Kitchens & Baths

IN AN ERA OF MICRO-TRENDS, IT CAN BE HARD TO KEEP UP. That’s why many homeowners are treating what’s new or what’s back in style as an à la carte menu: selecting a little of this and a little of that to dream up spaces that are all their own. And rightfully so. This personalized approach can yield baths with unexpected color and pattern (“Pretty Powders,” page 12) or amenities synonymous with a luxury hotel (“AtYour Leisure,” page 16). It also results in kitchens that challenge the status quo, designed for exactly how the owners will use them: Prostyle appliances hidden behind cabinetry to create a living room-like backdrop to a cook’s frequent gatherings (“Gold Star,” page 56), or ample seating prioritized over ample prep space for avid hosts who…

The owners of a Beverly Hills property came to the Landry Design Group with a challenge: The couple had a dream hillside lot, but they weren’t in love with the home that clung to it. And while the views were certainly scenic, their original house didn’t take advantage. A large backyard wasn’t a possibility for the location, but, as Landry Design Group’s Todd Riley shares in this Q&A, the new house’s strategic design choices and use of natural materials offer a sense of outdoor living—namely in the kitchen and bath spaces. Q When you look back on this project, what stands out to you most? I love knowing that the homeowners can open those kitchen doors on any beautiful morning and enjoy the kitchen and breakfast room as they were designed…

The rustic beauty of Muskoka, Canada, set the tone for Toronto designer Ali Budd to create a scenic sanctuary in one couple’s new build. After exploring the nearby lake and woods, the homeowners can retreat to the home’s primary bedroom where the principal bath peeks through a double-sided fireplace wall. Just inside the bathroom, floor-to-ceiling windows bathe the room in natural light while matte finishes and natural materials ground the space with a sense of luxury. “The homeowners can slip into the bath, cozy up next to the warm fireplace, and truly feel like they’re escaping everyday life,” the designer says. “We’re seeing a lot of importance placed on freestanding tubs, high-end fixtures, and open floor plans that allow bathrooms to feel grand.”—ALI BUDD, INTERIOR DESIGNER The renovation of a…

1 Sculptural Brass Pulls A collaboration with California-based wood sculptor Katie Gong, these knobs and pulls are the artist’s bent woodwork cast through a lost-wax technique. Knot Series with Katie Gong ($165–$950). Nest Studio; neststudiocollection.com 2 Nostalgic Color Miss the shades of past decades? Kohler has reinstated previously discontinued color options Spring Green (from 1927) and 1934’s Peachblow, seen here in a stylish bath by designer Justina Blakeney. Heritage Colors Collection (starting at $107). Kohler; kohler.com 3 Illuminated Cabinetry An LED strip integrated where the cabinetry front meets the counter creates an illusion of a floating countertop. Both the light and cabinetry come in a range of customizable materials and finishes. SLX Handle-Free Design (pricing available upon request). Siematic; siematic.com 4 Architectural Wall Covering Finished and joined by hand,…

BLACK CABINETS AND WHITE MARBLE WEREN’T ON THE LIST when a Kansas City, Missouri, client of designer Laura McCroskey started jotting down the ingredients she envisioned for her renovated kitchen. An avid cook with energetic kids, the homeowner was eyeing function. “She wanted tons of storage, a big sink, a high-performing range, and no-hassle countertops,” McCroskey says. “She also wanted a timeless space with a fresh look.” In McCroskey’s eyes, nothing could be more simultaneously timeless and current than black. “We went back and forth on the black,” she says. “But in the end, the homeowner loved the drama—and how the richness of black meshes with the rest of the house.” So in came black on two walls of cabinetry, plus an extra splash in a pantry. The deep, saturated…

OPEN FLOOR PLANS ENHANCE CIRCULATION AND MAKE ENTERTAINING EASIER, but when a kitchen is included in the equation, every appliance and dirty dish suddenly becomes part of the decor. This is why the design team behind a new home for a family of five in Austin made sure the kitchen blends seamlessly with its surroundings—and keeps clutter under wraps. Since the adjoining great-room is sleek and sophisticated, architectural designer Ryan Street and interior designer Emily Seiders kept the kitchen spare, recessing matte-white cabinets into matching walls and choosing doors with integrated pulls to minimize hardware. “We wanted the cabinets to disappear,” Seiders says. Too much white would make the space feel clinical, so the design team wrapped the island in routed white oak, lending a welcome touch of texture and…