KITCHEN DESIGN

                                     A Truly Tiny Kitchen

       This tiny New York City Kitchen has a place for everything, says designer Stephanie Stokes. "After designing so many kitchens for other people, I knew exactly what I needed and what I wanted," she says. A mirrored backsplash, an electric cooktop that doubles as countertop, and simple cabinetry help give the illusion of grandeur.

                        California Kitchen with a Dramatic Flair

            The owner of this Napa Valley house is very involved with the arts, according to designer Erin Martin. In the kitchen, architecture and applied ornament conspire to make the the room lighthearted and a touch theatrical. Artist Michael Duté's blue and white design brings walls and even the barrel-vaulted ceiling to life.

             

                      Texas Kitchen with a French Connection

            This Dallas kitchen has a little something extra on the walls. "It's old reclaimed tile from France that was probably on the floor of some château," says designer Shannon Bowers. "I wanted the feeling of an old-world kitchen."

                                        Tranquil Kitchen

               Susan Ferrier designed the kitchen in this tranquil Alabama townhouse "You don't want the eye to stutter in a small space," Ferrier says. "You want it to move naturally from one thing to the next, from similar color to similar color, from shape to shape."

                                           Oak Plate Rack

              The Pilaster plate rack in oak is one of Smallbone's signature pieces. Dishes and glassware used every day are within easy reach.

                                  French Fantasy Kitchen

           This St. Louis house, a tiny 900 square feet, is a take on a Norman château; the galley kitchen is an example of big things that can be done with a little space. Designer Chris Welsh adapted the diamond shapes and tones of golden parchment and golden taupe from an antique Gustavian sideboard.

                                        Mirrors Work Magic

A mirrored backsplash in this shabby-chic Manhattan apartment gives the illusion of more space. "The kitchen opens up to the living room on one side and the family room, where we eat and watch TV, on the other," says designer Faye Cone. "The idea was that it should be an extension of both these spaces."

                                   Twin Farmhouse Sinks

               These pristine farmhouse sinks and Julia faucets are from Waterworks. "I like two sinks side by side," says the house's owner and designer, Susan Dossetter. "One becomes a receptacle for dirty pots and pans while you keep working in the other, and I love the fact that it's so deep you can't see the dirty dishes from across the room."

                                 A Kitchen for a Collector

    

              The antique oak cabinet, originally made for a French store, is perfect for a collector. Designer Susan Dossetter found the reproduction Windsor chairs in Nantucket and had the table made to work with the chairs and the cabinet in this kitchen Co-designed by Andrew Skurman.

                                     Brazen Bronze Sink

              Natural materials with a patina of age lend this California kitchen a distinctly antiqued feel, and the sink helps do the job. Ann Sacks's Zeus sink with an antique copper patina is paired with Kohler's Vinnata faucet in Vibrant Brazen Bronze.

                               Practical Table and Chairs

                In this Nantucket cottage, the solid blue fabric on the chairs, Romo's Linara, "is practical for sticky little hands because it has a lot of texture, a lot of weaving," says designer T.Keller Donovan. Table and chairs from John Andrew. Featured in May 2008 issue.

                                 Classic Kitchen Color

              Architect Ken Pursley converted an exterior porch in this home into a family-worthy kitchen. "[Kitchens] should have at least two doorways, so they're part of the circular flow of the house. Plus there is room for the family. The color on the walls is sophisticated but doesn't take away from the standout features of the room."

                                       Colorful Cabinets

           Darker colors can really open up a smaller-sized kitchen. Try painting the cabinets a color like Benjamin Moore's Great Barrington Green.

                                    A California Kitchen

Nothing says California more than sun, so why not bring the sun indoors through the paint? For a similar look to the one at left, try Benjamin Moore Golden Honey 297.

                          A Simple Yet Beautiful Kitchen

The cleanup sink opposite the stove is a Shaws Original, made of fireclay, which is softer than porcelain and less likely to chip your dishes. To its right, one real drawer and, beneath it, three faux drawers that mask a trash pullout. Designer R. Roman Hudson also took down a wall to open the kitchen to the breakfast room.

                                  Pantry Essentials

     In the pantry, an under-mounted stainless-steel sink by Franke is set into a Lagos Azul limestone countertop. The wall-mounted faucet, with a separate sprayer, makes for easy cleanup.

                                     Try Open Shelving

        Open shelving and no upper cabinets help this Hamptons cottage kitchen, designed by Leslie Klotz, look larger than it is. Viking range and hood.

                                       Casual Feeling

Designer Ray Booth wanted to give the kitchen an aged, casual feeling, with distressed finishes. The ceiling is made from pecky cypress, and the center island is oak treated with ammonia and wire-brushed to pull out the grain.

                                         Space Savers

Cabinet doors in this Japanese-style kitchen slide open instead of swinging out, which takes up less room.

                                       All-White Kitchen

Designer James Radin chose the black Windsor chairs for contrast — "like a punctuation mark" — in the creamy, all white kitchen.

                                  High-Ceilinged Kitchen

Although this Saratoga Springs kitchen isn't big, it has a 10-foot ceiling. Designer Nancy Boszhardt thought it would be cozier with a "strong" ceiling that would minimize its verticality. Instead of using bead board, as she did in the rest of the house, she left the boards open and added old-fashioned fixtures

                                    Kitchen Chimney

      A massive stone chimney ties the kitchen to the family room while shielding it from view. New honed granite countertops, a Dacor stove, and bronze farmhouse lanterns elevate the kitchen to the living area's level of sophistication. Designed by Healing Barsanti.