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Kitchen Pendant Lighting Metal Counters Drop In Sinks Design Photos and Ideas

Launech teaches cooking classes in the house, and the mobile countertops make it easy for her to configure the kitchen to her tastes.
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.
The kitchen is a central gathering place for the Baker family. The custom cabinetry was painted a light white color to make it feel a part of the wall.
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."
Black appliances and fixtures blend seamlessly into the cabinetry. The lack of a large fridge helps give the kitchen its streamlined and minimal appearance. The couple carefully integrated appliances to make the small space fully functional for entertaining. Two CoolDrawers are tucked under the counter to chill wine and store enough food for the weekend. Two ovens allow home cooks to bake bread and roast meat simultaneously. “It just works really well for us,” says Daniel. “Our counter space is at a premium, and we just didn’t need a giant refrigerator. This way, we can have the L-shaped counter. That was a very strategic decision—it doesn’t need to be more than what it is.”
The blush-colored Rojo Alicante marble table in the center of the kitchen doubles as a dining table and kitchen island. A Craiglist score for $200, the table is another kitchen hack conceived by the architects. “It was really a diamond in the rough. Originally, it was a rectangle shape, in a weird ’90s, Italian kind of style, covered in a thick, resin-like finish that made it look almost orange,” says Daniel. The table was honed down to soften its color, and its top was reshaped with rounded corners.
The kitchen features hacked IKEA cabinets—Brit and Daniel built custom fronts and side panels out of Valchromat, a recycled engineered wood. The cabinets are topped with black steel, which extends up the wall as backsplash. “We wanted to find an inexpensive way of doing a really terrific kitchen,” says Daniel. “The metal, which is a cold-rolled sheet of blackened steel, is a unique material that will develop a patina over time, but will also be super durable—and again, very cost effective.”
Open shelves balance out the hard-working wall of cabinetry opposite. "In a space like this, every fraction of an inch matters," says Jonathan, and making room for display and a sense of openness is also important.
The designers developed the preliminary schematic for the tile, then refined the layout on site. "We wanted to bring in six or seven different tiles that were all geometric and make it such that there's no pattern, there's no repeat. Everything is unique," says Jonathan. "Once we had the tiles, [we] laid things out and confirmed and made some adjustments. Everything is just a little different when you get it in real space."
The couple installed a window over the sink to brighten up the dark basement space. The counters are stainless steel, so as to cede nicely into the concrete wall rather than compete with it.
"The wonderful thing about this line of tile from Fireclay is that there's no order minimums," says Jonathan. Considering that the designers were dealing with such a small footprint, this meant that they didn’t have to order more tile than what was needed.
"We started to piece together this idea of a floor that's all just geometry and chaos, but that still honors the monochromatic elements of the space and highlights the bluish-gray-green tones of the original cement walls," says Jonathan.
A Taiwanese expat couple purchased a 1,352-square-foot apartment near the river in the Taiwan’s New Taipei City, and reached out to interior design firm KC Design Studio to help them turn it into a stylish, modern home. Industrial elements like steel, brick, and exposed concrete harmonize with vintage accents: in the open kitchen, wood-paneled sliding doors conceal dark cabinetry. These combine with a sleek, dark counter and a shiny, bronze-clad island for a luxe effect.
Sleek and stylish, the stainless steel chef's kitchen boasts numerous appliances from Viking.
The open kitchen and dining area flows out to the courtyard.
“Since the kitchen is open to the space, we tried to make it look as clean as possible with slab-faced cabinets flush to the walls, simple tile, and clean appliances,” Shively says. The island is inspired by Alvar Alto's designs.
In the Pacana Suite, modern European influences are replicated in the clean lines and exquisite detailing.
The open kitchen is bright and airy thanks to double-height ceilings, a wall of windows, and classic post-and-beam construction.
The kitchen has been designed to be the heart of the centrally aligned floor plan, and is equipped with a multifunctional wood stove.
The use of timber adds warmth to the design, and the cheery Canary yellow of the metal stair rails and gate echoes the seasonal colors of the hills—and the autumnal tones of the turning trees.
The kitchen has also been given a modern upgrade, now featuring stainless steel appliances.
The open plan kitchen flows seamlessly into the living area.
In the open kitchen, wood-paneled sliding doors conceal dark cabinetry, and together with a sleek, dark counter, and a shiny bronze-clad island with a sink, the kitchen becomes part of the overall design rather than simply an area of utility.
New Zealand architect Gerald Parsonson and his wife, Kate, designed their vacation beach home in Paraparaumu with an open-plan kitchen with open shelves, bar light bulbs, and bright orange MDF cabinets.
kitchen
Stainless steel was selected for the kitchen countertops, and the pair relied on a local industrial sheet metal fabricator to help them prepare the material for residential application. The mix of warm and cool adds depth and dimension to the space.
Accessible Kitchen
The Deans’ new kitchen is long and narrow, punctuated by the small windows that dot the façade and one large light-giving window at the end.