Kitchen

Dec 15, 2017

Our most covetable kitchens of 2017

By: styleathome.com

Kitchens are often said to be the hub of the home—and since you spend so much time in here, they deserve to be designed and decorated just right. Here, we've rounded up some of our favourite kitchens we've featured this year to inspire you to amp up your home's hotspot.

The white oak ceiling treatment and island base help define the kitchen in the open-plan space, while the stools reinforce the warmth with their wooden bases and nubby tactile upholstery.

Designer Amy Dillon grounded the white cabinetry with dark grey accents — but only a few. “I wanted the space to age gracefully, not look like that typical two-tone kitchen you see so much,” she says. Marble-look Caesarstone countertops, which flow into a waterfall edge on the island, help achieve that goal.

Homeowner and designer Tiffany Pratt asked her contractor to use leftover cabinetry and neon Plexiglas to build a narrow shelving unit next to her stove. It’s a bright burst of colour with a modern touch, providing a pleasing contrast to the classic Shaker-style cabinetry.

The kitchen, newly expanded to include an eat-in area, boasts nautical-chic white shaker-style cabinets with brass hardware, warm wood accents, spherical flush-mount light fixtures and subtle hits of blue. Gold-hued lantern-like pendant lights provide a focal point above the apron sink and dining table, while a navy-striped jute rug adds textural interest.

Delicate pops of red appear in almost every room of lifestyle icon Aerin Lauder's Aspen retreat (even the kitchen), often serving as the only homage to the holidays and making a statement with their chic subtlety.

A two-toned stunner, the kitchen is elevated to elegance thanks to details like the extra streaky Calacatta marble on the island and the striking oak-veneer cabinetry in a brushed finish.

The designer swapped the existing cabinetry doors (which had seen better days) for a Shaker-style profile similar to the original and incorporated chrome pulls. The slate countertops were replaced with black soapstone and a grey back-painted glass backsplash was installed.

Though 24-inch-deep cabinets constitute the majority of this kitchen’s storage, Veronica chose to recess the doors above one countertop to add depth and function, ensuring the prep surface is accessible. Incorporating whitewashed-wood-look doors also lends warmth to the predominately white space.

An all-white palette, glass backsplash, traditional architecture and contemporary furnishings create a chic cuisine.

A black and white palette, square-tiled backsplash, shaker-style cabinetry and iconic furnishings blend perfectly in this modern and traditional space.

With its crisp white cabinetry, warm walnut accents and quartz countertops, the chic kitchen now boasts a fresh look within the original layout. The bottom of the peninsula – painted rich blue – grounds the room and keeps it from feeling too uniform.

A Scandi palette of chic greys and watery clays quietly elevates the white walls, while bold black flourishes evidenced in the pendant lights, faucet and a 24-inch-wide stove enhance the space. Juicy emerald-hued vases and artwork that’s casually leaned against the wall underscore the fresh greenery indoors and out, providing a hit of low-commitment colour in the open-concept space.

Vancouver jewellery designer Leah Belford ditched the space’s old beige cabinetry in favour of black-painted maple with elegant brass pulls. The new L-shaped bar cleverly delineates the kitchen from the workspace while maintaining an open feel that’s furthered by clear bar stools.

Colour, pattern and texture mingle in this historical Montreal semi’s upbeat French bistro-style kitchen.

The kitchen exemplifies the comfortable contemporary look carried throughout the house. The wide Shaker-style cabinetry and crown moulding are clean transitional elements that offer subtle character.

The kitchen's new white colour scheme, with contrasting hits of black, grey and brown (via the wood tones), enhances the brightness of the space.

The L-shaped kitchen was gutted, leaving only its original wooden ceiling. Decorator and homeowner Cynthia Weber had custom cabinetry fabricated by a local Mennonite craftsman, while her husband, Kent, an avid woodworker, created the serving board and cake stand. Eye-catching elements like the oversized pendant light, built-in wine storage and nailhead-trim stools add European country charm.

You’d never know the cabinetry in this space isn’t brand new, but thanks to a pro paint job, homeowner Janet Hamilton now has a high-end kitchen for thousands of dollars less than a new one would have cost. The 9-by-3-foot island is wrapped in cedar planks that she stained grey.

“The kitchen is relatively small – just 110 square feet – but it doesn’t feel that way because of the mobile island,” says Jennifer Ferreira, who designed the piece to be easily pushed aside to gain space when company’s over

The marble backsplash was a worthwhile splurge for the crisp visual interest it offers. Floating wooden shelves warm up the neutral, which originally had a boxy bank of ugly brown cabinets. A black-painted island and a pair of eye-catching globe-shaped pendant lights make the room look distinguished yet fun.

Dignified and dramatic, the black kitchen is accented with satin brass pulls, a black granite sink and a gold-hued sunburst light fixture.

These patinated leather stools lend warmth to the cherry cabinetry, while burnished brass pendant lights riff on the wood and leather tones.

The island is the room’s showpiece, so the homeowner went all out with a marble slab countertop. The smoky blue veining in the marble complements the slate cabinetry.

“I wouldn’t dream of changing the layout of this original kitchen,” says the homeowner, who loves its built-in cabinets, which extend up to the nine-foot-high ceiling. “I updated the room with paint, new hexagonal floor tiles, marble countertops, a subway tile backsplash and fresh hardware. The mix of brass pulls and oversized ceramic knobs lend a real farmhouse kitchen feel.”

This fabulous farmhouse kitchen is also super functional. A Dutch door lets as much light and air in as the homeowner (and weather) permits; open shelving stacked with dishes makes it easy for guests to help themselves; and a sculptural sconce above the sink shines the spotlight on cleanup.

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Kitchen

Our most covetable kitchens of 2017