Ultimate kitchens round 3!

Hi there. It feels great to be getting back to the drawing board and doing what I love most.....blogging! I am working on various design posts and getting back to what I love to talk about. Haven't done a kitchen post in such a long time...think its overdue! For anyone who loves design, kitchens are always at the forefront of any discussion or photo collection. The heart of the home, the one room where everyone loves to hang out in, I believe a kitchen is one room that deserves the best you can afford.

Beautiful cabinetry, great appliances, abundant storage, beautiful finishes are all wonderful but above all else it must be a functional and practical space. There are so many styles of kitchens to love. While I love a white kitchen for its clean crisp aesthetic, a European feeling kitchen with a variety of finishes is my personal favorite, hence why I created the kitchen that we did for our own home. Trends come and go but there are some that are absolutely classic and timeless.

 Marble being one such thing. I wouldn't even consider any other countertop and would give up clothes buying for a year if I had to. I love the look of marble countertops. Some argue its not practical. Go tell that to the Italians and French bakers who have it all over their restaurant countertops and floors for years or the maintenance people who oversee The famed Spanish Steps in Rome..they have been there hundreds of years and still going strong!! It is the beautiful patina that comes with time and use that makes it so uniquely perfect in my humble opinion.

 As kitchens have never been given so much attention, lighting has become an equally front row and center detail. So many possibilities! I like the function of small high hats (still the best working light) coupled with interesting lighting like a chandelier or belljars. So enough of my gabbing, take a look at this newest collection of kitchens that have caught my eye for one reason or another. How about you? What's your style? What are your must haves in a kitchen? Do tell!

 This is a beautiful space. The bold blue and white paper adds so much to this beautiful kitchen!

 Bleached oak never looked so fabulous....love it with the Belgian bluestone in black, gorgeous!

 My own kitchen.......have since replaced the barstools. I really love my kitchen today as much as I did when I created it almost two years ago (can't believe its been that long)!

 There is certainly something very appealing about an all white kitchen and luscious white marble counterops, Homebunch

 Love the pale blue with white marble counter tops in this beautiful kitchen, the sconces are an unexpected touch too, Martha Stewart

Ellisa Cullman created this spectacular kitchen, very dramatic...love the "to the ceiling" cabinets

This beautiful kitchen has a similar feeling to my own, love the warmth the woods adds to the painted cabinets and of course the beams....Bill Litchfield

Mark Molthan created a beautiful and very inviting, cozy kitchen by combining a rich dark wood island with painted cabinets....gorgeous!

Great French inspired kitchen, love the mix of materials, big stone hood....fabulous and timeless! Homebunch

Thomas Pheasant did an amazing job creating a warm, inviting space out of this large family kitchen....love the added accents of blue and white, a rug, and the open shelving

When designing our own kitchen, this picture was one of my earlier/first inspirations...still love it! Traditional Home

Let's face it....a "statement range" can easily make a pretty kitchen into an extraordinary kitchen!

Another very classic look.....the timeless appeal of black and white checkerboard floors, love this look!

There is something so warm and inviting about this white kitchen, think it could be the pretty pleated shade fixtures, like that look a lot!

Tall, long lean cabinets are a fantastic way to emphasize height in a kitchen with high ceilings

This look I LOVE, a copper pot collection, a warm stone oversized hood, baskets, a pretty chandelier, some elements of black..stunning!

Fell in love with this at first sight...these are sooo my colors and love that floor! House Beautiful

Talk about drama! Wow...this is one dramatic and beautiful kitchen, love the way the blue and white pops against the black!  Frederike Kemp Biggs

Another successful example of how colored cabinets can work so well...I think the key is making sure there is a "chalky" effect to the color, or a milky version of the color choice.....beautiful!

Yes, yes and yes! Just amazing....love a collection of beautiful copper pots and those high ceilings! Chateau Montgeoffroy

Always have liked gingham and think this oversized gingham accented kitchen is mighty charming! Emily Ann Designs

Gorgeous classic space, Elle Decor

Giselle and Tom Brady's warm and expansive kitchen is as beautiful as it is functional

Interesting eclectic space with the stone wall and open shelving, Veranda

This is so warm and inviting, love the wing chair seating and gingham window treatment, Veranda

My kitchen again....love my belljars and reclaimed limestone floors, to me very classic accents

A few  of my personal favorite elements for a kitchen, start with flooring! Don't skimp, it is truly the foundation for this space in more ways than one.....

 Reclaimed limestone....as classic as it gets

LOVE this reclaimed Austrian terra cotta with the wood....fabulous!

And if you are going to use wood, how about this Versaille Parquet in a weathered finish?


COUNTERTOPS

White marble for a countetop goes literally with every style and every color kitchen, timeless!!


LIGHTING

Great lighting, for a more traditional look I love the classic feel of belljars (these are my online shop)

If you want something more transitional feeling, these round globe lights from Restoration Hardware are great looking!

And of course a crystal chandelier is a fabulous way to add beautiful lighting to a kitchen

Love the warmth and coziness that adding shades to island lighting offers

So much to  love here, what fun it is to design and dream up a new kitchen. I have to say every morning that I walk into mine, I love it as much as I did the day we moved in, there really is nothing I would have done differently, proof to try and get what you really love.  So tell me what style is your dream kitchen? What would be first on your wish list? I love to hear from you....so tell me all about it. Thank you for stopping in, if you want to see even more kitchen gorgeousness definitely  visit my Pinterest board "kitchen love", by clicking here. Wishing you a fabulous day!



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