KITCHEN IDEAS

Cambrian black granite countertops lie in contrast with white cabinetry below and open shelves above in this contemporary kitchen. "One of the favorite things I have to do in the kitchen is wash dishes, just because it’s such a delightful view out the window," says the owner.

Marble countertops of black and white with kitchen cabinets finished in sparkling white are offset by a unique glass backsplash, which offers a hint of the surrounding rainforest.

A 606 Universal Shelving System by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe hangs tough on the only opaque wall of the living room. Russell-Clarke and Moolsintong designed the coffee table, and Marcel Wanders gets credit for the Bottoni sofa for Moooi.

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

Choosing a kitchen or bathroom countertop can be nerve-wracking, and we understand why—they can be one of the most expensive aspects of a renovation, with the added responsibility of impacting the aesthetics of a space. Read on as we work our way through the pros and cons of seven of the most common countertop materials.

Keeping the original mottled, worn-brick walls and outfitting the kitchen with their own custom cabinetry were among this couple’s cost-saving measures.

#1 Get things off the counter and consider investing in built-ins. Since the original kitchen of this Barcelona flat was not functional, the architects built a new one from scratch while preserving the original tiles. “We designed very plain oak cupboards so the floor would be the protagonist,” Eugeni says. Ceiling lamps by Vico Magistretti illuminate the warm wood countertops. A simple shelf with hooks allows storage above and below, and a double-height dish rack grants twice the drying space.

The kitchen of this Brooklyn brownstone features a brick backsplash with a metal panel connecting the Bluestar range to the Viking chimney wall hood. The mashup of materials preserves the personality of brick with the ease of cleaning stainless steel. The island and cabinets are fashioned from remilled Douglas fir beams salvaged from Upstate New York.

In the kitchen, Angle removed the cabinet doors and applied a coat of Poppy Red paint by Benjamin Moore, and put down a striped linoleum floor to brighten the space.

The kitchen cabinetry echoes the new blue ceiling. The brick tile is from Heath Ceramics, as is the dinnerware. Behind the Viking stove is powder-coated corrugated metal (“Very trailer,” says the designer). The refrigerator is from Big Chill. On the table is a bowl by Victoria Morris.

Here, laminate kitchen cabinets are topped with Corian in Glacier White for a fresh and fun color-blocked look.

Cabinetry and floating shelves by Kaimade, Heath Ceramics wall tile

Floating shelves with integrated LED lighting provide open storage and illuminate the workspace below.

The white subway-tiled backsplash and open shelving make the kitchen look brighter and more spacious. The wrap-over counter top on the island looks like weathered steel but it's actually Dekton®, a composite material.

The neutral marble-like finish of Caesarstone in ‘Noble Grey’ balances out the varied textures and patterns in this kitchen.

“The walnut unit between the kitchen and dining room ties into the fumed oak floor,” Dubbeldam says. “The rest of the materials in the house—glass, marble, stone—were selected to offset the wood.”