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Kitchen Design Ideas From NKBA Pros

December 18, 2014

Get inspiration and kitchen design ideas from these stunning, professionally designed kitchens featured as finalists in the National Kitchen and Bath Association competition.

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Kitchen with Farmhouse Features

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Contemporary Farmhouse Kitchen

Glass doors, open shelving and a farm-style sink not only retain the farmhouse ambiance, but also add balance to the bar area.

Appliances Hidden Behind Cabinets in Island

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Cabinets Conceal Kitchen Appliances

Cabinet door panels discreetly conceal some of the built-in appliances, keeping the warmth of the cabinetry as the main focal point of the room. Low storage innovations enable the child to access the kitchen items with ease and safety.

Range Hood is Focal Point

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Kitchen with Custom Range Hood

A custom hood behind the range is the main focal point of the kitchen, and an attractive bar area makes room for casual entertaining.

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Kitchen With Wood and Trestle Ceiling

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Contemporary Kitchen With Rustic Touches

A large, elegant island opens up to the family room, and a rustic farm table in front of the island serves as a cozy spot for family dining and entertaining. As reclaimed 100-year old barn wood adorns the ceiling, large white trestles add texture and beauty, while anchoring the entire space.

Kitchen blends modern and rustic features.

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Kitchen with Modern and Rustic Features

Balancing the simplicity of the rustic atmosphere with the elegance of modern style, the designer succeeded in designing a space that perfectly embraced the clients’ vision for their home.

Three Skylights Over Kitchen Island

Photo: Joshua Lawrence Studios INC

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Open Kitchen With Skylights

Lining up perfectly with the center of the range hood fan are three central skylights that bring ample natural light to the island, minimizing the need for electricity during daytime.

Kitchen With Stainless Steel Countertop

Photo: Joshua Lawrence Studios INC

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Modern Kitchen With Stainless Touches

Stainless steel countertop with a seamless welded sink provides an exceptionally durable and hygienic surface, and an oversized industrial faucet at the main sink makes a style statement while facilitating water efficiency.

Modern Kitchen with Simple Lines

Photo: Joshua Lawrence Studios INC

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Kitchen Island with Seamless Countertop

Since the large island required a material without a seam, the designer incorporated a neolith porcelain countertop which is 100% recyclable and composed of all natural materials.

Open Kitchen With Skylights

Photo: Joshua Lawrence Studios INC

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White, Open-Plan Kitchen

Removing all existing partition walls to achieve one large open living area, the designer deployed durable countertops and a simple cabinet style for a modern look.

Kitchen With Walnut Cabinets

Photo: Joshua Lawrence Studios INC

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Modern Kitchen Warmed by Walnut

American Walnut with a flat sliced grain match was specified for the eating bar on the island as well as some of the storage areas.

Large Kitchen With Sweeping Views

Photo: Joshua Lawrence Studios INC

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Contemporary Kitchen With Stunning Views

A marriage between the lush kitchen space and the spectacular views outside, this design embraces simple white materials with wood accents echoing the natural surroundings. Bright and spacious, catering to modern conveniences, this magnificent kitchen complements the essence of the sprawling beauty outside.

Stylish Galley Kitchen

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A Galley Kitchen With Style

Simple elegance and contemporary style define this sophisticated kitchen in an urban high-rise building featuring rich colors and clean lines. Lowered cabinet height and horizontal linear style bat wing doors create a feeling of more open space within a small area.

Kitchen With Modern Lines

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Streamlined, Linear Kitchen

The thin, ½ inch countertops and the handle-free concept help continue the simple, horizontal, linear design of the kitchen.

Kitchen With Wood Grain and Neutral Cabinets

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Warm, Space-Efficient Kitchen

This kitchen has a rich yet neutral tone balanced by wood grain which brings warmth to the space. It maximizes functional space and presents an uncluttered, modern space for the clients to enjoy. A pure, clean, and simple space that embodies the concept of “less is more!”

Kitchen With Sleek Cabinet Design

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Sleek Galley Kitchen

The designer specified a combo/speed oven that’s large enough for a convection bake and also serves as a microwave. The built-in washer/dryer behind the doors enables a more integrated feel with a continuous toe kick.

Cabinet Storage and Wall Oven in Galley Kitchen

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Galley Kitchen With Vertical Storage

The vertical space borrowed from the dining area makes room for a wall-oven, and adding more storage space addressed the functional needs of this kitchen.

Kitchen With Cape Cod Styling

Photo: Andrea Rugg

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Cape Cod Kitchen

The kitchen features custom inset painted white cabinetry with dark soapstone countertops and gray glazed subway tile backsplash, characteristic of a Cape Cod home. Custom wood hood over the range provides a beautiful focal point and better ventilation to the room.

Neutral Transitional Kitchen With White Cabinets & Black Countertops

Photo: Andrea Rugg

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Roomy, Cape Cod Styled Kitchen With Crisp White Cabinetry

The main design objectives of this project were to retain the original footprint of the kitchen, bring more natural light into the space, incorporate state-of-the-art cooking appliances and create a classic Cape Cod design with a timeless color palette.

Glass-Front Cabinets Flanking Kitchen Window

Photo: Andrea Rugg

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Kitchen with Lighted, Glass-Front Cabinets

The addition of glass cabinetry on either side of the existing small window provides the illusion of a larger window with a better flow of light. Beautiful soapstone countertops and state-of-the-art appliances embellish this kitchen with a timeless ambiance filled with modern conveniences.

Large Kitchen Island

Photo: Joy Yagid

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Transitional Kitchen With Large Island

The huge island with a seamless counter holds adequate room for family and friends to dine or help with meal preparations and also engage in hobbies.

Repeating Patterns in Kitchen

Photo: Joy Yagid

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Kitchen With Repeated Patterns

The design motif is repeated on a different scale in the kitchen’s marble backsplash and its curves are echoed in the silhouette of the glass pendant lighting.

Kitchen With Luxury Details

Photo: Joy Yagid

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Spacious Kitchen With Luxury Appliances

With upgraded luxury appliances, extensive counter space and seating for four at the island, this gourmet kitchen offers a peaceful, modern and luminous setting to spend that quality time with loved ones.

Kitchen layout makes things easy to reach.

Photo: Joy Yagid

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A Carefully Planned Kitchen

Carefully planned base cabinet storage makes access to everyday items easy for even the four-year old in the family.

Cabinets with Custom Fretwork

Photo: Joy Yagid

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Kitchen Cabinets With Historic Touches

Inspired by the historic wooden window screens from the client’s ancestral home, the design of the kitchen cabinetry’s fretwork came into place.

Backsplash With Black Granite Insets

Photo: Joy Yagid

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A Backsplash to Complement the Range

Black granite insets in the backsplash complement the black gloss enamel range, which serves as the anchor of the room.

Kitchen with Metal and Mother-of-Pearl Accents

Photo: Joy Yagid

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A Kitchen With Touches of Shine

Mixed metals, mirrored accents and the mother-of-pearl insets on the backsplash provide jewel like surprises throughout the kitchen.

Shades of Gray Cabinets and Walls in Kitchen

Photo: Joy Yagid

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Kitchen Warmed by Neutral Gray

To achieve an inviting, updated style, gleaming white counters were balanced with gradations of warm gray cabinetry, walls, and trim.

Kitchen With Clean, Simple Design

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A Functional Kitchen

Earthy engineered quartz creates a strong, linear working surface. The cleanup center has increased capacity, containing a single dish drawer to the right of the sink and a functional trash bin to the left.

Kitchen with Natural Wood Shelves and Floor

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A Kitchen Warmed by Natural Wood

Accented by natural walnut open shelves and contrasted by the newly matched parquet floor, wood tones repeat the natural theme with the customized basket weave marble tile in the backsplash.

Kitchen and Living Area With Sleek Design

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Multipurpose Kitchen and Living Space

Designed to appeal to a single client who works from home and loves to entertain, this small kitchen features a clean, contemporary, and functional space for socializing, dinner parties, and day-to-day use.

Kitchen Cooking Center

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Space-Efficient Cooking Center

The cooking center is at the heart of the kitchen with an induction cooktop and pop-out hood-vent above. Recessed lighting was added throughout the space and task areas were enhanced with under cabinet lights.

In a small space, color match your cabinets and custom built-ins for a unified look, as seen on HGTV.com.

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Kitchen Area With Custom Touches

Custom color walls and tall cabinets in white match all the finishes and the custom bench seat.

Kitchen with Timeless Features and Banquette Seating

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Transitional Kitchen With a Timeless Look

The kitchen adorns a timeless look for the future of the residential investment, truly reflecting the client’s sensibilities to light, color, and textures.

Kitchen With Opulent Touches

Photo: Peter Rymwid

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Kitchen With Old-World Elegance

In order to best cater to the client’s request for a unique, formal kitchen filled with character and personality, the designer found products from all over the world to incorporate into the space.

Archway into Formal Kitchen

Photo: Peter Rymwid

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Exquisite Kitchen Opens to Family Room

The family room and the kitchen were connected by the old hallway which when removed, opened up the kitchen to a family room with a beautiful paneled archway that’s centered with the stove, the two islands and the dramatic mirrored ceiling.

Kitchen With Multiple Focal Points

Photo: Peter Rymwid

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A Kitchen Full of Focal Points

Elegant crafting and exclusive detailing enable every wall in this stunning kitchen to serve as a focal point on its own.

Large Kitchen Created by Removing Walls

Photo: Peter Rymwid

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Moving Walls Opens Space in Kitchen

The kitchen had a four foot hallway from the foyer to the garage on the right side which was removed to accommodate a full refrigerator and freezer and also open up adequate space to fit two 100” islands.

Formal Kitchen With Rosette Ceiling

Photo: Peter Rymwid

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Kitchen With Stunning Rosette Ceiling

The detailed rosette ceiling in the center of the room features inset antique mirrors framed in acanthus leaf moldings. The center ceiling medallion is embellished with a blue crystal chandelier. The archway leading into the family room is paneled and finished to match the cabinetry. On both sides of the arch, the designer centered two tall China cabinets with curved mullion doors.

Kitchen With European Touches

Photo: Peter Rymwid

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Kitchen With Elegant European Touches

The stove wall has multiple focal points including the blue La Cornue stove, a reclaimed tin hood, two curio cabinets and a 2 ¼’’ thick concrete counter top with a silver gray finish to match the hood.

Kitchen With Homeowner's Personal Touches

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Kitchen With Artistic Inspiration

To create a functional living space conveying a love of cooking, art, and life in general, the designer drew inspiration from the homeowners’ private collection: a stunning Moroccan antique door from a trip to Marrakesh.

Kitchen Banquette Seating

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Kitchen with Old-World Styling

A banquette features a sofa and eight seats with cushions used to emphasize the Moorish textures and furniture styling. The custom veneer panels creating the banquette area were hand-stained on site and made to match the walnut cabinetry.

Neutral Kitchen With Brown Cabinets & Neutral Granite Countertops

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Transitional Galley Kitchen With Rich Brown Accents

A custom steel “I” beam was fabricated and installed to allow for an open concept in the century old home. Interior walls within the original space were eliminated, allowing for greater traffic flow, natural light and efficiency.

Moorish Arch Around Kitchen Range

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Moorish Arch Around the Range

The Moorish arch around the range area was created using a laser cutout of the shape and covered with a dimensional vein-cut marble, and a custom walnut borders the edges.

Kitchen With Layered Textures and Materials

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A Kitchen With Varying Textures

This eclectic kitchen housing many focal points and contrasting textures, serves as a functional, multifaceted space for the busy, city family!

Custom Door on Refrigerator/Freezer

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Customer Refrigerator Door

A custom refrigerator/freezer door features glass panels with hand-etched designs.

White Eat-In Kitchen With Colorful Accents

Photo: Suki Medencevic

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Eclectic Eat-In Kitchen With Colorful Accents

This spacious eat-in kitchen pairs together modern white kitchen cabinets and countertops with sleek stainless steel appliances and a rustic wooden cabinet. A red mosaic tile wall, fuchsia built-in hutch and multicolored place settings add pops of color, while glass front cabinets show off kitchen necessities.

White Open Plan Kitchen With Living Room Access

Photo: Suki Medencevic

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Open Plan Modern Kitchen With Living Room Access

This spacious kitchen features white countertops and cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and several lift-up cabinet doors with decorative glass fronts. The open nature of the kitchen allows for quick access to the living room, which features a fuchsia sofa and glass doors that lead to an outdoor patio area.

This minimalistic kitchen offers white cabinetry with decorative glass fronts, showing off the colorful mugs and dishes that are displayed amongst the shelves. Stainless steel appliances, including a refrigerator and stove, finish off the look of the space.

Photo: Suki Medencevic

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Modern Kitchen With Colorful Mugs

This minimalistic kitchen offers white cabinetry with decorative glass fronts, showing off the colorful mugs and dishes that are displayed amongst the shelves. Stainless steel appliances, including a refrigerator and stove, finish off the look of the space.

White Kitchen With Textured Accent Wall

Photo: Suki Medencevic

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Modern White Kitchen With Textured Accent Wall

This fun and cheery kitchen features white countertops and cabinets paired with colorful accents, like a fuchsia built-in hutch and bright green tile backsplash. Alice in Wonderland decorations add a whimsical touch, while multiple cake stands feature gorgeous cakes and other desserts.

White Kitchen With Stainless Steel Appliances and Pink Accents

Photo: Suki Medencevic

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Modern White Open Plan Kitchen With Pink Accents

This minimalistic white kitchen fathers stainless steel appliances throughout, including a stove top and range hood located at the kitchen island. The open nature of the kitchen allows for quick access to the living room area, which incorporates the pink accents that are also used to add pops of color within the kitchen.

White Kitchen With Red Tile Accent Wall

Photo: Suki Medencevic

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Eclectic Eat-In Kitchen With Red Tile Accent Wall

This funky kitchen and dining space features a rustic wood cabinet framed by a white built-in sideboard and vibrant red tile accent wall. A dining area with a glass table and teal clover back chairs provides a space for casual entertaining, while a fuchsia built-in hutch adds an additional pop of color.

White Kitchen With Pink Hutch and Whimsical Decor

Photo: Suki Medencevic

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Eclectic White Kitchen With Whimsical Decor

This lively white kitchen features Alice in Wonderland inspired decorations positioned amongst multiple cake stands. A fuchsia hutch with a green tile backsplash sits just off the main counter area, adding a pop of color to the space.

White Modern Kitchen With Dining Table

Photo: Suki Medencevic

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Modern Open Plan Kitchen With Dining Area

This whimsically styled modern kitchen features all-over white cabinetry and countertops paired with pops of vibrant color, like the fuchsia hutch and matching toaster. The open plan allows for easy access to a living room area and dining table with a bronze chandelier.

White Eat-in Kitchen With Glass Dining Table

Photo: Suki Medencevic

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Modern Eat-in Kitchen With Glass Dining Table

This lively kitchen features a small dining space with a rectangular glass table surrounded by teal and white clover back chair. A bronze metal chandelier hangs above the table, while a fuchsia built-in hutch is positioned nearby, providing a pop of color amongst the white countertops and cabinets.

White Modern Eat-In Kitchen With Fuchsia Hutch

Photo: Suki Medencevic

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Whimsical Modern Eat-In Kitchen With Fuchsia Hutch

This spacious kitchen features all-over white cabinetry and countertops with a pop of vibrant color from a built-in fuchsia hutch with a bright green tiled backsplash. Glass front cabinets allow a peek at the multicolored dishware, while a glass dining table with clover leaf back chairs provides a place for casual dining.

White Kitchen With Red Tile Accent Wall and Glass Dining Table

Photo: Suki Medencevic

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Eclectic Eat-In Kitchen With Glass Dining Table

This lively kitchen and dining space features a rectangular glass table for casual entertaining, teal clover back chairs and a bronze chandelier. A rustic wooden cabinet is positioned in front of a bright red mosaic tile wall and surrounded by white built-in cabinets, providing plenty of storage space for dining essentials.

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