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Kitchen Microwave Cooktops Subway Tile Backsplashes Wood Cabinets Design Photos and Ideas

This 720-square-foot apartment in Barcelona was renovated and opened up by Nook Architects. Key to the design are the original barrel-vaulted ceilings, which are mimicked in the mixed-use gallery in the front. What was once a central hallway dividing multiple rooms—typical of older apartments—became a new common space that flows into the gallery. Materials were also limited exclusively to those already present in the space—namely, wood, ceramic, and marble. A canopy of original terra-cotta tiles line the barrel-vaulted ceilings, and a minimal aesthetic ties it all together.
My kitchen—where all the magic happens—is galley style, which makes maneuvering easy-peasy. Through the doorway at the end of the galley is my pantry (where the wall oven and microwave live) and my tiny, sweet (pun intended) office, complete with Farrow and Ball’s Calamine-colored trim (pink is my favorite color).
Gardiner Architecture ensured that flexibility, practicality, comfort, and spaciousness were all present in Elm Street House, as well as natural connections to the oft-used backyard and the surrounding neighborhood. The kitchen units are composed of blackbutt veneer and have a matte finish; the counters are Caesarstone. A pass-through window at the sink connects to the yard and makes for easy entertaining.
The kitchen units in Elm Street House by Gardiner Architects are composed of blackbutt veneer and have a matte finish. The counters are Caesarstone.
The kitchen has quartz counters, maple cabinets, a white backsplash tile with light colored grout, and glass block in the windows overlooking the alley. The hallway leads to an office niche, utility area, and the garage.
The white subway tile backsplash was given a unique touch with a stacked layout, rather than a typical off-set design.
The kitchen was a collaboration between Urban Pioneering Architecture, Alex Scott Porter A+D, MW Construction, and CNS Construction. The lower cabinetry boxes are IKEA units with custom fronts and panels painted in Benjamin Moore Midnight Dream by MW Construction, while the upper floating walnut cabinet is custom. A Carrara marble counter syncs with the backsplash, which is Boneyard Brick from Chelsea Arts Tile & Stone. The pendant lights are the Mass Light NA5 from Norm Architects for &Tradition.
In the kitchen, White Oak floors, inset walnut cabinets, Fireclay subway tile, and Caesartone countertops read more classic vibes, while the furnishings—such as the Reno Table from Structube, Channel Chairs by Industry West, and ADAM Stools by Frama Denmark—are modern counterpoints. Appliances include a Thermador 36" Freedom Induction Cooktop and an inconspicuous Thermador 36" Downdraft Ventilation, as well as a Miele Dishwasher, convection oven, and speed oven.
"The family are very close-knit with a lot of nostalgia for a cottage that their grandparents once owned. Things like cedar shakes, painted pine paneling, handmade bed quilts, and ceramic tiles reminiscent of quilt patterns bring those memories back. The clients' children are now young parents with contemporary taste and needs, so the design had to feel youthful," says Hope.