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Kitchen Engineered Quartz Counters Drop In Sinks Design Photos and Ideas

The architects used natural materials and colors in the kitchen to make the space feel serene, expansive, and connected to the outdoors.
The clients have a large collection of indoor plants, and 4 S Architecture designed a scheme with plenty of spots to display plants, from the deep windowsills to the semi-recessed extractor above the island that features an integrated shelf. “We had originally specified a fully flush extractor system, but they are very expensive,” says architect, Julia Hamson. “We went for one that is semi-recessed, so was cost effective but still has less visual impact than a dropped extractor.”
The kitchen cabinets have also been cleverly designed by 4 S Architecture to combine a luxury appearance with cost-effective construction. The carcasses were sourced from DIY Kitchens and delivered preassembled, which cut down on labor costs. While the white cabinet doors are also from DIY Kitchens, the cherry veneered doors are bespoke. “We worked with as many off-the-shelf products as we could to minimise cost and added a few bespoke items to elevate the scheme,” explains architect Julia Hamson.
The new kitchen features green kit kat tiles, a terrazzo-effect rubber floor, white cabinetry, and cherry wood veneered cabinets. The client originally wanted teak cabinets, but 4 S Architecture recommended using cherry wood instead as it is more sustainable but has the same warm tones as teak. “We couldn’t get behind teak as a product so we used FSC certified European cherry that has less air miles than American cherry,” explains architect Julia Hamson. “The client was really pleased with the result.”
“I’ve done shelves in front of windows here and there throughout my life,” says Lanigan, who grew up in a hippie commune in the ‘70s, where plants were always hanging in the windows. “I grew up in a geodesic dome my parents built. That organic ‘70s design is very much a touchstone for me.” Beside nostalgia, this choice offers extra accessible shelving and blocks a boring driveway view while still letting in light.
The countertop is a custom Concrete Collaborative terrazzo, and the colored flecks nod to the wall tiles.
Niki and Gustavo splurged on more permanent finishes and budgeted on items, like faucets and shelves, that could be easily upgraded over time.
“I’m the queen of Ikea cabinets,” laughs Jade. She commissioned custom birch-veneer plywood for the doors from L.A.’s Anderson Plywood. While she was budget-conscious in many ways, she also is willing to splurge where it counts. “Hardware is where I spend money. That’s where people touch and feel it,” she says. “It’s important to me that it feels significant.” Here, pulls and knobs come from Mockett. The countertop is a man-made resin from Arizona Tiles in La Quinta.
The window in the kitchen that overlooks the garden is intentionally free of any structure, with the small ventilation openings discretely located to the side. This ensures the view is uninterrupted and the woodlands become part of the interior.
Access into the garden is through the side of the kitchen and not the rear. This means the rear is protected for wildlife and the family do not have to go through the garden to access the BBQ and hard landscaping.
The kitchen, kept in the same location, was opened up dramatically. Gray cabinets from IKEA are topped with honed granite countertops; an oil painting of the original cottage sits on one of the floating shelves.
Don't dismiss the kitchen as a modern day parlor. Sarrah Khan of Agencie Architecture & Engineering says, “ Kitchens are modern parlor rooms. In today’s homes, kitchens serve a double function of both cooking and entertaining zones.”
An Ambit Rail pendant lamp from Muuto lights up the new kitchen island, which allows more room for food preparation and seating.
"The mixed metals play off that light-and-classic kitchen palette in the kitchen, while the dining area brings in the coziness of a lived-in home," Gebhardt says.
"Even a simple hardware swap or new lighting can transform a space, so keeping those core materials within a neutral palette allows for flexibility with updates over time," Gebhardt advises. "You really can’t go wrong with white oak, marble, and white-gray cabinetry." In the reimagined kitchen, Caesarstone quartz countertops meet Boston Arctic white subway tile, punctuated by Rejuvenation hardware. Meritage Hardwood Flooring was used throughout.
The Bracy Cottage — Kitchen + Dining Room
Banana leaves grow right outside the window over the prep sink. “It’s the most beautiful painting in our house,” says Andrew.
Andrew used to work at vintage furniture and lighting stores back in New York, and developed a taste for midcentury lighting, which he brought to their new space in Nashville.
Early in the design process, Diane had considered a dropped ceiling over the kitchen to distinguish it from the living/dining area. “Our builder Trevor said he liked the feel of the interior space and advised against it,” reveals Diane. “We’re so glad he did!” He also made other small suggestions, including the stepped trim around the door frames. A piece of the original boxcar was salvaged by Diane’s son and daughter-in-law and turned into a key rack hanging by the main door.
A cheery yellow faucet adds a pop of color to the kitchen island.
The homeowners are both in the creative field, with connections to a slew of talented artists. What hangs on the walls is only a small portion of their collection.
There is no overhead lighting here, but that’s just fine by Szczerbicki, who prefers to avoid “blasting one massive level of light.” Working closely with The Lighting Guild, he went for a more layered approach. Above the cabinetry, LED lights point up to illuminate the rafter, and a custom, linear pendant hangs above the island. “Every piece of lighting was designed with a specific task in mind,” says Szczerbicki. “As it gets darker, you slowly turn on key lights in key locations so the light level gradually grows.”
Rather than covering the ceiling completely with a sheet or board, Szczerbicki tucked the insulation above the rafters and sealed it in so that the ceiling’s structure was still visible. Painted in white, it becomes a sculptural element that highlights the volume of the space.
The mezzanine is fenced by slats of whitewashed pine, and acts as the children’s playroom and hangout space.
Macdonald opted for a traditional Shaker cabinet for the kitchen and laundry room, but painted the uppers in Benjamin Moore's "Chantilly Lace
They brightened up the space with white walls and luxe accents, keeping it minimal but with character.
The two did a full kitchen remodel a few summers ago—a fact they especially appreciate during the pandemic, as they’re cooking more now than ever before. Artful elements include the Smeg refrigerator in mint and cups by Atelier Dion.
The white, light interior palette contrasts with the shell's dark tones.
The Corian countertop in the kitchen and the bespoke timber kitchen cabinets and breakfast bench were the most expensive parts of the build-out.
The fresh, minimal kitchen is conveniently located off the dining room. The light-colored cabinets are treated with a high-quality factory spray-painted finish.
The handmade-look white brick tiles on the kitchen backsplash echo the brickwork used on the outdoor fireplace. They help to provide visual continuity from the exterior to the interior.
The kitchen is at the heart of the home, and the layout is arranged so that the views can be appreciated when preparing a meal. Warm timber shelves and furniture contrast with the dark kitchen joinery to create a balanced interior palette.
"Make sure everyone in your home knows where each item goes and you'll be surprised at how big of a difference it makes," Mindell says. This philosophy applies to kids, too, who Mindell says should be as autonomous as possible in the kitchen.
"If I can't see it properly it usually goes to waste, so it's important that I know what's where," Downing Pickens says of her kitchen supply. Organization is especially needed when kitchens are being used more often that usual.
The compact kitchen is equipped with a 12.5-cubic-foot fridge and freezer; a moveable kitchen island with storage; a cooktop with range hood; a water filter; a pull-out trash can; a microwave; a faucet; and a pantry. Other appliances, such as a dishwasher and wine cooler can be added on.
New to the 2020 model, the all-aluminum cabinetry with integrated handles is specially designed to handle a mobile environment.
"We needed a place to station the computer, and have one-on-one meetings with clients," explains Efrat of the new study. "However. I didn’t want to make the public space feel dark and small (by subtracting a chunk of it for a designated room). Another constraint was to have acoustic isolation, and the glass-walled room was the perfect solution for all of the above—it made the main living space feel more spacious since it enables light to pass through, yet separated it from the main living space acoustically and effectively."
Shakespeare tackled the installation of the tiles and the shelves herself to further reduce construction costs. For the shelves, she purchased wood from Home Depot and mounted it on metal IKEA brackets, which she spray-painted black.
An interior window over the sink creates connection between rooms.
The U-shape in the "inside kitchen" allows the family to use the entire perimeter of the room for prep and storage.
All the original windows were restored and reglazed with high-performance glass. The original openings were reinstated, and the large timber trusses (and the entire warehouse shell) were strengthened to meet the latest earthquake code.
A "white box" inserted into the home neatly contains various functions and services. It unifies the entire apartment both in plan and section.
An illuminated brick wall makes a lovely backdrop when juxtaposed against this kitchen's glossy black cabinets.
This remodeled kitchen features Silestone countertops and backsplashes paired wood cabinetry with laminates.
The firm enlisted their Parisian carpenter to make the cabinets in the "Frey style and color"—stained maple topped with cream-colored quartz. Appliances are all Bertazzoni except for the refrigerator and freezer, which is a Frigidaire Professional. The brick wall would not have been original, but the firm kept it and hand-painted the surface in the style of Le Corbusier’s Parisian apartment.
A young Vancouver family asked Falken Reynolds Interiors to convert their waterfront vacation home on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast into their primary residence. To facilitate livability for the foursome, an enlarged kitchen, complete with a large white island with wood hardware, was a major part of the renovation.
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.
Galley kitchen with existing brick wall celebrating original fabric of the house.
This backsplash may only cover a small surface area, but its asymmetric tiles are the kitchen’s pièce de résistance.
The trusses were made by the building team from solid Australian hardwood and are critical in supporting the roof structure where the mezzanine level previously sat.
The client fell in love with this marble-and-quartz countertop, which is called Super White. The kitchen features a Gaggenau refrigerator, Julien sink, BlueStar range, and Ochre kitchen stools as well.
In the kitchen, a new Quartz counter tops the central island. The original cabinetry and pale-yellow Western Holly oven enhance the house's vintage aesthetic, paying homage to the past.
The kitchen units in Elm Street House by Gardiner Architects are composed of blackbutt veneer and have a matte finish. The counters are Caesarstone.
With the help of local design practice Modscape, a family in Melbourne gained a new energy-efficient addition that not only transformed their home life for the better, but also allowed them to live "disruption-free" during the construction process. As the heart of the home, the centrally placed kitchen offers an abundance of storage with the addition of a butler’s pantry.
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