This stunning kitchen designed by Stephanie Pohlman blends modern and classic elements to make a bold statement. The goal for the project was to keep the design very bright and clean, so Pohlman chose a soft white finish for the upper cabinets. To create a contrast as well as the unique look her client was looking for, she chose a matte black subway tile backsplash with a black-and-white mosaic to accent. The accent tile is repeated in the beverage area under floating shelves. Both designer and homeowner fell in love with the natural wood stain on the lower cabinets and island.

Youtopia Designs in conjunction with Hamtil Construction opened up a dated kitchen that was closed off and uninviting. The new layout allowed the designers to incorporate a dining island that also provided much needed countertop space. The client required a dining table-height area to eat at so she could keep an eye on her grandkids while she worked in the kitchen. Heavy, dark stained cabinets were replaced with painted cabinetry that has a custom glaze to highlight the fine detailing of the panels and moulding.

New homeowners wanted to make the kitchen their own by adding modern details while respecting the character of the house. Designer Karr Bick Kitchen + Bath was challenged with creating a seamless conversation between the natural surroundings of the home nestled in the woods with the homeowners contemporary taste. Cooking and entertaining were central to the family, so large, exposed top-of-the-line appliances drove many of the design choices.

Poised on a spacious lot amidst a canopy of trees, Nick and Jill Azar’s home offered the perfect backdrop for a modern kitchen update that would honor the traditional architectural bones of their historic Sherwood Forest property. The eat-in booth from the old kitchen was too small, so the new design had to incorporate an island large enough to accommodate their large family of six. This meant a structural change incorporating the adjacent hall into the kitchen space, so the couple called in kitchen expert Keith Gegg of Gegg Design & Cabinetry to iron out the details.

Rod and Mary Ann Bryan knew they were going to love their renovated kitchen even before designer Christine Paul of Alspaugh Kitchen and Bath, St. Louis, completed the job, but there was a moment this past year, as the COVID-19 pandemic kept people at home, when they realized just how much the new design better served their needs.

“We looked at each other and said, ‘This is the greatest thing we’ve ever done, because all we are doing is cooking,’ ” Mary Ann remarks.

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