As one of the most important and frequently-used rooms in the home, the kitchen is (rightly) also a room that can make the biggest difference in home value. Remodel a kitchen, and the value of a home can increase significantly, along with its functionality and comfort level.
Many people would love to remodel their kitchens, but where is a good place to start? Following are nine gorgeous kitchen ideas to get the ball rolling and provide a little inspiration for you.
1.Neutrals with Mixed Metals
One of the hottest kitchen design trends lately is mixing metals, and this kitchen is a perfect example. While the two lamps over the island have a brass finish and the major appliances are stainless steel, there is one stunning element that ties both finishes together: the brushed stainless steel range hood with matte brass rivets and straps.
Mixing metals in a kitchen design has to be done thoughtfully, and, when possible, should be tied together by a single feature that combines metals used in the design, just as the classic range hood here does.
Wrapping everything in neutral white, off-white, and gray tones brings a clean, modern, uncluttered appeal to the space, allowing the eyes to wander toward the metal feature highlights of the kitchen.
Pairing the bright white wooden features of this kitchen with a gorgeous hardwood floor in a darker contrasting stain brings visual interest to the room while pulling it all together in a natural, simple fashion.
2. Recessed Obsession
Recessed lighting has long been considered to be a luxurious addition to spaces, and when they are the pinnacle of a thoughtful kitchen design, they become even more glorious!
The staunch white of the strong cabinets paired with the sturdy neutral copper color of the lower drawers offers visual interest to this kitchen. The mix of stainless steel appliances and brass pendant light frames are pulled together beautifully by the range hood.
This copper range hood has a brushed stainless steel finish and matte brass rivets and straps, visually linking all of the metals used in the kitchen. The bright marble counters, lightly stained island wood, and light wood flooring keep this kitchen grounded, even though the recessed lighting is far above shining down.
The unique chevron-like pattern of the extended backsplash adds an interesting touch to this subdued kitchen in a way that doesn’t overpower it. Just the right touch of color variation applied appropriately, such as with a backsplash, can really transform a room!
3. Old-World Elegance and a Range Hood to Match
In this kitchen, the star of the show is arguably the stunning brushed stainless steel range hood. This classic curved hood has matte brass straps and rivets to match the hardware of the drawers and doors of the kitchen. The brushed stainless steel completes the look that the stainless appliances bring.
With neutral tones and a dazzling chandelier — not to mention the ceiling molding — this kitchen is a masterpiece all on its own and requires no heavy accessories or anything else to draw the eyes in. The double ovens installed right into the wall also offer convenience without taking up precious space or disrupting the flow of the room.
The old-world, luxurious vibe of this kitchen is enhanced by the chandelier, the darker patterned flooring, the range hood, and the stone backsplash coming together in a neutral presentation that is nothing short of spectacular.
4. Modern Style with Detailed Luxury
Pairing luxury with comfort can be a challenge – especially in a kitchen. However, with the right amount of cushion where it counts, metal where it matters, and nooks where necessary, any kitchen can be transformed from a simply usable space to one that becomes a favorite hangout.
This kitchen demonstrates all of the above principles of design perfectly. We see amazing bar stools that are anything but ordinary, small splashes of colored details, accessories throughout the kitchen, and useful storage space in easily accessible areas.
One on-trend design detail for modern kitchens these days is to add a custom-built range hood that pulls together the most important design elements of a kitchen.
In this kitchen, the copper range hood has a brushed stainless steel finish to match the large appliances, along with matte brass to bring out the water faucet and knobs, drawer pulls and handles, and the pendant lighting above the island.
5. It’s All About Flow with Open Design
This stunning kitchen flows so seamlessly with the rest of the house that it’s almost difficult to determine what the boundaries of the kitchen actually are! Whenever you have an open-concept kitchen, it’s crucial that every element you place in that kitchen contributes to the flow of the layout and never hinders it.
This kitchen provides a gorgeous example of a walk-through design that is elegant, unobtrusive, and stately without being overbearing or “heavy” in design. From the slim pendant lights to the brushed stainless steel range hood, everything in this kitchen was thoughtfully chosen. Even the electrical outlet covers have been carefully considered to blend in as much as possible!
The windows atop the cabinets accented with crown molding and the stone island down to the exquisite wood floors draw the eyes across the room comfortably. Although there are several different finishes and textures in this walk-through kitchen, they work well together since they are all neutral tones.
6. Airy and Bright
In this kitchen, the main feature may be the modern range hood with mill finish aluminum and matte brass rivets and straps, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of other things that work together well here.
Many designers these days will look at kitchens and wonder how to incorporate accessories, features, and appliances without adding to the density or enclosed feeling of a room. This is where the magic can happen with colors — or the lack thereof.
An excellent tip when considering a design for the kitchen is to keep it simple with clean, modern lines, floors that don’t detract from the color flow, and accessories that intensionally stand out a bit.
While previous trends have had white appliances melt into white counters and white cabinetry (or black appliances with dark counters and cabinets), the trends today let appliances stand out, from the little coffee maker to the gorgeous copper range hood.
7. Dreamy White, Recessed Stars at Night
When push comes to shove, even the trickiest designs can triumph with careful planning and a whole lot of earthy, neutral tones, including classic white.
It’s still difficult for many people to break away from the “tradition” of having everything in a kitchen the same: the same color, tone, texture, and material.
However, the trends today call for elements that are intentionally different but still complement each other. This kitchen is a beautiful example of what a dreamy white backdrop can do to draw attention to the island and range — including the mill finish aluminum range hood shown here.
Although the kitchen contains light and dark elements, they work beautifully since they are neutrals. Today’s neutral colors include much more than just “off-white” or beige. Modern colors that are considered neutral in home design include various shades and hues of browns, blues, yellows, and even some grays, black, and white.
8. Shine On with Copper and Steel
As gorgeous as matte finish kitchen features are, the same can be said for finishes that have a more reflective surface. This kitchen commands attention in the range area with a dynamic brushed stainless steel range hood that directs the eyes downward.
The counters and tops of the earth-toned cabinetry are highlighted with behind-counter and above-counter lighting, and the deep farmhouse sink is a tribute to bygone eras. The large open window above the sink provides a nature-based (and gorgeous) contrast to the more industrial side of the room that houses the range hood and range.
Further enhancing the old-world portion of the kitchen are the dark cabinets and drawers. Interestingly enough, these cabinets and drawers display very contemporary handles and knobs, which increases the visual interest of the room by quite a bit!
The mix of old-world features like the sink and this particular range hood with more modern features like the range, dishwasher, and contemporary cabinetry offer visual interest in an exceptional space.
9. Classic White, Copper, and Blue
Every last detail has been thoughtfully planned in this kitchen, right down to the small additions of color in the glass pull-down cabinets high above the countertops. The stark white is interrupted by an antique copper light hammered range hood, lending a complimentary hand to the fun pendant lights that hang above the island bar.
Notice that color isn’t the only visual statement being made in this kitchen; the textures and materials are also different throughout the space and yet they all work beautifully together.
Using the brick tile backsplash in the same color hue as the cabinetry, the island, and even the trim of the blue wall keeps the color flow going from one end of the room to the other, just as the decor on the blue wall matches the flooring and even the wooden utensils on the counter.
Few color group trends have more staying power than that of white, copper or brown, and blue. These three colors together in a kitchen seldom disappoint, so if you’re looking for something that is bold yet subtle, airy yet grounding, look to this kitchen for inspiration.
When all else fails during your thoughts of redesigning your kitchen, remember that one of the most popular current trends right now is that almost anything goes, so if you have an idea, go for it and see how it looks!
