Designer: Katie Severns Design
Location: Walnut Creek, California
Size: 360 square feet (33 square meters); 15 by 24 feet

Homeowners’ request. “This kitchen was previously a rarely used formal living room,” designer Katie Severns says. “We overhauled the floor plan, relocated the existing kitchen, which was about one-third of the size of this space, and created an open, airy feel throughout the kitchen, dining and living room spaces. This allowed for much more functional storage space; a generous and architecturally interesting island with seating; and larger, upgraded appliances, including a 48-inch range and 42-inch refrigerator. The kitchen is now a true entertaining space and the heart of the home.”

Vent hood details. “The vent hood was custom-built by our cabinetmaker, and I applied a Roman Clay finish from Portola Paints to add warmth and organic texture to the modern space,” Severns says.

Other special features. Handmade zellige tile backsplash. Calacatta Oro marble countertops in a honed finish. Custom rift-sawn white oak island with handmade tambour detailing. Unlaquered brass fixtures and hardware. Hand-thrown ceramic pendant lights. “This is truly an organic modern kitchen, with natural and handmade materials throughout,” Severns says.

Designer tip. “The secret to creating neutral spaces that still feel full of personality and well designed is to play with texture, shape and scale,” Severns says.

Paint colors: Revere Pewter (perimeter cabinets) and White Dove (walls), Benjamin Moore

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Designer: Erin Anderson Interiors
Location: San Diego

Homeowners’ request. “The original kitchen felt visually disconnected from the rest of the home and lacked functionality,” says designer Erin Anderson, who uses Houzz Pro software. “While the footprint of the room was fairly large, most of the usable space was being wasted. The homeowners’ vision was to create a kitchen that reflected their love of cooking and entertaining with a lot of special features while aesthetically feeling timeless, as though it had always been there.”

Vent hood details. “We wanted the hood to be a main feature of the space,” Anderson says. “It was the main wall of the kitchen and the most viewable and also needed to be the most functional area. Bringing in very organic natural materials brought warmth and character with a vintage beam, timeworn marble tile and oak shelves. Designing some storage into the sides of the hood walls, as well as a clean slab backsplash, elevated the function.”

Other special features. Le Blanc quartzite slab range backsplash. Van Gogh quartzite island countertop. Marble tile backsplash in a herringbone pattern on the sink wall and flanking the range. The cabinets are Ikea with Semihandmade fronts and panels for a custom look. “We really tried to customize every inch of this kitchen,” Anderson says.

Designer tip. “Be open to mixing metals and materials,” Anderson says. “You can achieve a balanced feel using some worn or vintage materials and warm brass tones with new finishes like modern stainless appliances that often feel cold. We also recommend panel-ready appliances whenever possible to keep things looking clean and less busy.”

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Designer: Jes Vanwey of Rooted Design Studio
Architect: Ewers Architecture
General contractor: Dan Thoemke of DT Construct
Location: Golden, Colorado
Size: 360 square feet (33 square meters); 18 by 20 feet

Homeowners’ request. “Their big desire was to position the kitchen with a table mountain view and have an island that they could entertain at while preparing a meal — 360-degree functionality,” contractor

Dan Thoemke says. “This was a new build so designed from scratch.”

Vent hood details. “This is a stainless steel LG hood that complements the other appliances,” Thoemke says. “They did not want the hood to be the focal point, so they kept it very basic and worked to draw the eye to the wood island and outdoor views.”Thoemke uses Houzz Pro software to “track and present all our selections and design materials to clients,” he says. “We are currently learning how to integrate the AI tools and slowly moving them into our daily routines to streamline our communication, clean up our presentations and create overall better time efficiencies.”

Other special features. Stained white oak island with an inset band of steel. Clear glass pendant lights. Wide-plank white oak flooring.

Designer tip. “This home is located in Golden, Colorado, which is a small town west of Denver that has a very old yet progressive mountain-city feel,” Thoemke says. “The materials used in this home are very mountain, rustic, yet clean and professional. We wanted this home to feel like it belonged in Golden and was designed for a Golden residence.”

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Designers: Nicolette Drescher, Maggie Wills and Muna Kamouna of Sun Design Remodeling Specialists
Location: Washington, D.C.
Size: 141 square feet (13 square meters)

Homeowners’ request. Reconfigure the main level of their 1929 townhome while maintaining its integrity. The original kitchen location encouraged guests to immediately enter the kitchen upon arrival — while the homeowners were preparing to entertain — which was a source of stress. “We converted their existing dining room, which once was a sleeping porch, into their kitchen,” designer Nicolette Drescher says. “To maximize their available space, we created a niche within the existing rear opening to house the range. The back wall of this niche aligns with a structural post that we concealed in the corner.”

Vent hood details. “We chose the Zephyr Lux island range hood so that we could recess it as much as possible into the ceiling to make it disappear,” Drescher says. “We cleverly hid the ductwork through the top of the wall cabinets in the kitchen to have it vent out of the rear of the townhouse.”

Other special features. Porcelain tile range backsplash in a subtle floral pattern. The perimeter backsplash and countertops are marble-look quartz. “The existing exterior brick walls were covered up and the client really wanted to restore them to their original glory,” Drescher says. “Through a labor of love, they took down the plaster and drywall to expose the brick. It was a happy surprise to discover that the brick openings were arched. It had been painted green at some point over the years prior to being covered up, and the clients painstakingly stripped the paint away to leave the gorgeous bricks.” The refrigerator and microwave are on the other side of the space, surrounded in richly stained wood cabinetry.

Designer tip. “The clients had a clear vision of what they were looking for in their space,” Drescher says. “They had spent a long time going through their ideas to narrow down their vision. I definitely recommend using sites like Houzz to get inspiration and create ideabooks to keep it all organized so that your designers can see what you have in mind at the beginning.”

Range backsplash tile: Pure Net Cloud in gray, Morris & Co., The Tile Shop; cabinet paint: Cotton Balls, Benjamin Moore

Before and After: 4 Inviting Kitchens in 120 to 160 Square Feet

Designer: Maggie Beaulieu of Sustainable Nine Design + Build
Location: Minneapolis

Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners envisioned a Scandinavian-modern-inspired kitchen that felt open, clean and highly functional — an environment that would support aging-in-place living with easy movement and no visual clutter,” says designer Maggie Beaulieu, who encourages her clients to create Houzz ideabooks of inspiration photos to help understand their style and goals.

Vent hood details. “Instead of a visible vent hood, this kitchen uses a hidden integrated hood behind the upper cabinetry,” Beaulieu says. “This choice supports the homeowners’ desire for an uninterrupted, clean-lined aesthetic. A bulky stainless hood would have visually divided the space. The integrated option keeps the focus on the natural materials and linear forms.”

Other special features. Rift-cut white oak cabinetry. Granite countertops and backsplash. Matte black details. “We focused on lower cabinetry with deep drawers, offering easy, ergonomic access to essentials, an ideal setup for both current use and future aging-in-place needs,” Beaulieu says. “The elm hardwood flooring is a durable hardwood known for its unique grain pattern and resilience in high-traffic spaces. Its flexibility and strength make it a practical choice for an active household, and its subtle grain brings warmth without visual clutter.”

Designer tip. “When designing a kitchen, start by getting clear on your daily functional goals — not just how you want it to look but how you want it to work for you every day,” Beaulieu says. “Think beyond traditional storage norms. Don’t assume dishes, glasses or everyday items need to live in upper cabinets. In this project, lower drawers for plates, glasses and daily essentials created a more ergonomic, user-friendly setup — especially important for aging in place.”

10 Aging-in-Place Features Pros Swear By

Architect: John Hathaway of Vanguard Studio
Interior designer: Michelle Miller Design
Builder: Enve Builders
Location: Georgetown, Texas
Size: 528 square feet (49 square meters); 22 by 24 feet

Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners wanted a kitchen that embodied timeless Spanish character with the comfort and openness of modern living,” architect John Hathaway says. “They dreamed of a space where warm wood tones, handcrafted elements and artisanal textures could coexist with clean functionality.”

Vent hood details. “The vent hood is a statement piece in custom blackened steel with hand-riveted detailing, framed by a dramatic plaster surround with soft arching lines,” Hathaway says. “The contrast between the matte black hood and the soft cream plaster creates a commanding focal point while still feeling handmade and old-world. The hood’s metal finish ties in with the oversized iron hardware and sconces, while the arching plaster shape echoes the adjacent doorways and contributes to the architectural rhythm.”

Other special features. White oak cabinetry in custom light fumed finish. Quartzite island countertop with a honed finish and waterfall ends. Hand-painted terra-cotta backsplash tiles in a Spanish motif. Brass orbital chandeliers. Black iron sconces for “old-world charm,” Hathaway says. The flooring is wide-plank European oak.

Designer tip. “Use repeated arched elements — doorways, vent hoods and even furniture lines — to subtly guide the eye and create a cohesive, layered look,” Hathaway says. “Mixing natural textures with refined materials creates depth and a sense of legacy in a new build.”

Wall paint: Alabaster, Sherwin-Williams

The 10 Most Popular New Kitchens Right Now

Designer: Inga Oren Architect
Location: Tribeca area of New York City

Homeowners’ request. “The flow of the existing space was truncated and the finishes were very dated,” architect Inga Oren says. “As a result, we completely relocated the kitchen and created a new circulation pathway throughout the large open-concept kitchen/living/dining space. The owner wanted to achieve a clean modern aesthetic with a touch of warmth and natural materials.”

Vent hood details. “The vent hood is sourced from Futuro Futuro, an Italian designer range hood vendor,” Oren says. “We wanted to bring in a modern clean aesthetic to a functional appliance that not only serves its purpose but also acts as a design feature. The stainless steel of the range hood tied into other accessories in the space, such as the clean modern faucet and water dispenser.”

Other special features. “We used an engineered light-character brushed European white oak flooring and created a custom kitchen millwork in a complementary midtone stain with the same light-character brushed white oak veneer,” Oren says. “For the stone, we sourced a leathered soapstone on the waterfall island for durability, and on the sink counter and backsplash we sourced a lighter contrasting quartzite. The kitchen cabinetry and custom millwork integrated pulls were all designed by this office and custom-built.”

Designer tip. “Try to pair contrasting wood tones rather than matching the wood tones in the flooring and cabinetry, as similar tones tend to clash rather than complement one another,” Oren says.

Flooring: PID Floors; wall paint: Super White, Benjamin Moore

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Designer: Michelle Kopfer Roberts of Michelle’s Interiors
Location: Frisco, Texas

Homeowners’ request. “The original space had a dark backsplash and a small dining area — the back door actually hit the dining chairs when opened,” designer Michell Kopfer Roberts says. “We bumped out the back wall, creating a much larger seated dining area with large French doors that open directly onto an outdoor kitchen. We also updated the paint and hardware on the kitchen cabinets and added an additional cabinet onto one end, allowing for a built-in trash pullout, which every kitchen needs. We replaced countertops and backsplash tile, faucets and lighting, creating a whole new look in the kitchen.”

Vent hood details. “This hood was the original hood in the home,” Roberts says. “We felt it was enough of an updated look that we could include it with our remodel. The corbels were simple and subtle, and the flat panel above gave it a lovely transitional vibe.”

Other special features. Calacatta Gold marble hexagonal backsplash tiles. “The kitchen had a small, poorly functioning butler’s pantry,” Roberts says. “We moved the doorway and added an entire wall of cabinets in this area, allowing the homeowner to create an entire bar service area. The cabinets all appear to be one depth from the front, but they actually open up into the space underneath the stairs from behind, allowing for a lot of deep storage that was previously wasted space behind a closed wall.”

Designer tip. “Always add a built-in trash bin if you can,” Roberts says. “We found one that was motion-operated and the homeowner is so happy. Previously they were carrying their trash into their pantry to throw it away; now it’s a seamless part of a well-functioning kitchen.”

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