Banquette Please

Who doesn't love to sit in a booth? It's like sitting on the sofa and having dinner brought to you! I think they make great use of eat in dining kitchens. They are so welcoming and cozy. These banquettes look like rooms I would be happy to sit in!

Gray Day

So it's supposed to be summer...but you wouldn't be able to tell by the weather here in the OC. It's been completely overcast and gloomy. But that got me thinking about gray interiors. How do you respond to gray rooms? Do you think they are cozy and chic or austere and lifeless?

High Beams

I love when a ceiling becomes another feature of a room. This can be done through paint, mouldings, beams, soffits or shapes. Today I was drawn towards wood beams in the ceiling.  The beams add another layer of richness to these spaces...

I love how these beams add so much warmth to this super white kitchen!
Beckwith Interiors

Beckwith Interiors

Rustic Beams with a soft Contemporary Design
Cornerstone Architects

The beams add an architectural element to make this kitchen feel established
Michael S Smith

Artistic Stone Design

Falling Over The Edge

A contemporary way to finish the end of kitchen or bathroom cabinets is to carry the counter top all the way to the floor. Sometimes known as a waterfall edge the look is very clean. I think this style works best in spaces where you can see the counter top "spilling" to the floor. Here are some examples of contemporary and transitional kitchens with this edge detail.

Bright White

I know its all the rage right now (and has been for a few years) to do kitchens and bathrooms in white marble. Sometimes it can look a little uninspired to me or just plain and boring. However, more often than not white marble looks so clean and classic. White always looks so fresh to me like I should be drinking a cold glass of water with lemon or cucumber slices. Here are some pictures of refreshing white kitchens and bathrooms...

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Pinterest

Calacutta Gold Source Unknown

Nice but needs Pendant Lighting

Gorgeous! Source Unknown

Love! Source Unknown

Cleaned Up Kitchens

Sometimes contemporary kitchens can look too manufactured and sterile for me. Like if a crumb dropped on the counter that's all I would see. Case in point..

Snaidero

This is a beautiful kitchen by Snaidero but this just seems like a kitchen for people that don't cook.

The new soft contemporary looks way more livable and warm in my opinion.

Here are some examples...

Christopher Grubb

Kraftmaid

Huntley and Company

Phoebe Howard

Island Stone

Stone surfaces are textural, interesting, and dramatic. They look great in residential settings as well in commercial applications. They can be lit from the bottom or from the top to give even more dimension. Consider using stone in ways other than just on the floor or in kitchens and bathrooms. Here are a few examples from a product line called Island Stone.

Waterjet Tile Designs

Whenever I design a bathroom or kitchen one of my first choices in tile selection is waterjet cut tiles. The possibilities are endless for the design and the stones. The color combination can be dramatic or simple. You can outline the tile pattern by simply selecting a contrasting grout. Here are a few examples.