Best Kitchen Designs by Dave and Jenny Marrs, Hosts of 'Fixer to Fabulous'

Truth be told, it would be more than a little weird if Fixer to Fabulous hosts Dave and Jenny Marrs weren’t pros at creating ultra-functional, picture-perfect kitchens. They’ve been crafting heirlooms together since they made a quilt with all 250 of their wedding guests’ RSVPs in 2005. The five kids they’ve had in the years since have shown them a thing or 12 about what makes a functional and fabulous family-friendly design. This smorgasbord of their very best kitchen renovations will have you itching to cook up new details at your own place.

For Season 6 clients, the Marrses undertook a renovation on a massive midcentury home — focusing primarily on giving the kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms practical upgrades with a contemporary twist. In the kitchen, they replaced dated contractor-basic cabinetry, then painted it all in a distinctive moss green paired with modern brushed-metal hardware. Jenny described the shade as a midcentury green: "[It] wouldn't work in most houses," she said, "but kind of like everything with this house, it has a distinctive personality." Other kitchen highlights include white marble countertops with subtle gray veining, a white tile backsplash and modern stainless appliances. A dedicated coffee nook is the perfect spot for an espresso machine. The shelves above it display a collection of mugs and dishware.

Framed botanical prints and brushed brass bar tools help provide homey, well-integrated details for the new kitchen. The renovation also included a new pantry, a separate laundry room, loads of storage, a bench-style window seat and new sliding doors that open out onto the back patio.

For this kitchen renovation — their very first on Fixer to Fabulous — Dave and Jenny expanded the space's footprint and opened up the floor plan, which allowed for a new island and an informal dining area. Open shelving all in white, granite countertops, an industrial-style vent hood and globe pendants define the sleek new space. An obtrusive vertical support column was removed and exposed wood beams were added to help create a more open feel and provide a classic touch. Natural wood surfaces offer counterbalance to the clean white marble backsplash and stone countertops, helping to add a warm, welcoming vibe. "It looks so open and beautiful," said homeowner Janessa. "The color, and everything, is perfect."

For this kitchen from Season 2, a palette of black, white, gray and natural wood creates a clean, cool and relaxed vibe. They kept the old basic pine cabinetry but painted it a medium gray that's suited for the upgraded space and for the overall vibe of the modernized cabin. A new double-insulated kitchen window opens accordion-style to offer an easy-breezy connection to the outdoors. The custom kitchen island topped with natural wood — sourced from a tree that had to be cut down on the property — is in keeping with the bucolic setting of this nature-centric home.

When Dave and Jenny decided to rescue and renovate a historic home from downtown Bentonville, Arkansas, they realized they may have bitten off more than they could chew — particularly since the rescue involved dividing the home into three sections and reassembling it on a different tract of land. But what they once envisioned as a country getaway eventually became their forever home, where they've since raised five kids and a menagerie of farm animals. The home's renovated kitchen is a farmhouse classic, with unstained wood floors, white cabinetry, traditional kitchen hardware and furnishings, and, instead of an island, a sizable family-friendly kitchen table.

The Marrs' kitchen is truly the heart of their home, providing not only a prep, cooking and everyday dining area but a gathering place that accommodates all kinds of family and guest activity. "We got rid of the island and peninsula in favor of a big table because we have a big family," said Dave, who built the table. "This is where life happens. On any given day, our kids do homework here, and we sweep it out of the way for dinner, then we sweep it out of the way for games and friends coming over and conversation. There's always one more seat at the table." Jenny's design — seen here during Christmastime — is loaded with charm and character but, from a functional standpoint, keeps things basic and utilitarian. For example, floating shelves allow for easy access to tableware and kitchen accessories.

In the six-part spinoff series Fixer to Fabulous: Italiano, Dave and Jenny embarked on an entirely new and super-challenging adventure, agreeing to renovate a centuries-old Italian villa for friends who want to create a Tuscan vacation rental. The home's new kitchen, located in a structure that was once a stable, is spacious and grand, with natural wood ceilings and exposed beams offset by rich, olive green custom cabinetry and matte black modern appliances (including a new fridge, range and vent hood). For the marble countertops, the Marrses drove to the Italian town of Carrara in Tuscany — home of the fabled Carrara marble — to hand-select the perfect stone and finish.

For the kitchen's floors, and throughout the renovation, owners Pierre and Rebecca wanted to use only authentic, locally sourced stone tile. Jenny was able to locate an eighth-generation craftsman specializing in terra-cotta tile, dating back to the 1870s. The natural, warm tone of the classic material is the perfect backdrop to ground this welcoming kitchen — which now opens up into an adjacent wine room and dining space.

Step inside Dave and Jenny's Welcome Inn, a historic home built in the 1880s and located in Rogers, Arkansas. During the renovation, the Marrses infused their classic English country character in the kitchen with herringbone floors, a handmade mosaic backsplash and custom cabinets. For even more personality, Jenny arranged art and shapely glassware on a floating shelf above the countertop.

With an island fit for a crowd, this sophisticated kitchen is an entertainer’s dream. New ceiling-height cabinets offer ample storage for everyday dishware and special occasion serving pieces alike. All-black cabinetry with gold hardware and finishes strikes a bold and sophisticated note. Jenny’s choice of white countertops with dramatic veining is both durable and stylish.

Nestled in the woods of Bentonville, Arkansas, this home is surrounded by trees and greenery, so the Marrses brought the outside in with sylvan green, Shaker-style cabinetry. Paired with a classic marble tile backsplash and white quartz countertops, the browns, greens and blacks throughout the space boast a soft, timeless aesthetic. Brass pendant lights illuminate a ready-for-gatherings island.

This chic, modern kitchen is all about traditional elements put to use in unexpected ways. The architectural wine rack is great for oenophiles, of course, but it’s also a clever way to divide rooms without excessive visual weight. This kitchen also boasts a functional window above the sink that can be opened for socializing and sealed back up when, say, it’s time to caramelize onions. Why weren’t we outfitting pass-throughs like this decades ago?

For the third season of Rock the Block, the Marrses headed to Charleston, South Carolina, for some no-holds-barred competition. They devoted a whopping $50K to this jaw-dropping kitchen, which features slider doors for proper indoor-outdoor Southern living, a reoriented extra-long kitchen island that offers million-dollar views and comfortably seats five (thank you very much!), and a spectacular rustic dining table (thanks, Dave) for eight. Spoiler: They won the week’s design challenge handily.

Jenny pulled out all the midcentury-inspired stops to give this kitchen classic style. From the pair of cocoon-style pendants she centered over the waterfall-edge terrazzo island to the gleaming, ceiling-mounted brass corner shelves she floated over the countertop, the space is a hit parade of design moments. The gorgeous, minimalistic cabinets Dave installed beneath them all are awfully easy on the eyes as well.