French country warmth

This remodel combined a variety of materials to create a warm French country look that is perfect for large family gatherings: glazed white cabinetry with accents of aged maple, handmade tile countertops with a granite "table," and a stucco hood with wood trim.

Eclectic character

A remodel of a large 1920s Spanish-style home, this homeowner wanted her kitchen to have the warm, eclectic character of the rest of her home. The Kitchen Consultant designed various furniture pieces for storage, each with different leg and trim details -- mixing maple, oak and cherry and using both red and black stains. The pullout pantry incorporates a carved door that was original to the house. The client also wanted a cozy "hearth" area, so we created an angled niche for the professional style range that creates a beautiful detail as it meets the original coved ceiling.

Old World feel

This is a new home with an '"Old World" feel. Glazed white cabinetry with rope moulding details and granite and limestone countertops create a rich, warm, yet bright and open kitchen. The furniture detailing also helps the kitchen integrate with the adjacent living and dining areas in this open floor plan.

Renewed charm

The owners of this small 1920s Spanish-style home wanted to improve the flow of the house and open it up to the outdoors, while maintaining the integrity of the architecture. To open up the house we reversed the positions of the dining room and kitchen. The dining room now has french doors out to the patio and the kitchen is open to both the family room and dining room. The old dining room had a lovely coved ceiling, which we were able to keep by creating a massive arched opening between the rooms that seems as though it has always been there.

The furniture-like cabinetry is a unique combination of glazed pine and maple with a distressed brick red finish. The tumbled marble tile countertops enhance the feeling of age, but they are very easy to take care of. The existing wood floor was patched and refinished.

Glass accents

Another 1920s Spanish-style home -- however, these homeowners wanted more contemporary lines and materials. We opened the kitchen up to the family room and breakfast room using traditional arches, but then we filled the space with clean-lined natural maple cabinets, limestone-look Avonite countertops and broken-tile backsplashes. An existing door to the side yard was closed and filled in with glass block which accents the stainless steel hood.

This remodel of a 1970s tract home uses simple lines, but black, white and stainless steel create visual impact. The combination of horizontal and curved lines adds interest. And, once again, the custom hood is set off by the glass block.

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