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An eye-catching black kitchen provides a bold counterpoint to the otherwise light and airy interior palette. LG appliances, Wilsonart quartz counters in Manhattan, Vertical Tube pendants from Castor Design, and Restoration Hardware French T-Back Stools complete the striking space.

An older building doesn't mean that it can't also be modern, particularly in the kitchen.

Minimalist design can sometimes be a mystery, like modern kitchen cabinets that have no visible hardware. However, a quick little push on the edge of a cabinet can reveal an interior spring mechanism that holds the doors closed.

In a centuries-old building in Montreal, Belgian architect and designer Gaeten Havart undertook a DIY kitchen renovation that makes the most of inexpensive materials. These simple cabinets and modern cabinet pulls are from Ikea and painted with a matte black finish.

Pros: Laminate is at the low end of the price range for countertops, is scratch- and stain-resistant, and comes in a tremendous range of colors. It’s also easy to install, making it a viable DIY option for the handy crowd. Cons: Because laminate countertops are created by layering pieces of plywood and plastic, edges can chip off easily, and the surface can even melt if too much heat is applied directly.

Pros: Wood countertops can be half the price of a lot of stone or metal options, and are soft to the touch and lend a warm, organic feel to a space. Cons: Wood requires maintenance, so you should be prepared for regular oiling and, if the wood gets scratched, sanding.

Pros: Concrete countertops are durable, resistant to heat, and can be less expensive than natural stone, especially when completed as a DIY project. Cons: Concrete must be sealed before being used; otherwise, its porous nature means that it will stain very easily.

Pros: Stainless-steel countertops are used in restaurants and the food service industry because it is durable, easy to maintain, and scratch- and bacteria-resistant. Cons: Installing stainless steel countertops means being ready for louder cooking, with plates and pots making more noise than they would on other surfaces. And just because the surface is stain-resistant doesn’t mean that it’s impervious to denting and scratching.

Pros: Granite is a very hard substance that is resistant to scratches, heat, and, when sealed, stains as well. Cons: Because granite naturally is porous, it does need to be resealed every 8 to 10 years to maintain its resistance to staining. Its higher price point puts it out of reach in some renovations.

Pros: Marble is elegant, heat resistant, and comes in a range of colors. Cons: Its high price, especially for more unusual types like Calacatta marble (known for its purer white and bolder veining compared to more common marble like Carrara), means that it isn’t an option for everyone. It is also quite high maintenance, requiring regular resealing.

White Kitchen with High Window

Honed concrete floors and a level-5 drywall finish on the walls lend a subtle luster to the space. Choosing an IKEA cabinet system allowed Nils to invest in higher-end appliances from Bosch and Miele. The task pendant light is from Danish company Menu.

The architects bought standard-size cabinets and played around with different configurations to make the layout feel bespoke at an affordable cost.

“I didn’t ask for a round house. Nothing against round houses, but it wasn’t like, ‘Ooh, how cool, I want to have a round house,’” says resident Mitchell Lee Marks. In the kitchen, Hot Mesh barstools from Blu Dot pull up to an island with a faucet from Kallista.

Bierman designed the custom wood and resin kitchen cabinetry with a carpenter.

The faucet is by Brizo, and the sink is from Kräus. The backsplash is a handmade white ceramic tile that lends some organic irregularity to the scheme.

Eivind did most of the construction himself, but he did have some help from his friends: While hosting a party at the not-quite-finished house on New Year’s Eve in 2016, Eivind cajoled the group into carrying the kitchen’s 11-foot concrete countertop in from the garage so that he could install it. “They had to,” he says. “Otherwise, there was no place to prepare the food.”

Hidden Kitchen Pantry Opened