This pretty, pastoral kitchen-and-dining nook offers a welcome retreat in the bustling city of New York. A fresh, white breakfast hutch and countertop pair perfectly with a marble backsplash to evoke the charms of a country house—and the amenities of a modern-day home.
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This tiny kitchen's creative use of walls and the tops of cabinets gives ample room to spread out below. Cutting boards, seldom-used servingware, and bottles of fine wine are hung high on walls or stashed above upper cabinets on a DIY shelf.
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This kitchen’s got the blues, but not because of its dainty dimensions! A cheery, Easter-egg blue subway tile backsplash, with nearby bowls, plates, and storage jars to match, create the perfect mix-and-match color theme when paired with the kitchen’s ivory open shelving cabinets.
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An ominous alcove is transformed into a bright and appetizing kitchen with the addition of light-giving windows in the angular ceiling. The downward facing windows with natural wood trim make the kitchen feel more spacious while complementing the rustic decor below.
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This studio apartment avoids the trifecta of troubles that commonly afflict undefined kitchen spaces—a lack of style, boundaries, and hominess—with the simple addition of a rug. Situated beneath a skylight of equal proportions, the floor exudes warmth and comfort in quaint quarters.
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homepolish.com; photographed by Claire Esparros
It’s a small world in this compact kitchen, but one that looks much larger thanks to design features plucked from European homes. A miniature stove and full-size sink, flanked by floating corner shelves, add style without subtracting space.
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homepolish.com; photographed by Cody Ulrich
This rustic one wall kitchen is sleek and slim, yet fully-stocked. A central window against the far wall is framed on three sides with cabinetry and surfaces for washing, cutting, and cooking, leaving ample space for wining and dining guests.
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Zillow Digs home in Edgartown, MA
Reclaim wasted space around the refrigerator by flanking the appliance on all sides with storage-smart cabinetry. Here, flat-panel cabinets, large and small, offer a secret stash spot for cookware and snacks. When color-matched to the kitchen island and flooring, the addition looks almost seamless.
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The streamlined silhouette of this petite Parisian flat disguises a kitchenette above the countertop and a laundromat below. Get the look—wherever you are in the world—by emulating its floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, small appliances, multipurpose wall hooks, and bold paint color.
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Mid-century millwork finds its way to modernity in this ultra-accessible, natural wood kitchenette. The success of the space rests on floating tiered shelves of sapele and white oak, which serve up statuesque servingware and wine glasses over an elegant and easy-to-clean quartz countertop.
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This kitchen has gone gray—but has never looked more vibrant or spacious! The slate-colored cabinets and matching pewter oven and exhaust hood offer playful variations on a subdued hue, while the geometric backsplash and quartz countertop tease visitors with eye-catching textures.
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Turn the corner on that awkward alcove in the kitchen by drawing the eye to more noteworthy focal points. Here, modern artwork meets floating shelves at the corner of two underutilized walls, adding both form and function with minimal effort.
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Though the fiery hue is said to encourage a healthy appetite, in a tiny kitchen, a uniformly red color scheme can make the room look smaller. In this drool-worthy kitchen, the red floor lends warmth from the ground up, while the surrounding white cabinetry gives the space an open, airy quality.
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The brick wall in this kitchen makes the cozy ambiance of a hearth accessible year-round. Industrial pendant lights and candle sticks offer additional contrast to the modern cabinets, and evoke a distinctly old-world feel even in a new home.
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Black may have a slimming effect elsewhere, but when it infiltrates the kitchen, it creates visual variety and diverts attention from the size of the space. In this mix-and-match kitchen, a punch of ebony in a sea of ivory cabinets draws the eye to functional focal points like the stove and radiator.
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Painting cabinets in darker hues can streamline the look of these occasionally obtrusive kitchen fixtures. Here, dark chocolate cabinets offer a sweet contrast to the ivory subway tile beneath it, while affording the cabinets themselves a more integrated, organized appearance.
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All dressed in yellow, the lower cabinets in these kitchen quarters are sure to create a happy home. The atmosphere of play is solidified with a geometric-cut frame around open shelves, and matching marigolds hung with utensils in wooden storage canisters on the wall.
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