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In this custom-built London guesthouse kitchen designed by Studiomama, lustrous vertically clad cabinetry achieves additional depth with the addition of the chairs, which were picked up for $15 each at a local market and powder coated in bright orange.

A large, marble island is the focal point of this all-white kitchen, with the marble backsplash helping to tie the space together.

Passionate about recycling, a Belgium designer couple Michaël Verheyden and Saartje Vereecke upcycled a beautifully veined marble tabletop from Vereecke’s parents’ house as the backsplash for their kitchen, pairing it with metal countertops for a chic industrial look.

Just because your kitchen is on the smaller side doesn’t mean you can’t make it as efficient and effective as possible.

This airy home makes the most of its beachside location with sustainable design, careful siting, and an expansive, glazed facade.

Whereas others might look at a board-formed cement wall in a basement and see, well, a concrete wall, Jess and Jonathan Taylor, the design duo behind the L.A.-based firm Taylor + Taylor, were inspired. The couple had purchased a virtually untouched 1952 house in east L.A. and that concrete wall became the backdrop for a new guest kitchen in the basement. "It was really the starting point of the whole design," says Jess Taylor. "As designers, our goal is to always try to incorporate the existing surroundings whenever possible, utilize them in practical ways, and be inspired by them."

When tapped to redesign a darling cottage in Brisbane's Little Italy, the team at Cavill Architects was inspired by "architecture with veneration for the past." As a result, the newly remodeled dwelling now pays homage to the Italian migrant workers' housing that was a crucial part of the Australian city's post-war settlement. The open kitchen has a warm Mediterranean-like feel and overlooks the central garden.

The Stewart-Schafer team hand-selected each slab of Calacatta Vagli marble to be book-matched. "We love the beautiful natural veining and imperfections of marble against the clean lines of the kitchen design," noted Stucker. To protect the marble, they used a trade secret sealing product that comes with a lifetime guarantee, which, according to Stucker "helps alleviate the hesitations some clients have with marble."

See Arch removed a wall to create a more spacious kitchen with a stronger visual connection to the dining area. The updated kitchen is outfitted with quartz countertops and Viking, Fisher Paykel, and Asko appliances.

For this kitchen, the architects paired slate-gray HPL (high-pressure laminate) cabinets by Henrybuilt, cool Basaltina countertops, with custom shelving and a white Corian backsplash.

This kitchen is outfitted with concrete counters and floors and off-grid-friendly low-energy appliances. The ceiling is paneled in reclaimed barn wood.

This artfully minimalist Australian kitchen combines concrete, oak, steel, and prefabricated panels with a substantial marble countertop and backsplash.

Concreteworks countertops, a Wolf range, Kallista sink, and Boffi faucet also fill the space.

The home’s HenryBuilt kitchen is a focal point. The yellow hues of its cabinetry are softened by white oak finishes on the floors and the kitchen island.

"Around the time we were thinking of moving back [to San Francisco], I took a trip to Marfa, Texas, and fell in love with the agelessness of Donald Judd’s work," says Amy. "I liked the idea of having a classic American reference to the space, since we are influenced as much from America as we are by Asian culture."

Birched plywood shelving was installed in the loft bedroom.

The addition’s most eye-catching feature is the steel staircase with recycled blackbutt wood treads. The bottom steps double as benches to supplement the six Arne Jacobsen Series 7 dining chairs for Fritz Hansen and a Nomos table base by Sir Norman Foster for Tecno.

Tom’s compact bedroom feels much larger thanks to interlocking shelves and storage. The plywood bed and surrounding shelving were custom-built by Wilkin and a hired carpenter.

PHOTO: Katie Martinez Design