Colorful Contemporary Kitchens

Even the slightest touch of color can make a bold statement. Dark wood cabinetry is toned down by the pale-green glass backsplash and the white granite countertops. Lavender chairs and a flowing violet flower arrangement deliver a lively touch of color to this modern kitchen. Design by Daniel Bodenmiller.

A unique peacock feather painted on the ceiling sets the color scheme for this transitional kitchen. The pretty blues of the mural are reflected in the soft wall color and seating, and bursts of orange are found scattered throughout the space. All of the colors are effectively pulled together in the tiled floor and artwork. Design by Ken Kelly.

This kitchen reflects the owner's love for artistic expression. Custom cabinetry made from hand-painted exotic woods creates a creative palette for the space. Stainless steel appliances and hardware work to give the kitchen its contemporary feel. Design by Lou Ann Bauer.

This kitchen's unique use of color against the taupe cabinetry and pale accessories is both unexpected and elegant. Fresh green walls extend to the ceiling and to the upholstery of the barstools. Green is also reflected in the island's centerpiece. Design by Shelly Riehl David.

A gorgeous burnt orange adds warmth to this modern kitchen. With crisp stainless steel countertops and white lacquered cabinetry, walnut floors, orange seating and a focal point wall of natural stone balance the modern, sleek look of the kitchen. Design by Andreea Avram Rusu.

A neutral wall color is the backdrop for this transitional kitchen designed with a Southwestern flair. A mix of light and dark wood tones combines well with subtle green dining chairs. Bright orange flower arrangements and a yellow fruit arrangement lend a sunny splash of color. Design by Amy Bubier.

This contemporary kitchen gets its burst of color from the unique cabinetry, tileworks and furnishings. Light wood paired with deep-blue cabinet details and barstools provides a bold contrast. Mixed with the other colors, the overall effect is eye-opening and aesthetically pleasing. Design by Lou Ann Bauer.

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Small Kitchen Sizzle

          Focus on function and scale down on appliances.

Trade in top cupboards for open storage.

A mix of materials and shapes can create a pleasing combination.

             Glass features visually expand a space.

Consider pairing fluorescent lighting with pendant lights to give your kitchen a more appetizing color. (Photo by Maxwell Mackenzie)via

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Four Seasons Metals

I am excited to introduce you to the gorgeous, new custom hoods recently completed by Four Seasons Metals, fabricator of custom metal hoods, sinks, countertops, cabinets, and architectural elements. Made from copper with a special aged patina finish, this hood features brushed zinc accent strips to complement the client’s aesthetics and to create a design that is unique as well as elegant.

This copper and zinc hood was installed in an upscale residence in Knoxville, TN. It measures 48” in width to cover a large island range. In addition to the aged patina copper and brushed zinc, the hood features 4.75” copper crown molding at the top where it meets the ceiling and a faux painted wood wrap on the bottom to match the zinc accents.

Like all of Four Seasons’ hoods, this copper and zinc ventilation hood is a custom design brought to the company by one of many high end designers who rely on Four Seasons to turn their plans into reality. For more information on Four Seasons, its products, and its capabilities, You can contact Four Seasons Metals at 800-514-6491 or go to http://www.fourseasonsmetals.com/.

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Kitchen Designs for Function

Designer Candice Olson removed cabinets and walls and installed a peninsula in this Big Easy Kitchen. "This really opens up the area visually, allows the couple some extra counter space and gives guests a place to lounge," Candice says.

This kitchen's layout takes full advantage of the views. "The playful colors in this contemporary kitchen are repeated in the accent tiles, area rug and chairs around the breakfast table," says designer Linda Applewhite.

With a desk, a television, ample seating and food and drink, it's safe to say this warm kitchen is the hub of this home. (Design by Joseph Anthony.)

"Riverfront views are maximized with wall-to-wall windows in this family-friendly kitchen," says designer Barb Ince. This kitchen is also fully equipped for preparing family meals or entertaining a large crowd. (Image by George Lambros of Lambros Photography)

An island can be both functional and artistic. "This island creatively bridges the space between the kitchen and dining room. The bookshelves create a visual barrier to the stove and sink areas," says designer Steve Appolloni.

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Colorful Kitchens

Bold Blue

 My Space user Ambera2 remodeled her kitchen to match a blue KitchenAid® mixer that sits on her countertop. The wall color complements the tiled backsplash, and the island was repainted a shade to match the great room, adjacent to the kitchen.

Soothing Green

This kitchen by Rate My Space user Karma518 boasts a host of amenities: an eat-in island, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, cherry cabinets, an office nook and a pantry and bar with a wine fridge. Yet the soothing green wall color steals the show.

Sunny Yellow

The focal point, a hanging light fixture by Kevin Reilly, adds a rustic touch. “I searched for two years to find the perfect fixture and this is it.”

Spicy Orange

A gut renovation of Rate My Space user mvbarlow’s kitchen inspired the warm wall color, chosen to complement the Tuscan Old World decor theme. Features include a tumbled-marble backsplash, granite countertops, distressed cabinetry, pendant lighting, large Italian-tile flooring and a vineyard mural above the cooktop.

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Kitchen Concepts

German kitchen giant Miele DIE KÜCHE has rebranded itself as Warendorf, rolling out four new kitchen models by one of the biggest names in design, Philippe Starck. The designs represent something of a departure, both physically and functionally, from the traditional wall-to-wall kitchen models. Starck calls it ‘democratic design’. Its wide range of individual elements - and the ability to combine them in different ways - make for wide appeal to a range of consumers, lifestyles and spaces.

All four concepts are designed with the philosophy of the kitchen as a social hub, merging the practical utilities of food preparation and eating with living functions. The aesthetic can be likened to a living room rather than a traditional kitchen. Refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, ovens etc are all concealed behind handle-less unit fronts. Accompanying exhaust hoods disappear into the ceiling when not in use. And finally, there is the Trumpet Table. It is a functional table that serves as a response to changed kitchen dynamics. It can be integrated into every Philippe Starck kitchen - or serve as a standalone concept, and serves as anything from a working and dining area (with a sink and flush-mounted cooker hob) to a working module (complete with a sink, cooker hob, pull-out drawers and bar-height dining table) or simply a round bar-height table.

Library uses bookshelf-style elements to combine culture and food in the domestic kitchen. A wall-high frame of shelves, surrounding the kitchen monoblock, is accessible via a sliding ladder.

Primary is a small space solution and can be customized to your space using its modular components. “A compact version of the luxury kitchen, extendable with supplement modules.”

Duality, as its name might suggest, is accessible on both sides. “Traditional wall element or detached kitchen island” (and room divider) - you decide.

Finally, Tower reduces cooking to its essentials: fire, water, hot and cold are all incorporated into rotating towers and concealed behind sleek doors.

Miele DIE KÜCHE’s rebranding as Warendorf is an attempt at marking the beginning of a new kitchen era. They explain, “Miele kitchens come from Warendorf and that is also their new name. The quality and experience of the last 35 years are here to stay, a new way of thinking and a new design are added to the mix.”

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Classy and Clean

Cool and contemporary meets naturally beautiful in this stunning kitchen by designer Carlo Colombo. The new Twelve kitchen, designed for Poliform Varenna kitchen company, experiments with “minimal horizontal thicknesses and maximum wideness,” as described by Poliform. The modern style comes sans handles, resulting in a very chic, sleek and streamlined look, which is a nice feature in what is usually a chaotic, cluttered space. A variety of finished lets you customize the look. Facade finishes include wood, laminate, glossy or embossed lacquered fronts, or simple steel. Tops come in a variety of laminates, steel, Corian, quartzite or painted fronted glass. The range of looks run the gamut from organic to ultra-modern, each with a distinctly contemporary edge. For more info and to check out the Twelve kitchen, visit Poliform Varenna.

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Cooler Colors

For all things kitchen, culinary and cuisine related, Coolors if full of amazing kitchen decorating ideas, based on their collection of must-have colored kitchen appliances that no modern home can do without. Specializing in colored refrigerators, household furnishings, panels and customizations for the interior, take a cue from Coolors and you’ll soon be the envy of all your friends. No longer is the refrigerator a utilitarian, uninteresting fixture. With Coolors’ silk screening process, the fridge becomes a unique work of art, featuring images and colors to suit your individual sense of style. Converting your favorite vacation photo into a work of art by one of their masters, you now can ornament your appliances and take them from drab to fab. And you’re bound only by your imagination – choose a coordinating color for the range hood, or a complementary pattern to finish your panels, resulting in a unified and original look. For more kitchen decorating ideas and to check out these cool, colored kitchen appliances, visit Coolors

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