kitchen

In a modern home in the Illinois River Valley, the kitchen worktop is a seamless, stainless-steel surface with integrated sink and backsplash, custom-fit by Elkay. The sheen on the backsplash helps reflect light in the kitchen, and complements the hardware on the white cabinets.

Anticipating that casting a single concrete countertop would be difficult and unwieldy, the pair poured a rough rectangular sheet of concrete on their living-room floor. When it set, they carved it up into chunks with a diamond blade skill saw and fit the pieces in around their appliances. Keener recommends Cohills Pro Series or Buddy Rhodes’s countertop mixes.

The undulating curves of the natural stone backsplash by Decorative Materials Inc. work with the dark countertop, which are both in contrast to the high gloss white cabinets by Vogo.

Subtly textured and tonal, a metal backsplash can be a great idea in a range of spaces, from industrial to moody and sombre. In this particular kitchen, the backsplash and drawer pulls were fabricated by 12th Avenue Iron. The cooktop is by Miele.

The designers refinished the existing kitchen cabinets in a crisp white and light gray accent island. They replaced the dated granite countertops with cement-colored quartz on the perimeter and marble-veined quartz as an accent on the island. These elements helped lighten up the space, as they were keeping the existing backsplash intact. The dusty blue stools and brass pendants add depth and character to the space.

In this butler's pantry, the white glass herringbone backsplash sets off the darker wood cabinetry. Under-cabinet lighting helps reflect light off the glass backsplash.