95 Kitchens That'll Make You Want to Redo Yours

The kitchen in Liz Lange's New York City home isn't large, but she wanted it to feel as bright and airy as possible despite a smaller footprint. "Rather than going pre-war in its aesthetic, we gutted it and went very clean and modern," she says. She coated all hardware-free cabinetry in white lacquer and used white plaster paint on the backsplash, which looks unfussy and isn't too precious.

Designer Cameron Schwabenton gave this kitchen a surge of energy with fun vintage pieces (those chairs!) and brass accents. The glossy dark blue cabinets are actually from IKEA—Schwabenton gave them a unique twist with brass hardware (See here for more IKEA kitchen makeover examples and ideas).

Lauren Lothrop Caron of Studio Laloc added warm brass accents and Roman shades in darby rose fabric by Jasper to make the space more inviting. She also snuck in as much storage as possible with a thin floating shelf for spices and then a wide one above it for bigger tools.

Designer Mallory Kaye modernized this ranch house kitchen while also letting the original architecture shine. She paired sophisticated finishes with functional fabrics and a smart layout to withstand the wear and tear of young children and work hard for family living. The custom adobe-style plaster hood draws the eye up, as does a skylight stretching along the room’s width and bathing it in natural light.

New York City-based designer Garrow Kedigian chose Soft Chinchilla by Benjamin Moore to give the kitchen cabinets a light, cheerful energy. “I always like my kitchens to feel like rooms and not utilitarian spaces, so I always encourage my clients to paint their kitchens with a lively color,” Kedigian says. The backsplash and counters are the same material, black granite from SMC Stone, for a seamless effect.

In this kitchen designed by Cate Dunning, glossy tiles in a herringbone pattern contrast with the matte greige painted cabinets and the dark stone counters. Marrying both, the floor tiles are a custom mosaic pattern reminiscent of an old-school Parisian bistro. There are also plenty of personal accents incorporated, which is fitting considering that this was the designer's grandmother's home!

The kitchen in this 16th-century thatched cottage designed by Elizabeth Hay features Little Greene’s White Lead paint on the walls, beams, and ceilings, and a rich Edward Bulmer Invisible Green on the cabinets. A floral arrangement by Rambling Rose enhances the English cottage aesthetic.“Being a quintessential Devon cottage, it was already full of charm but quite neutral in terms of color.”

The great big-picture windows required Kate Arends to sacrifice wall space, which ended up being so worth it because of all the natural light and forest views they allow. To make up for the lack of wall space, Arends optimized the lower cabinets by making them extra deep and then hung pots and pans from the dropdown ceiling. A lazy Susan corrals cooking condiments.

In a Brooklyn townhouse by interior designer Eneia White, the kitchen is one of the primary gathering spaces so she wanted it to be as comfortable as it is stylish. The cabinets are painted soothing light blue color and the island extension serves as an extra dining area.

To play up the home’s period features, Francesca Grace gave the interiors a cosmetic refresh with wallpaper, vintage items, light fixtures, and accessories. We love how fun the fruit basket accessory is, and it keeps the countertops clear.

In this kitchen designed by Alexandra Kaehler, the classic blue and white combo gets a subtle twist with a gray tone. The cabinetry color pairs beautifully with a light blue grasscloth vinyl wallcovering. “We wanted it to feel custom and not all spec,” says Kaehler. She then ensured a sunny mood with fresh flowers growing near the window.

This 1970s home on Belleayre Mountain in the Catskills was originally designed by local Japanese American architect Ikuyo Tagawa. Interior design firm BHDM added modern updates while maintaining its original character.

Designer Jasmine Lam keeps this kitchen in her London pied-a-terre stocked with water for guests. Fresh greenery on the bar cart brings the pale sage green cabinets and forest motif roman shades to life.

Just because your kitchen doesn't get a ton of natural light doesn't mean it can't have a sunny disposition. The cheerful yellow wallpaper in Shavonda Gardner's kitchen proves it. Featuring unlacquered copper pots, soapstone counters that quickly patina, and a simple central dining table instead of a kitchen island, the kitchen's lived-in atmosphere instantly makes anyone who enters feel right at home.

If the space is small, play around with fun wallpaper. Something with a little sheen will make the room gleam... even if you haven't gotten to the dishes in, uh, a while. Sheila Bridges also opted for a complementary fabric on these accent chairs to enhance the blues throughout and tucked them in a low-traffic corner for convenience.

Designer Kristin Fine gave her classic farmhouse a modern twist with glossy zellige tiles on the walls, Calacatta marble from ABC Stone on the counters, and vintage opaline pendants, black flush mounts, and vintage stools reupholstered in a mossy Pierre Frey fabric. The exposed beams maintain the countryside roots of the home and the pale green tones honor the forest views outside.

This kitchen was designed around the homeowners's inherited ceramic collection. She told designer Andy Beers of Ore Studios that she wanted the blue midcentury serve ware and tableware to anchor the entire space, so they mixed in open cubbies and added splashes of red for a vibrant yet straightforward color palette.

If your kitchen wall is lined with windows, consider adding a pretty treatment that doesn't totally block the light, like cafe curtains, and make sure your lower cabinets can take care of most of the storage needs. This way, you can forgo lining the wall with uppers. Instead, install one strategic column. Heidi Caillier customized the open shelves for cookbooks, plates, drinkware, and even artwork.

Designer Nicole Dohmen of Atelier ND only set one rule when embarking on this kitchen remodel: “No more pink!” The rest of the home is dominated by rosy hues, so to prevent it from taking over the kitchen while still ensuring flow with the surrounding rooms, so went with earthy tones on the cabinets. Violet still makes an appearance in the Calacatta marble counter and backsplash zellige tiles, and a dusty blush tone veils the ceiling.

Hang cafe curtains for a sweet, playful feel and a touch of privacy without totally blocking light, and then use a matching wallpaper or fabric to line glass-enclosed cabinets for cohesion and hidden storage. Kevin Isbell brought the blue and cream print on his to life by painting the floors a fun, checked pattern.