This is an example of a transitional kitchen in DC Metro with a drop-in sink, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, multiple islands and white benchtop.

Family members enter this kitchen from the mud room where they are right at home in this friendly space. The Kitchens central banquette island seats six on cozy upholstered benches with another two diners at the ends. There is table seating for EIGHT plus the back side boasts raised seating for four more on swiveling bar stools. The show-stopping coffered ceiling was custom designed and features beaded paneling, recessed can lighting and dramatic crown molding. The counters are made of Labradorite which is often associated with jewels. It's iridescent sparkle adds glamour without being too loud. The wood paneled backsplash allows the cabinetry to blend in. There is glazed subway tile behind the range. This lovely home features an open concept space with the kitchen at the heart. Built in the late 1990's the prior kitchen was cherry, but dark, and the new family needed a fresh update. This great space was a collaboration between many talented folks including but not limited to the team at Delicious Kitchens & Interiors, LLC, L. Newman and Associates/Paul Mansback, Inc with Leslie Rifkin and Emily Shakra. Additional contributions from the homeowners and Belisle Granite. John C. Hession Photographer

Double island kitchen with 2 sinks, custom cabinetry and hood. Brass light fixtures. Transitional/farmhouse kitchen.
This is an example of an expansive traditional l-shaped kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, multiple islands, brown floor, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback and mosaic tile splashback.

This exquisite private residence in Calgary was meticulously crafted over two years. Every detail of this 3075-square-foot home has been thoughtfully designed and curated from its inception to the final touches. This beautiful home features our Avila hickory floors from our Castillo collection.

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Oklahoma City with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors, multiple islands, brown floor and black benchtop.

gray distressed cabinets, cabin, country home, custom home, double islands, millwork, modern farmhouse, mountain home, natural materials, natural wood, open shelving, wood ceiling, wood flooring

Nestled in the picturesque suburban area of Nazeing, Essex this stunning grand country house underwent an extensive renovation to become their forever home. Relocating to a grand country property like this offers huge potential to make it your dream home, and the goal was to blend timeless country charm with modern luxury, resulting in a kitchen at the centre that is as functional as it is breathtaking. Revitalising their living space, the area opened up to a kitchen, informal dining and living area, where the layout was carefully planned to enhance the flow of the zones, making it a hub for cooking, socialising and living. The whole space is not only beautiful inside but also maximises its connection to the outdoors. Large glass doors connect the open-plan space with the grounds bringing in a great deal of natural light and scenic views. Every corner is bright and airy, creating a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. The location of this Nazeing home, surrounded by lush greenery and rolling hills, adds to the charm of this traditional yet modern kitchen design. Key design elements focus on natural oak, exposed wooden beams, and two spacious kitchen islands for maximum practicality and a touch of grandeur. In true Shaker style, the kitchen is both beautiful and usable, and we also designed handmade cabinetry for additional rooms such as a walk-in pantry, a utility and a media wall unit. Our client fell in love with the Classic In-Frame Shaker design, and this is the style that was chosen. The client also loved the look of natural oak to bring warmth to the room, tying in with the beams and country setting, so decided to have the whole middle section designed in nautral oak (2 islands and a dresser). What makes this hub of the home spectacular is the dual kitchen islands. Both built and designed in our beautiful natural oak, these two stunning islands serve multiple purposes for the space and our client. Working Island – Let’s start with the smaller one of the two. Square in shape, this is dedicated to food preparation and comes equipped with a Franke built-in sink and Quooker Classic Fusion Square in Patinated Brass. Ample counter space and storage solutions, including an integrated recycling bin, can be seen. Socialising Island – This is larger, more of a rectangle, and has a beautiful curved end acting as an additional informal dining area to the straight line. The space for six bar seats encourages family and guests to gather and socialise. It also features an S-Box (pop-up socket), bespoke cutlery & utensil drawers, deep pan drawers and curved end cabinetry. Further elevating the stunning design is the choice of range cooker and the exposed brick wall surrounding that sits at the centre. A cream classic AGA offers both traditional aesthetics and modern functionality that becomes the kitchen’s workhorse and the perfect choice for our client’s busy life. A little fun fact – this AGA is 30 years old! It has been repurposed from all gas to all-electric! It still looks brand new, keeping up with the modern family life! A quintessential country feature that is framed with bespoke cabinetry and an exposed brick wall, making it the focal point of the cooking area. Not only an appliance for cooking large family meals but a range cooker that heats the space during the colder winter months and adds to the homely, inviting feel of the space. Close, and just on the other side of the prep island and in direct view of the AGA, is a freestanding cabinetry unit that houses integrated cold storage appliances (fridge and freezer) from Samsung and a built-in Liebherr Wine Storage Cabinet. The breathtaking scenery is a natural backdrop, blending the indoors with the outdoors. Positioned in front of large windows and framed by exposed wooden beams, the sink area offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The many windows flood the kitchen with natural light, making everyday tasks like washing up a pleasure. How this sink area was created: The Shaws Double Bowl sink brings the kitchen a classic yet timeless charm. A spacious, deep basin that’s practical for daily tasks and perfect for a family kitchen. The Perrin & Rowe Ionian Mixer Tap with Rinse in Aged Brass combines traditional craftsmanship with modern convenience. Choosing aged brass not only adds a luxurious vintage touch but also complements the natural tones of a country kitchen. A Perrin & Rowe Freestanding Soap Dispenser in Aged Brass Traditional completes the look. A small yet impactful accessory that blends seamlessly with the mixer tap. Its freestanding design allows for flexibility in placement – the sink area is kept neat and uncluttered, maintaining the clean lines of the design. This sink run includes two Miele fully integrated dishwashers and plenty of other storage solutions to keep the kitchen organised. The handmade cabinets are hand-painted in Rolling Fog by Little Greene. Further elevating the design with alternative storage and tying in with the country setting is the natural oak dresser. It’s the epitome of refined craftsmanship and classic style, that’s designed to elevate the aesthetics of the home and our client’s style. The dresser combines warm tones with the light, airy feel provided by the glazed doors and the Carrara Misterio worktop. With a bold structure, the upper section features glass-fronted cabinets, allowing our client to display their most treasured items while keeping them protected. It further enhances an open, airy look. Below, the dresser provides concealed storage with a sturdy oak door and drawers. The closed storage solution is perfect for keeping less decorative items, such as linens or tableware, neatly out of sight but easily accessible. In the middle is open-shelving. Something else that captures the eye and adds to the style and functionality of the kitchen is the beautifully crafted breakfast pantry, hand-painted in Rolling Fog by Little Greene. The pantry sits at one end of the kitchen providing a dedicated space for all your morning essentials, streamlining the daily routine all while adding a touch of refined elegance. It’s neatly organised, within reach, and designed beautifully behind bi-fold doors. The soft, muted tones of Rolling Fog, pair beautifully with the natural beauty of the woodwork. A Samsung Built-In Grill Microwave is housed in the middle and a quartz cold shelf is the ideal place for small kitchen appliances and keeping breakfast items such as butter, cheese, or fresh pastries cool during preparation. Other features of the kitchen include the handles – Perrin & Rowe Shell in Aged Brass, Perrin & Rowe Large Contoured Knobs in Aged Brass, and Armac Martin Bar Handles for fridge, freezer and wine cabinet. And the Carrara Misterio quartz worktops. Prime location, a light and airy walk-in pantry situated adjacent to the kitchen, enhancing the flow of the cooking and dining routines, is what we have created here. A thoughtful L-shaped layout brings a space that helps our clients quickly select ingredients, appliances, and other essentials and the spectacular views make it a space that feels both luxurious and serene. Our client opted for stylish storage jars to keep ingredients fresh and organised and wicker baskets to add to the rustic charm. These natural materials contrast beautifully with the sleek Carrara Misterio quartz worktops and open shelving, adding depth and character to the pantry design. A perfect blend of entertainment and cooking is just another key element of this space – a modern touch to the otherwise classic kitchen. In the living part of the open-plan space, we designed and built a media wall unit beneath those solid and beautiful wooden beams. Positioned in a way where you can see from the entertaining island, this beautiful feature still allows for all the family to enjoy TV shows altogether, whether cooking, eating or socialising. The media wall is framed with custom cabinetry that blends seamlessly with the rest of the space, keeping it stylish and attractive. The open shelving allows our client to display decorative items that fit in with the overall decor and below cabinetry to conceal other items you may not want to be displayed. We hand-painted the unit in Rolling Fog by Little Greene, a neutral hue that is warm and grounding.

This French country-inspired kitchen shows off a mixture of natural materials like marble and alder wood. The cabinetry from Grabill Cabinets was thoughtfully designed to look like furniture. The island, dining table, and bar work table allow for enjoying good food and company throughout the space. The large metal range hood from Raw Urth stands sentinel over the professional range, creating a contrasting focal point in the design. Cabinetry that stretches from floor to ceiling eliminates the look of floating upper cabinets while providing ample storage space. Cabinetry: Grabill Cabinets, Countertops: Grothouse, Great Lakes Granite, Range Hood: Raw Urth, Builder: Ron Wassenaar, Interior Designer: Diane Hasso Studios, Photography: Ashley Avila Photography

Warm farmhouse kitchen nestled in the suburbs has a welcoming feel, with soft repose gray cabinets, two islands for prepping and entertaining and warm wood contrasts.

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit. Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable. The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside. Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune. The clients' needs and desires were: ➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups ➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas ➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework ➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme ➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage ➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave ➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by: ➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion ➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage. ➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners. ➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals. The project is enhanced functionally by: ➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island ➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table. ➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers ➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen ➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room. ➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage. ➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware. ➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards. The project is enhanced aesthetically by: ➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling ➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven ➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island ➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches ➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors. ➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space. ➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches. Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC: ➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band. ➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging. ➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash. Design obstacles to overcome: ➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel. ➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits ➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components. Evidence of superior craftsmanship: ➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal ➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen ➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look ➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space ➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.

Photography: Garett + Carrie Buell of Studiobuell/ studiobuell.com
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WINNER OF THE 2017 SOUTHEAST REGION NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THE REMODELING INDUSTRY (NARI) CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR (CotY) AWARD FOR BEST KITCHEN OVER $150k | © Deborah Scannell Photography