83 Tasty Kitchens

Sunny Style

This kitchen, with its bright colors and playful mix of styles, packs as much pick-me-up punch as a morning cup of coffee.

Warm Kitchen

The standout feature of this kitchen is the central island. Topped with joined planks of antique cypress, the island provides bar seating for informal meals. Because the homeowners couldn't bear cutting into the planks for a sink or stove, they kept them intact as one large workspace, which is sealed for food prep wear and tear. The island's sides are painted a vibrant red that works well with the rustic top.

Nautical White Kitchen

Clean white floors complement the cabinetry and island in this kitchen. A minimal number of upper cabinets keeps the space open. In their place, cantilevered antique chestnut shelves, reminiscent of a ship’s deck, add an organic touch. The shelves display plain white dishware against a wall of deep royal blue tile. The stainless steel appliances and large hanging light fixtures over the island call to mind metal boat fittings.

Salvage Kitchen

The builder used aged cypress, salvaged from an old mill, to construct the kitchen cabinets and for facing some of the appliances, such as the icemaker and refrigerator. The reclaimed wood was cut, planed, and then made into cabinetry. A light finish lets the natural grain remain visible.

Antique-White Kitchen

Creamy antique white on the cabinets pairs with a coffee-bean color on the island in this warm kitchen. The matte finish of the deep brown honed granite countertops perpetuates the aged appearance.

Fresh, Colorful Kitchen

White Shaker-style cabinet fronts are a bright foil for the vibrant glass-tile backsplash. Niches display cobalt bowls. A two-toned, two-tiered concrete counter -- pale green above and charcoal gray below -- adds sleek style to the work and serving spaces.

Cottage Kitchen Style

This homeowner insisted on finding an old piece of furniture for her kitchen island. Something too new would spoil the cottage effect. On the hunt for the perfect antique, she found a weathered white island with a solid wooden top. With two drawers and an open area below, it increases the room's storage. To keep things warm and cozy, the cabinets are painted slate green and topped with a black glaze for an aged look. The black granite countertops feature a honed finish, a process that eliminates the sheen on the surface. Fabrics with a vintage appearance soften the space and contribute to the homey feel of the room.

Open Kitchen

The kitchen opens onto the living area so the chef can join in the fun. Open shelving, plentiful drawer space, and a cabinet over the range provide maximum storage in this efficient design. Paprika red barstools inject a punch of color.

Seasoned With Style

This space speaks with a French accent. Exposed ceiling beams, wrought iron, and hand-carved wood accentuate its old-world flair. The designer included many unique features and design ideas that personalize the space. Beautifully adorned with raised carvings, the island houses an under-counter refrigerator, freezer, and warming drawers, as well as abundant storage areas.

Inviting Space

The mix of warm colors and texture make this kitchen feel comfortable and cozy. The brick walls add architectural character to the space.

Casual Entertaining

In this casual home, a formal dining area just wouldn't fit. So the kitchen and dining room share one end of the great room. In the kitchen, a large T-shaped island provides a prep area for cooking and a casual dining surface surrounded by stools. The island also houses a dishwasher, sink, wine cooler, and additional storage. To the right of the island, a convenient bar area boasts another sink, room to display glassware, a single-drawer dishwasher, and an icemaker. This separate space allows partygoers to get drinks without crowding the cook.

Style Meets Function

Nearly wall-to-wall windows on one side of this kitchen provide lots of natural light but posed a challenge for cabinet space. The solution: two pantries with full-extension rollouts for dry goods or dishes, plus a serving area and glass-front upper cabinets. Simple yet elegant features include Shaker-style cabinets and hidden appliances. Beaded board, which appears on the island and behind the serving area, is a unifying element.

Lots of Light

Because there's a bevy of surrounding windows that also contain a lot of mullions, upper cabinetry would have competed with this look. Tiers of cantilevered shelves get the job done. For stowing away cookware, a central island provides more storage and separates the kitchen from the adjacent dining room and family room.

Take a tour of this kitchen.

Blue and Gray Kitchen

A large chopping block containing a precut opening is set into the marble countertop under one window. Blue appliances provide the ultimate in cooking convenience, and wooden cabinets feature a gray patina finish and glass-front doors. The marble countertop and backsplash complement these hues. An oversize island, complete with a cooktop and additional storage, encourages casual dining.

Take a tour of this kitchen.

Built-In Breakfast Room

This room is separated from the family room by a large island. Perfectly proportioned, this is a cook's kitchen with no wasted space. Constructed of rich wood to resemble a table with sufficient overhang on three sides, the island negates the need for a separate breakfast room.

Take a tour of this kitchen.

Stylish Yet Functional

With hidden storage solutions and great ideas galore, this kitchen seems too serene to also be hardworking―but it is.
This space is anchored by three elements―the floor-to-ceiling pantry on the far left, a similar bank of side cabinets that conceals the fridge and freezer, and an island. Another plus: The table nestled into the island can be pulled out easily because of sleek casters on the legs.

Open Shelving

The thought of open shelves in a kitchen can send a chill down the spine of even the most organized homeowner. But here’s the dish: The secret lies in the mix. It is easy to handle open display when you have enough closed space to hide the not-so-pretty items. The key is to know how much openness you can handle before it gets messy.

Naturally Light

High on these homeowners’ list was natural light, which meant windows―and lots of them. Instead of filling the kitchen’s end and side walls with upper cabinetry, the couple installed a series of double-hung windows.

Tuscan Kitchen

This homeowner made great finish choices, from an aged stucco treatment on the walls to alder wood cabinets and porcelain floors.

White Hot Kitchen

Wide pine boards, nailed horizontally and painted white, give character to these kitchen walls. High-gloss white porch paint brightens the wood floor and makes it look like an enclosed porch.

Cottage Kitchen

Nothing adds vintage, cottage appeal to a space like beaded board. Pair with warm wood, dusty green, and crisp white to complete the look.

Neutral Highlights

The neutral color palette in this kitchen helps to highlight the detailing in the cabinets, furniture, and light fixtures.

Grill Access

Filled with every amenity needed for daily cooking, this kitchen also opens to the grilling deck for easy entertaining.

Take a tour of this kitchen.

Kitchen Restoration

This kitchen, added to the 1852 house in the 1940s, once served as an outdoor hitching station. The homeowners updated the room with whitewashed cabinetry, marble countertops, and a generous island.

Vintage Kitchen

To achieve vintage charm with modern function, the homeowners chose state-of-the-art components designed, whenever possible, in turn-of-the-century style.

Country Charm

Heart-pine flooring salvaged from an old home is repurposed here as countertops. The color of the cabinetry is a take on Williamsburg green, which was wildly popular during the restoration frenzy of the mid-20th century. It was tweaked with a touch of gray to soften the contrast with the white walls. The walls themselves are plain horizontal boards.

Five-Star Service

These homeowners created an island that has everything you need, including the kitchen sink. At one end, a countertop-height rectangle of granite offers plenty of prep space. One side boasts a wine rack and cabinet storage while the other holds trash, recycling, and the dishwasher. At the end, an attached round granite tabletop, supported by a pedestal stained to match the island, steps down to table height.

Inspired Design

The island was inspired by a catalog find that the homeowner loved; the original design needed some improvements. She incorporated electrical outlets in the legs to make the large work surface more functional. She dispensed with cabinet doors on the island to maintain a more open feel. The piece is topped with a rich cherry wood. The large central island incorporates open shelving underneath to allow easy access to trays and serving pieces. The burlap drum shades and cherry island top impart a sense of warmth to the dining area.

Rearrange and Renew

A kitchen island is the perfect way to visually divide the kitchen from the rest of the room. This homeowner thought about how she works in the kitchen and had the essentials installed accordingly. She chose to have the sink rather than the cooktop on the island so she could look out over the room. A small pine table and Windsor chairs tucked next to the island are a surprising--and more comfortable--alternative to barstools.

Island Appeal

Cooking and eating areas merge in this space, while an open island makes it all the more breezy.

Show Off With Simple Storage

This kitchen’s original wood floors and plank walls and ceiling set the stage for simple elements. The designer suggested the homeowners install open shelves--simple and boxy--above the countertops and along one wall. One of the owners built the shelves himself in a matter of days.

Wrapped In Wood

Layered in wood from floor to ceiling, this kitchen would convert even the most ardent city slicker into a lover of all things handmade and hewn. Most of the wood for the kitchen cabinetry, as well as other built-ins in the house, was fashioned from salvaged, old-growth heart pine. The source for this sought-after material came about when the homeowner dismantled a nearby collapsing farmhouse. In the process, he also milled the lumber and then handed it over to his cabinetmaker to use during construction.

Please Touch

Honed granite countertops―as cool and bumpy to the touch as river rock―help distinguish the cabin aura. Stainless steel appliances add just enough of a contemporary feel to contrast with the chicken wire inserts and the unfinished beaded-board backsplash.

Details With Character

The inset cabinets and bin pulls add to the old-house aesthetic of the room. The homeowners decided to splurge on details in the kitchen and family room because they knew that they would spend most of their time in that area.

Eclectic Kitchen

This kitchen isn’t married to a single style. Industrial style light fixtures and stools are mixed with traditional elements like Windsor chairs to create a unique and personalized look.

Contemporary Kitchen

Two features in particular steal the show in this kitchen: the oversized hood above the cooktop and the dining table on casters. Even though some storage is lost by using an oversize hood, it creates a bold statement. The table is veneered in the same wood as the island and cabinetry, and it easily rolls out for dinner parties.

Small and Light

This homeowner chose simple cabinets and pendant lights from IKEA and painted the walls a soft white to get an airy look. The antique rug adds a sense of history to the brand-new room.

Coastal Tones and Details

This kitchen has an interplay of neutral and blue tones. The cabinetry, marble countertops, and backsplash create an off-white backdrop for bowls, trays, and dishware. The homeowners didn’t want the use of blue to be too heavy-handed or expected. Nautical-style lighting above the island helps carry the coastal look into this space.

Fresh, Open Kitchen Redo

To avoid the expense of relocating the plumbing, the homeowner kept the room’s original footprint but updated the cabinetry, appliances, and fixtures. He replaced the dated wood cabinets, which hung near the ceiling and were difficult to reach, with easy-to-access open shelving and Shaker-style lower cabinets—all painted crisp white. A ceramic subway-tile backsplash and sleek marble countertops complete the monochromatic look. Open shelving holds everyday basics; lower cabinets store pots and pans.
 

Revived 1875 Kitchen

This bright and cheerful kitchen establishes hospitality even before guests take the first bite. “I love to cook,” the homeowner says, “and feeding my family and friends is my way of showing them how much I appreciate them.”

Retro Kitchen

These fresh white cabinets are a beautiful background for retro laminate countertops and a vintage-inspired stove.

Contemporary White Kitchen

The Shaker elements―clean lines, plain trim, and no ornamentation―are great for contemporary decor. The timeless design is another plus. If the homeowners ever want a new look, the cabinets can adapt to a number of styles. Here, stainless appliances and hardware add industrial flair, as do steel tube legs on the island.
Ceramic tile that looks like terra-cotta grounds the light space with warm color. It looks like the real thing but is easier to maintain. The countertops in a sand tone also add rich color.

Rustic Kitchen with Modern Appointments

A pair of hay rakes fits the rural flavor of the stone fireplace, but there’s nothing rustic about twin oven units, which combine for a versatile collection of cooking surfaces from griddle to grill. Along a bank of cabinets a stainless steel side-by-side refrigerator works to maintain the freshness of food.
The cabinets include a handy flip-up door which conceals the microwave, keeping it convenient but out of sight. A tumbled marble, ceramic, and carved-tile backsplash contrasts with the wooden cabinetry, which has basket-weave doors and drawers.

Salvage Finds

Some of the best treasures in this kitchen are found objects. The homeowners used old ship lights for a chandelier in the kitchen. Shrimpers’ rope accents the edge of the countertop that is supported by columns found at another old house.

Crisp Kitchen

This kitchen achieves a clean, crisp look with Shaker-style cabinets, a tile backsplash, granite countertops, chrome hardware, and stainless appliances.

Small and Efficient

A white shade allows light to stream into the small but efficient cooking space. In the cooking area, cream-colored countertops and tiles blend beautifully with the white cabinetry. Open space above the cabinets increases the sense of height. Metal hardware on cabinets adds a punch that is repeated on the stainless steel refrigerator and stove.

Create an Illusion of Space

This homeowner cleared the back wall of the kitchen and created an opening into the dining room. All white walls, cabinets, and countertops also make the space seem bigger. To keep the room from feeling too flat, she added color and texture with accessories such as curtains and a jute rug. She reinforced the vintage look of the house with a new tongue-and-groove wood-plank ceiling and a trio of oversize globe lights, a splurge item.

Coastal Kitchen

A window-filled alcove functions like a dining room with a casual table, two slipcovered end chairs, and a pillow-topped banquette. The built-in bench and wall of windows make this small space seem much larger. Two vintage light fixtures, hung with nautical rope instead of standard chains, illuminate the space.

Take a tour of this kitchen.

Entertaining Space

The industrial, prefab nature of the Quonset hut home prompted the homeowners to use corrugated metal panels (available in most building-supply stores) on the kitchen island and surrounding cabinetry, but the sleek room is anything but aloof.

Eco-Friendly Kitchen

In this eco-friendly kitchen, the homeowner crafted shelves for the kitchen from lumber and stainless steel rods. They allow light in while providing storage.

Showcase Bold Colors

Toile fabric in bright hues on these kitchen chairs partners stylishly with a contemporary table from the inexpensive retailer IKEA. The kitchen’s white cabinets and backsplash allow the homeowner’s fabric choices in the breakfast area to really shine.

Galley Kitchen

The sage green kitchen cabinetry has generous space for dinnerware and pantry items, and a fossilized countertop surface adds a sense of history to the space.

Take a tour of this kitchen.

Style and Sensibility

This small, 1930s kitchen returns to its retro roots without sacrificing modern space and functionality. The center island replaces enough counterspace to fit a clothes washer and dryer in the room. Details like the farmhouse sink and green glass tile add throwback style.

Cozy Kitchen

Reclaimed heart-pine flooring flows from the adjacent dining room right into the cozy kitchen. Cabinets built in a whitewashed Shaker style provide a soothing contrast to dark-stained floors and wood trusses above.

Farmhouse Kitchen

Every aspect of the kitchen is designed to enhance family life. The large center island, topped with wood, resembles a farmhouse-style table and invites dining. For a timeless appeal, the kitchen's informal cabinetry is done in dark wood tones and a rich cream color.
Two sinks and two dishwashers (hidden by wood panels) make cleanup efficient. An under-counter refrigerator at one end is perfect for keeping drinks cold. Stainless steel appliances give a modern edge to the traditional style. Glass shelves mounted on the window above one sink hold houseplants and glassware.

Cottage Kitchen Makeover

The owners transformed their ranch-style house into a cottage, with this family room-turned-kitchen as the star. The counters and island are topped with an African wood called iroko, which is highly resistant to moisture and easy to maintain.

Scandinavian Inspiration

This homeowner took a simplified approach to decorating. She chose fabrics, colors, and furniture with a decidedly Swedish influence. Muted gray cabinetry with a distressed finish and open shelves reinforce the room’s openness. The stainless steel appliances and sink add a sleek, metallic luster. Even the honed travertine marble countertops have a lightness.
Her flooring choice—pine boards covered in a thin coat of watered-down paint—contributes to the ambience.

Colorful Kitchen

Waves of blue drench this kitchen. A pale shade covers the walls and ceiling while a deeper shade is used on the cabinets. The wood floors carry a third shade of blue. Such colors are a perfect reflection of the nearby Gulf of Mexico waters.

Black-and-White Cottage Kitchen

The black-and-white basics in this kitchen make it feel airy and clean. The blue accents add warmth and interest. Tier curtains maintain privacy without blocking natural light.

Delicious Design

In this new kitchen, intersecting timbers cross the ceiling to capture vintage character.

Chef's White Kitchen

A kitchen that’s not rich on color doesn’t have to be poor on style. High-gloss white porch paint brightens what could have been a standard wood floor. A mint green, glass tile backsplash brings in a pop of color; green glass handles give the white cabinets and drawers a distinguishing detail. Stainless steel countertops are super easy for a chef to keep clean. Plus, the shiny metal is a savvy contrast to the softer touches in the space, such as the striped sink skirt; the baskets covered in floral fabric; and a traditionally framed painting near the island.

Open for Viewing

This kitchen peers into the living area via a counter bar. Barstools pull up for drinks, dinner, or conversation. The kitchen’s open shelving, painted green, reveals ceramics and serving pieces―many reflecting the colors in paint finishes and fabrics throughout the house.

Compatible Colors

The neutral gray of these cabinets blends seamlessly with stainless steel appliances.

Country Kitchen

Outfitted with heart-pine ceiling beams and sage walls like the nearby breakfast room, the kitchen is any homeowner’s dream. Cabinetry with an antique cream-colored glaze surrounds the space. Appearing to be a large cabinet, the refrigerator is disguised by panels.
Beside the refrigerator, open shelves placed in front of casement windows provide display for dishware and cookbooks. The area features quartz stone countertops, while an ample island occupies the center and makes food preparation a pleasure.

Neutral Kitchen

To balance out the traditional feel of the rest of the home, the kitchen's countertops, appliances, and cabinets are all clean and contemporary. A quartz material protects not only the top of the kitchen island but also the sides from daily bumps and dings.

Take a tour of this kitchen.

Marvelous Materials

The builder of this home did a great job of making classic choices such as the white subway tile, the vintage-style hardware on the cabinets, and a mahogany top on the island.

Well-Seasoned Style

These homeowners made clever paint choices. By selecting a dark green for the base cabinetry and island, they grounded the space with an appropriate connection to nature. Pale gold upper cabinets bring a welcomed lightness to the scheme. Interestingly, the units with glass-panel doors reveal that the same shade of green is used within.

Family Friendly Design

In the kitchen, these homeowners chose Virginia slate countertops and then had a sink custom made out of the same dark slate. The color hides stains that would show on a white sink

Accented Kitchen  

Clever details fill this kitchen. The floor painted by a local artist provides a graphic foundation for the colorful cabinets and sleek island.

Cottage White Kitchen

With its fresh appeal and creative use of great finds, this kitchen makes a perfect spot to linger over the morning paper and a cup of coffee. The room’s artful combination of blue and white painted cabinetry and coordinating porcelain accents seems to come together naturally. Here, a pastel shade of blue was used for the walls and a cornflower blue for the island. For a jolt of lively color, a distressed faux finish was applied to the island. A copper countertop gives the workspace even more character.

Candle-Lit Kitchen

One fun feature in this kitchen is the collection of pillar candles hanging over the island.

Open Space Kitchen

Without upper cabinets along the kitchen’s main wall, the room remains open and airy like the rest of the house.

Textured Kitchen

The eclectic mix of textures in this kitchen—patterned tin, weathered wood, painted beaded board—adds character and personality.

Pop Art Contemporary

The art and accents in this contemporary kitchen, inspired by 20th-century Pop Art, really stand out against the simple cabinetry.

Personalized Taste

From the salvage wood walls to the bevy of vintage trinkets, this kitchen has big personality.

Antique Inspiration

The antique pieces in this kitchen inspired the rustic elegance of the cabinetry and finishes.

On the Move

What’s the best thing about this cool, contemporary kitchen? It’s mobile! Rolling components make it easier to reconfigure the space from everyday to entertaining.

Naturally Beautiful

Instead of hiding the organically beautiful grain of the wood with paint, this homeowner chose a natural finish.

Small Cottage Kitchen

This homeowner let the natural wood finish of her countertops shine by painting all of the other surfaces in the kitchen either gray or white.

Traditional Kitchen

One thing about an open kitchen: You have less wallspace for cabinets, so you have to be creative with storage. Here, a large island with drawers beneath the countertops provides the solution.

The island drawers are deep enough to hold large bowls, pots, and pans. The island also houses the oven. For a stylish backsplash, the designer installed a fireback into the wall behind the cooktop. This element is also practical; it doesn't absorb grease.

Want More?
See more inspirational kitchen in our Editors' Favorite Kitchens video.

Loft-Like Feel

Situating the kitchen along a 30-foot wall takes up less space and creates ample room for dining. To accommodate the wall of windows, Barbara fit all the appliances under the countertops.

When an entire home is one open space, it's important to limit materials for a cohesive look. All the walls are plaster, and new birch plywood was laid on the floors and living room ceiling. Paintgrip steel sheeting covers the fireplace and ceilings in the kitchen and sleeping areas.

• See the rest of this dance hall transformation

A Modern Upgrade

We called our kitchen 'the time warp' because it looked like it hadn't been touched since the 1960s," says homeowner and Southern Living Executive Editor Jessica Thuston. "The matching yellow laminate floors, cabinets, and countertops—I have a feeling it was pretty great back in its day." However, fast-forward 50 years and this space was in major need of an update. "We loved the size and basic layout, but everything else had to go," Jessica says. Tour how she gave this relic some modern-day appeal.

• Tour This Kitchen

Family-Friendly Kitchen

When Caroline and Andy Roeser purchased their Houston home, it was done with a love of the neighborhood and a lot of vision. Its windowless galley kitchen felt cold and dated, so the couple wasted no time renovating it to become a sunny, open space. Tour how they made the transformation.

• Tour This Kitchen

Stylish Functionality

Feeling a bit confined in their dated Hannibal, Missouri, kitchen, Lynn and Bobby Boland wanted a complete overhaul. Without adding an inch of square footage, designer Amie Corley gave them the stylish, family-friendly kitchen they were hoping for. Tour their new space.

• Tour this Kitchen