inspired appliances to create a cool vintage vibe.
When sitting in this kitchen, it’s hard to tell that the recent renovation was a gut job. Interior designer Dominique Tharp of QualCraft Construction and the homeowners prioritized keeping the 1940s beach bungalow’s charm, perhaps nowhere more so than in the cheerful kitchen. Beadboard, retro-style appliances, a Hoosier-style cabinet, schoolhouse pendant lights, seeded glass and crystal drawer knobs are just a few of the details that keep the home’s original spirit alive in this vacation home in Coronado, California.
A white-enameled Aga range fits right in with the period look. Tharp covered the modern-looking appliances, such as the dishwasher and built-in warming drawer, with panel fronts, and tucked others, such as the microwave and small beverage refrigerator, into the counter-facing side of the island. The island’s walnut top is fully functional as a workstation surface for cutting.
Take the kitchen tour: Vintage Beach Bungalow Style
Take the kitchen tour: Vintage Beach Bungalow Style
3. Turning Back the Clock
Design takeaway: Create a kitchen that matches the rest of your home’s design for a cohesive look.
It’s easy to see why Marylou and Bob Graham love to eat at their kitchen table. Before they hired Heartwood Kitchens to gut the room, it had a dated 1980s look that was at odds with the rest of their 1890s Dutch Colonial home. Thanks to the renovation, their kitchen now is light-filled and full of Victorian-era charms, including antique English transferware tiles, vintage-style drawer pulls and beadboard.
Design takeaway: Create a kitchen that matches the rest of your home’s design for a cohesive look.
It’s easy to see why Marylou and Bob Graham love to eat at their kitchen table. Before they hired Heartwood Kitchens to gut the room, it had a dated 1980s look that was at odds with the rest of their 1890s Dutch Colonial home. Thanks to the renovation, their kitchen now is light-filled and full of Victorian-era charms, including antique English transferware tiles, vintage-style drawer pulls and beadboard.
The couple sacrificed an original window for a wooden hearth-style range surround that’s now a focal point. The new skylights and lighter paint colors make up for the lost window. Abundant cabinets include long, narrow pullouts on either side of the range to keep herbs, spices and cooking oils handy.
Take the kitchen tour: Swapping Out the 1980s for the 1890s
Take the kitchen tour: Swapping Out the 1980s for the 1890s
2. Clean and Classic
Design takeaway: Add efficiency and function to your kitchen by creating different work zones.
Designer Jessica Williamson of JTWdesign wasn’t willing to sacrifice efficiency over style when designing her family’s kitchen. Using Houzz to gather ideas, she mixed unexpected modern design elements that add personality and texture to the clean and classic space. At the same time, she created different zones — including a designated baking center, a built-in bar for entertaining and a coffee station — to make the open kitchen as user-friendly as possible.
Design takeaway: Add efficiency and function to your kitchen by creating different work zones.
Designer Jessica Williamson of JTWdesign wasn’t willing to sacrifice efficiency over style when designing her family’s kitchen. Using Houzz to gather ideas, she mixed unexpected modern design elements that add personality and texture to the clean and classic space. At the same time, she created different zones — including a designated baking center, a built-in bar for entertaining and a coffee station — to make the open kitchen as user-friendly as possible.
The large center island includes a granite composite two-bowl sink with a metallic gray finish. Clear acrylic stools for casual meals have a modern edge. “Because we have the adjacent dining room, I didn’t want to see a sea of chairs,” Williamson says. “The clear acrylic allows them to blend into the island; they’re sturdy, super easy to clean and affordable.”
Take the kitchen tour: Clean and Classic Space With a Modern Sensibility
Take the kitchen tour: Clean and Classic Space With a Modern Sensibility
1. Style and Storage to Boot
Design takeaway: Update your kitchen storage systems to make the most out of every inch.
Sarah Robertson of Studio Dearborn designed a kitchen in Rye, New York, that’s chockfull of customized organizing solutions. The cabinets hold every kind of pullout and divider you can think of, including a recessed paper towel holder, a mixer shelf, a spice drawer, a custom knife block drawer and slots for baking sheets.
Light blue subway tiles on the backsplash provide a bit of color and lend a slight coastal look to the space, which works well for the 1920s Colonial-style home since it sits close to the water. Hits of stainless steel bring in a more modern style as well.
Design takeaway: Update your kitchen storage systems to make the most out of every inch.
Sarah Robertson of Studio Dearborn designed a kitchen in Rye, New York, that’s chockfull of customized organizing solutions. The cabinets hold every kind of pullout and divider you can think of, including a recessed paper towel holder, a mixer shelf, a spice drawer, a custom knife block drawer and slots for baking sheets.
Light blue subway tiles on the backsplash provide a bit of color and lend a slight coastal look to the space, which works well for the 1920s Colonial-style home since it sits close to the water. Hits of stainless steel bring in a more modern style as well.
A wide spice drawer to the left of the range organizes jars. “You can read the labels and don’t have to reach for ones high up,” Robertson says. “It’s a great setup right by a range. When I redo my own kitchen, I’m going to put in two.”
The pullout for baking sheets has what looks like a cabinet front to help break up the drawers on that wall of cabinetry.
Take the kitchen tour: Storage Galore in a 1920s Colonial
Browse more Kitchens of the Week
The pullout for baking sheets has what looks like a cabinet front to help break up the drawers on that wall of cabinetry.
Take the kitchen tour: Storage Galore in a 1920s Colonial
Browse more Kitchens of the Week
Design takeaway: Use two countertop materials to break up the space.
With four children ranging in age from younger than 2 to 10 years old, Kevin and Jenny Jarvis knew when they purchased their ranch-style home in Danville, California, that they would have to expand the tight U-shaped kitchen to make it more workable for their active family. “I spend at least 40 percent of the day in the kitchen, so I wanted a space that felt light and open,” Jenny says.
Shelley Lober of Kitchens of Diablo gained space by knocking down a wall that separated the original kitchen from a dining room, increasing the size of the kitchen from 135 square feet to 326 square feet. The new space allowed for a large island with plenty of seating and a walk-in pantry.