Kitchens
Ultrathin materials. Also at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show earlier this year, many companies introduced technology that allows for thinner engineered countertops. Wilsonart introduced ultrathin countertops in a range of designs: stone and quartz looks as well as wood-look and steel patterns. The European-inspired ultrathin surfaces, one of which is shown here, are one-half-inch thick and can be installed with an undermount sink. The material is a new composite made of resins and paper.
Quartzite. As granite continues to decline in popularity, according to recent Houzz research, quartzite seems to be rising. The natural stone is harder than granite and displays infinite variation, meaning no two slabs ever look the same. It’s also super heat-resistant and more scratch-resistant than engineered quartz. This kitchen, which was the most popular one uploaded in 2019, features a dramatic Florida quartzite island countertop.
Porcelain. While engineered quartz will continue its rise in popularity as a countertop material (51% of renovating homeowners choose the material, according to the latest Houzz research), some designers are looking for alternatives that deliver a more polished look with the same durability. Designer Tom Johnson of Hyde Park Renovations is excited about porcelain slabs, which he used for the island in the kitchen shown here. “With porcelain you get very vivid patterns while still sharing stain- and heat-resistant qualities that make quartz so popular,” he says.
If there’s one wood that might outshine them all in 2020, it’s walnut. Walnut is such a naturally rich, warm, elegant and inviting wood, which makes it perfect for lively kitchens. Walnut pairs beautifully with whites, grays, blues and brass tones — all popular colors in modern-day kitchens. So it’s no wonder that designers and homeowners like it.
White With Hits of Blue and Green This kitchen from Gia Milazzo Smith of Designs by Gia Interior Design and Renovation features a number of popular elements in remodeled kitchens. One is the white cabinets, which are in the Shaker style. Another is a white quartz countertop, both the most popular material and color for counters in renovated kitchens, according to Houzz research. The wall color is Guilford Green by Benjamin Moore. The rectangular green-and-white backsplash tiles are made of glass.
The new U-shaped kitchen maximizes countertop space. “This kitchen was challenging, and the U-shaped layout was the only one that would fit a fridge, washer-dryer, oven, microwave, dishwasher, storage units and a trash can,” Pannier says. Specifically, the left side of the U is for the refrigerator. The washer-dryer is in the middle next to a combination dishwasher-oven, which has a dishwasher on the bottom and a traditional oven on the top. On the right is a cabinet with a cutlery drawer. Two upper cabinets house the microwave and the range hood. The third is for storage.
Ovadia designed the range wall to incorporate all of the materials and colors found throughout the kitchen. The backsplash is covered in a slab of marble-like quartz, the range hood is painted a custom blue and outlined with riveted brass, and a border of bleached white oak delineates the space. “The range wall is a feature wall that ties everything in the kitchen together,” the designer says.
Ovadia custom-designed a pantry with an integrated refrigerator made of bleached white oak. To the right of the pantry, a built-in desk provides a great spot for paying bills and writing grocery lists. The desk and glass-front cabinets above it are painted the same custom blue as on the island. A single pendant light above the desk adds another touch of warm brass.
The banquette cushions are covered in a blue commercial-grade velvet, and the banquette base opens for storage.
The former kitchen island was topped with an electric cooktop and downdraft vent that took up most of the usable counter space. Ovadia put the new gas range on a side wall and designed a new island with plenty of prep space. The designer says that since the previous island did not have space for counter stools, the family had become accustomed to sitting at the breakfast table, and didn’t want the new island to accommodate counter stools either. Therefore, Ovadia custom-designed an island with an apothecary cabinet-inspired back side. What looks like small drawers with glass hardware are false fronts concealing four doors that open for storage. The island base is a custom shade of blue made of Benjamin Moore paints. The island is topped in quartz that mimics the look of marble. The corners of the island are edged in thin pieces of brass that complement the brass globe pendant lights above. “The brass edges are more than just decoration,” Ovadia says. “They also protect the corners of the island that are bound to get beat up in a family with two young boys.”
most of the kitchen remodels she undertakes require knocking down walls to gain space and integrate living areas. But all that was needed in this Toronto kitchen was a better layout. “No walls had to come down; we just had to take full advantage of the space,” Ovadia says. “There’s now more usable counter space, more seats around the breakfast table and a built-in desk.” The windows and refinished oak flooring were existing, but aside from those elements, the kitchen features all-new materials that mix classic style, a bold accent color and touches of warm brass throughout.
The antique scale that hangs from the ceiling adds some soft curves and age.
The perimeter countertops and the backsplash are Danby marble, from the neighboring state of Vermont. The island, its prep sink and the apron-front sink are Pietra Cardosa, a gray-blue stone that resembles soapstone but is harder and more durable.
L-Shaped Designer: Iris Michaels of Karen Berkemeyer Home Location: Westport, Connecticut Size: 240 square feet (22 square meters) Homeowners’ request. A large, functional kitchen in a clean, bright transitional style. A dining table was a must. Island shape. To make room for a dining table, designer Iris Michaels made a cutout in the 48-by-28-inch island to create a small L.
Note wall opening to dining area. Works in post-war small bungaloes
Love the window wall & full wall of storage.
To get an eating bar out of the peninsula, Gordon came up with a clever idea for custom stools. When the accordion doors are open, the stool’s bases swing out and the seats fold down so the peninsula can serve as an outdoor bar. When they need to close the doors, they swing the stool bases over and flip up the seats. “It was fun to work with a contractor on his own home because he knew what was possible,” Budd says.
The homeowners knew that they wanted a kitchen with an island, a peninsula and a walk-in pantry as well as a large door system that opened completely to the backyard. This meant not loading up the walls with upper cabinets. These things seemed to be in conflict,” Budd says. But they were able to maximize the storage capacity of the lower cabinets, design an island with base-cabinet storage on both sides and make room for a walk-in pantry to minimize the amount of upper-cabinet storage they would need. Another interesting trick was placing windows behind the cabinets that flank the range. Paired with glass-front cabinet doors, this allows natural light to filter through from the side yard. The cabinet-door glass is leaded, another nod to the home’s history. Along with the open shelves, they give the range wall a light feel.
Seamless Indoor-Outdoor Living “We wanted to be able to look all the way through the house to the backyard from the front door,” Budd says. Between the living room and kitchen is a central open area next to the new staircase that the owners designated as a “chill-out space” outfitted with hanging chairs. Combining the kitchen and dining room made the most of the narrow width of the house, and steel-framed accordion doors completely open this area up to the backyard. This makes the outdoor kitchen, fire pit, bar and patio a natural extension of this space. Architectural moves like this make the average-sized house feel much larger than it is. Overhead, a pot rack and a chandelier help delineate the work area from the dining area. The iron-and-wood pot rack with integrated lights is a custom piece with a vintage industrial look, while the dining area light fixture is a fresh take on an Edwardian chandelier, composed of several pendants of different shapes and textured glass. The cabinetry in the foreground serves as a bar and contains a wine refrigerator and refrigerator drawers.
Integrated and paneled appliances provide a clean, uncluttered aesthetic. “Sleeker kitchens make you feel like you can create,” she says. If you’re looking for a more industrial, modern feel, Capo suggests integrated appliances in stainless steel. For a more transitional aesthetic, opt for paneling and match the door handles to your cabinetry hardware, she says. Paneled appliances require less upkeep than most traditional stainless steel options too. If you love the metallic style, opt for anti-fingerprint coating. Personalizing refrigeration for the way you live opens up a whole new kitchen frontier. Whether that’s forgoing a big freezer or fully embracing it, do what’s right for you.
Open Up to Drawer Refrigeration Drawer refrigeration provides further cooling flexibility and is especially handy if wall space is tight. “It enables refrigeration to be placed underneath windows or in islands right next to the food-preparation zones,” Rehm says. “Also, drawers have ergonomic advantages that help make them a very user-friendly option.” They’re a nice complement to large refrigeration and make cooking and entertaining easier, Capo adds. If you select a model that has multiple temperature modes, you can use it to chill drinks, store snacks or freeze leftovers. Capo likes to place drawer refrigeration under bars and coffee areas. She even had a client who used his to store copious amounts of ice cream. She installed it in the mudroom, as there wasn’t space in the kitchen. Drawer refrigeration is also great for game rooms, pool houses and guest suites.
Take Advantage of Flexible Temperature Zones With the rise of cooling innovations, some refrigerators now have variable temperature zones. “This flexibility can adapt for seasonal changes, special occasions and a growing family,” Rehm says. Some models, for example, let you toggle between pantry, fridge and chill mode in two seperate zones within the fridge unit. A pantry mode (around 54 degrees Fahrenheit, or 12 degrees Celsius), for instance, provides a cool, dark place for food that perishes quickly at room temperature but is too sensitive for normal refrigeration — such as avocados, tomatoes, bananas and bread. Certain freezers also have two zones with multiple temperature modes. You can set one zone (or both) at -1 degree Fahrenheit (or -18 degrees Celsius), for example, to freeze food for one to 12 months. It’s good for items like ice cream that you don’t want frozen solid, Rehm says. Soft freeze (about 16 degrees Fahrenheit, or -9 degrees Celsius) is nice for meat, fish and sliced bread — it reduces defrosting time. A deep-freeze mode (about -13 degrees Fahrenheit, or -25 degrees Celsius) can extend foods’ shelf life by six months in some models, Rehm says.
Rethink the traditional fridge-freezer combo If a homeowner cooks a lot and uses fresh ingredients, they’ll need more refrigerator space,” Capo says. For avid home cooks, she suggests getting two side-by-side column refrigerators to store everyday ingredients. A column refrigerator stands alone and is narrower than most fridge-freezer combos. “I’ll then place the freezer in another location that makes sense for the floor plan,” she says. Buying your cooling appliances separately also lets you choose sizes that make the most sense. Fresh food devotees can probably get away with an 18-inch column freezer.
Lights inside a coffee bar are great for early risers. A glass-front pantry door flush with the cabinetry is one to file away in a dream kitchen ideabook.
White appliances. White quartz slab backsplash. Gray wall and ceiling paint (Light French Gray by Sherwin-Williams). Designer secret. “The decorative toe kick on all the cabinets makes the space feel more sophisticated and finished without blowing the budget,” designer Allie Mann says. Countertops: Marbella White quartz; sink: Whitehaven apron-front, Kohler; faucet: Newport Brass; cooktop and ovens: Dacor; cabinet hardware: Top
The in-drawer outlet seen in this kitchen is for charging devices such as wearable fitness trackers, phones and laptops. It has a built-in circuit breaker to prevent high-powered devices from being plugged in by mistake. (For those, you’d want a powering outlet.) Also remember to choose a charging outlet that has the right number of AC and USB outlets for your needs.
Typical lower cabinets sitting against the wall are 24 inches deep. When cabinets get deeper than this, the back becomes very hard to reach and items become inconvenient to access.
Backsplash: Magdelena, New Ravenna; countertops: Statuario Fantastico, ColorQuartz
Quartz, or engineered quartz, is manmade. It’s composed of roughly 90 percent ground quartz (the actual mineral), with the remaining 10 percent being a mixed cocktail of resins, polymers and pigments that varies by manufacturer.
Quartzite is a natural stone that is extracted from the earth, just as marble, limestone or soapstone are quarried.
Some pullout wood wine racks are just enough to give this kitchen a bit of visual variety.
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