My immediate plan when moving into my home was to knock down the wall separating the kitchen from the living room. I was bummed to learn that structurally it couldn't be done. Five years later, though, I'm grateful I never took that leap. Closed kitchens are having a comeback moment, as more people crave separation between cooking, entertaining, and even working from home.
Mixing wood tones can be a bold and rewarding design choice, but the potential for unseemly clashing is real. With a room as important as your kitchen, you want the space to feel inviting, stylish, and functional all at once. Before diving head-first into mixed wood tones, research the different ways to avoid a potentially ugly contrast. Kitchen flooring, backsplashes, cabinets, countertops, and even light fixtures all have the potential to be transformed with a wooden facelift.
For home cooks designing or remodeling a high-traffic kitchenspace built to last the long haul, flamed granite countertops belong on your radar. The two chief benefits of flamed granite are its durability and its low maintenance. The material is wildly resistant to wear, but beyond its tactical appeal, it also happens to be aesthetically stunning in a distinctive, one-of-a-kind way (just like your do-it-all kitchen, and the myriad folks who use it ... and use it, and use it).
From trending styles to paint colors and furniture, interior design in 2026 is all about creating spaces that feel warm, inviting, and undeniably lived in. As a part of that shift, many once-beloved historic design details are making a dramatic comeback - and alcoves fit right in. In one of their recent design and build projects, the team at Four Brothers Design + Build blended form and function with a stove cove in the kitchen to add interest and sneaky storage with hidden shelving inside.
Most of us have a preferred kitchen style in mind when decorating our culinary space, but one of the most common kitchen design mistakes you could make is leaning into that one single style too much. Making one aesthetic your end-all be-all can turn a space with potential into a monotone room that's severely lacking character. Therefore, it's important to consider mixing materials and textures that give your kitchen personality, depth, and lots of dynamic focal points.
Traditional rules of design have viewed the kitchen as a closed-off, industrial space devised to be hidden away from view. This one-size-fits-all mindset meant that everything was designed with cohesion and visual conformity in mind. However, these formulas don't match pace with the modern needs of homeowners. The modern kitchen has a heavy list of duties to service: It must be equipped to support multiple cooks at once, double up as an entertainment zone, and house a wide array of appliances.
The most flexible alternative to a traditional dining table is to extend your kitchen island, creating a dual workspace and dining area. An island allows dinnertime socialization in a convenient, less formal setting. Unlike a standard dining table, an island extension is modular and can provide additional space for kitchen storage, food prep, and dining. It also allows for other shared activities, such as studying, doing homework, taking on a craft project, or catching up on paperwork.
We all know and love the power of the best coffee makers on the market: They're efficient and practical for making excellent brews at home. And while we love a coffee maker that does its job, as design editors, we care about the counter appeal of these appliances (that is, how aesthetically pleasing it is in the kitchen) just as much as we care about cup capacity and self-timers.
In the world of kitchen trends, there is always a shiny new penny waiting on the horizon. While you don't need to hop onboard every fad that comes your way, it does help to have a firm grasp on what is considered in and which trends are eliciting a yawn. And it isn't just a matter of aesthetics. If you are investing all your time, energy, and money in trends that have started feeling dated, you could be reducing the perceived value of your home.
The first thing that stands out is the form. Instead of the usual squat base with a forest of buttons, this processor reads almost like a compact handheld vacuum crossed with a milk frother. A clean cylinder holds the motor and battery, with a straight handle projecting from the side and a clear jar below. The lines are smooth and rounded, and the whole object looks soft without being cute for the sake of it.
Whether you're a waterfall countertop superfan and think they turn kitchen islands into beautiful natural stone focal points, or you hate them and feel they're the contemporary kitchen version of the mullet, there's no denying that we're seeing waterfall kitchen islands everywhere these days. (And even the mullet has arguably come back in style, so go figure.) When it comes to zeroing in on your ideal kitchen countertop design,
Most water purifiers are hidden under the sink or banished to a corner of the kitchen, their bulky shapes and blinking indicator lights clashing with the clean lines of a modern, carefully designed space. For anyone who values both wellness and aesthetics in equal measure, finding a purifier that actually enhances the space rather than detracting from it is a rare treat worth celebrating when you finally discover one.
When designing your dream kitchen, there's no better place to look for kitchen design tips than Martha Stewart. She's a kitchen design genius who has designed more than a dozen kitchens for her properties alone, with some of her properties boasting multiple kitchens. Over time, she's found what does and doesn't work for her, opting for kitchen concepts that are classically elegant and highly functional.
Such is the case with a popular kitchen design choice from the '80s that is seeing a comeback today. Wood paneling is a decorative wall covering that can be made from solid or engineered wood panels, or a laminate or vinyl material designed to look like wood. It was originally used in European homes in Medieval times to insulate rooms in homes that were built from stone.
It's safe to say Martha Stewart knows her way around the kitchen. Whether she's setting up a dinner party spread or renovating an entire farmhouse kitchen, she's a true homemaker at heart. Behind all that cooking are her carefully chosen appliances - selected for performance, style, and longevity. One premium brand has been a staple throughout Stewart's homes, known for its restaurant-level looks, impressive cooking power, and buy-it-for-life appeal: the ultra-premium Viking.
First, Crin highlights "the sleek, modern aesthetic because of the customizable design." The glass usually comes clear (though colored versions do exist), making the kitchen look bigger and brighter. Whatever is behind the panels dictates the design of the kitchen, allowing you to get creative. Crin suggests "installing wallpaper or any 3D decorative wall panel underneath," adding that "if wallpaper is not an option, paint will be a more affordable alternative."
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. More people are stepping away from the minimalist, open-concept kitchens that seemed to dominate design decisions for the past two decades. We want to personalize our kitchens, considering how much time we spend in them. Plus, many of us are seeking cozy comforts in today's world. This has revived past trends like choosing charming 1990s kitchen color schemes over monotonous monotone and collecting secondhand cookware and serveware to mix modern and vintage kitchen items.
Kitchen fires remain one of the most common household emergencies, yet most of our safety equipment stays hidden in cabinets or tucked away in corners where we forget it exists. What makes the bogl concept particularly compelling is how it challenges this assumption entirely.
September 2025 has delivered some of the most exciting kitchen innovations we've seen this year. The kitchen in 2025 is smarter, greener, and more beautiful than ever before. With sustainable design becoming essential and smart technology leading the way, these five standout gadgets represent the perfect fusion of form and function. Each piece showcases how contemporary kitchen design is evolving to meet modern lifestyle demands while maintaining aesthetic appeal.
At home, his kitchen is as functional and ergonomic as those professional spaces, with a bit more room for fun. He's got a wall oven placed to match his stature (he's six foot five, after all), an extra-large fridge to fit both groceries and samples from work, and the internet's latest gadget obsession (the Ninja Creami). And he isn't afraid to play around with it. It's a space tailored for creativity and for indulging in the more delicious side of bringing work home.
A hob typically refers to a flat, built-in surface, often electric or induction, that seamlessly blends into the countertop. Not only do they look sleek and ultra-modern, they're also really easy to clean and offer precise temperature control once you get used to them. On the other hand, a traditional gas cooktop features visible burners and grates, providing a familiar cooking experience that many home chefs prefer.
