Sometimes it can seem like there’s no middle ground when it comes to cabinet hardware. The cool-kid picks are certainly design forward, but they’re also quite costly. The most affordable are just that and nothing more: They often skew cheap, and that’s not only in price. So we’re always scanning home tours, renos, and retailers to seek out the best of the bunch. That means the products that balance quality, material, budget, and style. 

Recently we’ve noticed one name pop up again and again, and not because it’s new. Hickory Hardware, a U.S.-based company that has been around since 1893, still designs and makes all of its products in-house in Michigan. To start, we’ve seen them in a Minneapolis kitchen makeover as well as stories about the best rental upgrades. (Pro tip: Plug in Hickory Hardware knobs or pulls into the Amazon search bar to turn up more styles than show up on the company’s home page.) Here are the eight we’re feeling right now, including a contemporary take on oak and a favorite of Lone Fox.

Hickory Hardware Piper Cabinet Knobs

Hickory Hardware Piper Cabinet Knobs, Set of 10, Amazon ($56)

Shop

These Domino reader–favorite knobs have a lot going for them: The design is versatile and timeless, it’s available in three different finishes, and all the hardware needed comes in your package. It’s also pretty rare to find anything on Amazon with a full 5 stars; the Piper is reviewed as “beautiful and sturdy knobs” and “heavyweight.”

Hickory Hardware Williamsburg Cabinet Pulls

Hickory Hardware Williamsburg Cabinet Pull, Set of 1, Amazon ($6)

Shop

These pulls scratch that traditional itch without being too ornate. They’d look great paired with a bridge faucet and marble countertops—and the sizing and finish variations offer ample options to fit your space. You can order one or 10, and each is just $6.

Hickory Hardware Refined Rustic Cabinet Pulls

Hickory Hardware Refined Rustic Cabinet Pull, Set of 1, Amazon ($5)

We love the look of this collection from Hickory, perfect for an Arts and Crafts structure or cozy cottage—and it doesn’t hurt that these pulls have more than 2,000 positive reviews. The iron style makes it look like you sourced these from a vintage bin, and when they’re designer approved as a rental upgrade, what are you waiting for?  

Hickory Hardware Natural Woodcraft Cabinet Pulls

Hickory Hardware Natural Woodcraft Cabinet Pull, Set of 1, Amazon ($4)

Shop

We don’t often see genuine wood hardware in today’s kitchens, but these natural oak handles lend a Scandi-modern feel in their simplicity. “They feel really good in your hand,” Victoria Sass, founder of Prospect Refuge Studio, told Domino. You can finish or stain them, and there are even matching knobs available. If you’re looking for more options, there’s another intriguing shape in the same wood, too.

Hickory Hardware American Diner Cabinet Knobs

Hickory Hardware American Diner Cabinet Knobs, Set of 1, Amazon ($39)

Shop

If you’re seeking a retro vibe, these knobs are it. Harking back to 1950s and 1960s classics, the three-ridged edge is lighthearted without being too nostalgic. They’d look great in an all–stainless steel kitchen, too.

Hickory Hardware Midway Cabinet Knobs

Hickory Hardware Midway Cabinet Knob, Set of 1, Amazon ($8)

Shop

If a touch of glam is what you’re after, the Midway group has it in bounds. Transparent acrylic tops a metal post, and reviewers love the knobs for how quickly they can upgrade a dresser or cabinets. 

Hickory Hardware Pipeline Collection Knobs

Hickory Hardware Pipeline Collection Knob, Set of 1, Amazon ($5 was $8)

Shop

We like that this one is industrial in design without reading “I was a plumber in a previous life.” The Pipeline knobs would fit in well in a loft with exposed brick, sure, but they’ll also hold their own in a home office or bathroom with a darker palette.

Hickory Hardware American Diner Cabinet Pulls

Hickory Hardware American Diner Cabinet Pull, Set of 1, Amazon ($6 was $9)

Shop

The pulls from the American Diner collection call to mind those that Real Housewives of New York star Brynn Whitfield used in her New York City apartment. The cup shape would look great in a bungalow, and this one gets high marks from reviewers for being “very elegant” and “great quality.” 

The post There’s Heritage Cabinet Hardware Hiding on Amazon appeared first on domino.

We’re told over and over again that the kitchen is the heart of the home, but how are those of us with small spaces supposed to interpret this maxim? Where are we meant to throw our get-togethers over cheese platters when countertop space is nonexistent? We’ll admit it’s not always easy to see the plus side of living in a tiny house or apartment (if for no other reason than the lack of storage), but the 10 cozy kitchens ahead reveal more than one silver lining. Between their mood-boosting bright colors and smart organizational solutions, these spaces defy their size.

The One That Squeezes in a Banquette

Rather than go the typical bistro table route, Jess Bunge, the editorial director at Emily Henderson, built a space-savvy banquette out of red oak stair treads, DIY velvet cushions, and a brass rod secured with a french cleat. (Psst: The benches are freestanding, aka landlord approved.) The wall-mounted backrest leaves just enough clearance to slide into the nook. 

The One With Good Appliance-to-Cabinet Ratio

Homeowners Megan Ananian and Andrew Ginn came to an important realization during their Park Slope, Brooklyn, renovation: They didn’t actually need a standard 24-inch-wide dishwasher. “I have always had an 18-inch dishwasher in all my apartments in the city and I think it’s totally fine,” says Ginn. So in getting rid of their too-big appliance, they freed up more space for drawers, including a narrow one to the left of the oven for a pullout spice rack. 

The One With Smart Flatware Storage

Over their sink, jewelry designer Sarah Burns and photographer Adam Caillier built a separate, deeper shelf for cutlery that they call their “flatware trough.” Not only does the addition free up precious drawer space in their railroad-style apartment, it allows Adam to show off his collection of prized silverware. Other clever ideas in this kitchen? They crafted two freestanding cabinets to house dry good and pots, swagged light fixtures to bring warmth to whatever countertop they’re working at, opted for two chairs and a stool combo in the dining area, and mounted knives and spatulas with a combination of magnetic strips and nails. 

The One With Faux Marble Counters

Instead of tearing out the ugly countertops in her 400-something-square-foot NYC apartment, Madelynn Furlong resurfaced them using a $200 paint kit she scored on Amazon that’s supposed to look similar to black stone. “It’s pretty convincing,” she says, noting that it sort of looks like an ’80s resin marble. To get the look of veining, she applied the Funfetti-like white paint that comes in the kit by holding the spray bottle at a 45-degree angle. 

The Leanne Ford–Designed One

The kitchen in Leanne Ford’s guesthouse is unsurprisingly full of scrappy ideas. The oven is wrapped in a terracotta-colored custom vinyl, the wood used for the open shelving is from the ceiling rafters she removed upstairs, and she hid the fridge behind old confessional doors she found at one of her favorite thrifting spots.

The One With a Modern Dining Setup

What Erin Starkweather’s L.A. kitchen lacks in storage it makes up for in pedigree. The apartment was designed by famed mid-century architect Craig Ellwood, and so there was no way she was touching the cabinets. Instead she admits it “forces me to not hold onto things that I don’t like or need.” Underneath the two bonus upper cabinets that hang from the ceiling, Starkweather leaned into the mod vibes with a set of bent birch plywood chairs, originally designed by Alvar Aalto for Artek in 1935, and his Table 81b design.

The One With Zero Empty Corners

When you see a smaller space, your immediate instinct might be to keep it as bare as possible—but there are other ways. Layering in potted plants and bowls brimming with fruit adds character (and will inspire you to get your five-a-day in), made possible by the homeowner incorporating storage elsewhere. A paper towel holder spans the window, and knives hang on a metal wall strip. 

The One That’s Neutral But Not Boring

With butcher block counters and a retro stove, this all-white kitchen is anything but one-dimensional. We love that the homeowner made use of the dead space above the cupboards, housing storage baskets for some extra function. 

The One That Doubles Up on Open Shelving

You might think floating shelves equal more dust, and to that we say you’re right. But when they look this good, they’re worth it. Keep bulky utilitarian cooking equipment tucked away behind closed doors, and use the open space to display your favorite tools (and that artisanal pepper grinder you got for Christmas). 

The One With Multipurpose Everything

See that little table? The sides fold out for dinner and up to become an extra meal-prep space. Plus it looks like it was sourced from a vintage shop, so it was likely an inexpensive addition. Similarly, a cutting board on top of the stove turns the surface into the perfect area for chopping veggies. 

The post Sprawling Kitchens Are Overrated, and These 10 Tiny Spaces Prove It appeared first on domino.

International Klein Blue, the ultramarine hue favored by mid-century artist Yves Klein, begins as a notoriously fickle pigment that’s hard to work with. Without getting too into the nitty-gritty, it needs a binder to become paint, and with the wrong kind, it dulls—and quickly. But if you get it just right, it’s the kind of color that is naturally enveloping, striking, and grounding all at once. 

Its development was happening around the same time that I.M. Pei and Associates’ Society Hill Towers were being built in the Philadelphia neighborhood of the same name. The concrete trio, constructed in the early 1960s, was a central figure in the urban renewal taking place in Washington Square East at the time. But while the towers often get all the attention, even today, it’s the 37 brick-clad townhomes that anchor the buildings to the rest of the historic area. Each unit rises three stories with a centrally located staircase and is punctuated by arched doorways and clerestory windows, plus a private courtyard and small steel balconies. 

When an empty-nest couple approached Brooklyn-based design firm TBo about helping them renovate one, principals Bretaigne Walliser and Thom Dalmas jumped at the chance.

The owners, who were relocating from nearby Wilmington, Delaware, wanted a home that would feel bright and welcoming and intimate enough for when it was just the two of them, but could flex to accommodate their grown children and grandchildren. Structurally, the townhouse was sound, but the internal systems needed updating and the finishes and layout required a complete overhaul. Original Formica, small ceramic tile, and vinyl were everywhere, deteriorating and worse for wear. The kitchen was narrow, and the bathrooms smaller than what’s preferable these days. One choice Pei made that Walliser wanted to retain, though, was increased privacy as you head upstairs. “The primary idea that he had was that there was social space below on the first two floors, and then it would be increasingly more intimate on the upper floor,” she explains.

Working together with local Hivemind Construction, TBo recast the space in 2023 in a way that honored Pei’s initial vision while adding contemporary, earthy touches that drew on the homeowners’ time living in northern Europe and interest in art. 

First, they removed walls to create easier circulation around the staircase and integrated cabinets with flush doors, which the owners use for pantry goods, cookbooks, wineglasses, and more. After refinishing the original oak flooring (it was, says Walliser, “a crazy orange”), the team took cues from Pei’s choice of material to inform the custom white oak millwork by Loubier Design. Given the smaller scale of mid-century dwellings, this allowed the designer to maximize storage that kept things tidy and navigable, but not too hidden, in the galley kitchen. 

Across the way, Walliser reveals that they tried and tried to cast the concrete countertops and sink in that elusive Yves Klein Blue. “It can’t withstand any heat,” she says, acknowledging its limited alkali resistance. “So when you’re casting concrete, there’s a lot of heat generated from the chemical reaction. If it kills that blue, the pigment just dies and turns gray.” After giving it a few shots, they ended up with cobalt blue, a much stronger and more stable pigment. Then they proceeded to paint the curved base in Benjamin Moore’s Watertown to create one cohesive wow-factor piece. (Bonus: The end caps are cabinets that actually open.) The couple passes a good portion of their time seated nearby, where there are views of their garden through the patio doors.

“One of the challenges we faced was what to do with the stair railing,” the homeowner says. “We had to replace the railing to code, and [had] tried any number of designs when Thom came up with this beautiful, simple metal railing that fits perfectly.” It’s a subtle statement, employing metal and geometry like Pei did, that doesn’t abandon functionality—it’s easy for them to grab as they descend the stairs.

Up those stairs, the primary bedroom is complemented by custom oak wardrobes and vintage light fixtures, like a Murano pendant lamp and Swedish table lamps. The space merges with a small library, where an oak dk3 Royal System hangs opposite an original brick fireplace. Dutch maps, art books, and other vintage ephemera mingle with a Flos kelvin lamp and Mies van der Rohe MR rattan side chair. They are both connected to a primary bath, which is in the darker core of the home. 

Pei’s use of transom-style windows inspired Walliser to employ the technique to bring more light in. “That was a way of borrowing from his language that he had established in the houses and sort of manifesting it in a new way for the owners,” she says. For the bathroom floors, the designers took a page from Bauhaus artist Anni Albers; the cement tile placement is inspired by her work. “We studied her sketches and weavings, along with traditional and modern quilting, and created a series of ‘woven’ tile schemes,” Walliser explains. The idea is mirrored in the other two bathrooms, with patchwork tile in combinations of pink and green and variations on blue. 

From the Scandinavian furnishings and oak wood to Albers textiles, TBo’s thoughtful renovation kept true to the building’s modernist roots without staying stuck in the past. “It’s just very airy; the scale is wonderful,” Walliser says of the new interiors. And that stunning blue makes the homeowners happy every time they see it.

The post A Striking Jolt of Color in the Kitchen Brought This Historic Philadelphia Home Into 2024 appeared first on domino.

Marble countertops are more or less a staple of most modern-day kitchens. But despite the material’s sheer elegance and potential to boost your home’s value, it comes with quite a few cons: It stains and scratches easily, not to mention it’s costly. So before you commit to a slab of Carrara, do some shopping around first.

There is a near limitless array of creative ways to outfit your counters: concrete, stainless steel, stained oak veneer—the list goes on. Whether you’re in the market for something low-maintenance or simply want to spend less, these countertop ideas will inspire you to think outside the box and, in some cases, beyond the quarry.

Porcelain 

Most people’s biggest beef with marble is that it stains (one lemon or a drop of red wine will leave a permanent mark). Autumn Hachey’s clients in Balm Beach, Ontario, shared this fear, so their designer found them a material that only looks like Calacatta—it’s actually a thick slab of printed porcelain that’s resilient and resistant to marks.

Terrazzo

If you can’t make your mind up about what countertop material to go with, then terrazzo is probably your answer. It consists of chips of marble, quartz, granite, glass, and other materials, which give the composite its distinct speckled appearance. When designer Hillary Rielly ended up with slabs of this Max Lamb–designed terrazzo, she had to figure out how to make the most of the surface: A statement island is always the answer. 

Zellige Tile

Tile countertops aren’t just a relic of the 1960s. Some homeowners are opting for the unconventional surface—even with trendy textured zellige tile. Sure, the grout lines and bumps aren’t as easy to wipe down as, say, quartzite, but a little extra cleaning is worth it if you’re a sucker for character. 

Soapstone

Soapstone is pricey, but its lustrous, rich color and silky-smooth texture are two reasons why homeowners like baker Ashley Illchuk are willing to splurge. To help compensate for the price, Illchuk and her designer, Jaclyn Peters, opted for a 6-inch backsplash in the same material versus a standard 18-inch barrier. A little goes a long way. 

Laminate 

Forget everything you knew about the dated material. Brands such as IKEA are giving laminate a cool name again by offering options that look like fancier stones. Mallory Fletchall of Reserve Home put the Swedish retailer’s faux marble version in her rental kitchen. Because the stuff is easy to cut, she used extra scraps to make a built-in breakfast bar and a small overhang. 

Contact Paper

Designer Anita Yokota’s countertops appear to be marble at first glance, but they’re really covered in $40 contact paper that’s meant to look like the real deal. To ensure a smooth finish, she went over the surface with a blow-dryer and carefully folded the edges around the sink. 

Granite 

Chris and Julia Marcum gave their dated dark granite counters a totally fresh look by simply painting the walls and backsplash in their kitchen a green-gray (Thunderous by Sherwin-Williams). Now the stone seems like a thoughtful, modern addition rather than an eyesore. 

Concrete 

This material isn’t just for warehouses. Take a design cue from Faye Toogood’s studio, where concrete fits right in with the moody, modern farmhouse–esque vibe.

Butcher Block

Aside from contributing a burst of warmth to a room, this oak countertop from Naked Kitchens is all about allowing for a solid and versatile workspace. Seasoned cooks will want to leave it unsealed so you can chop and cut directly on it. 

Paint

Sam Ushiro translated her signature pastel aesthetic into her rental’s kitchen thanks to a few strategic updates. The countertop is from a kit that allows you to paint a new surface and imitate the effects of having real granite. After putting a black base coat down, add three layers of mineral paint, and then finish with a clear top coat to give it the look you want. 

Corian

John and Gina of Leeward Furniture executed their kitchen reno completely by hand. A custom job through and through, they mixed raw reused oak with a simple white Corian for a truly unique Craftsman look.

Stainless Steel

Why not match your surface to your appliances? In this Los Angeles townhouse, the shiny metal is everywhere, including the cabinet handles and open shelving. The pale teal cabinets keep it from feeling too sterile.

Formica

The manufacturer’s faux marble countertops (a part of its Living Impressions collection) are 20 times more affordable than authentic stone. The surface is painted by hand—a first for the brand—making it all the more lifelike. 

The post 13 Countertop Ideas That Aren’t Marble appeared first on domino.

In the world of kitchen backsplashes, subway tile reigns supreme—but it’s also a tad predictable. Instead see the area between your countertop and upper cabinets as an opportunity to add a dose of character to an otherwise ordinary space. Even though it’s often overlooked, the kitchen backsplash is a spot brimming with untapped potential.

When it comes to selecting the appropriate tile, shape, style, size, and finish all warrant careful thought and consideration. Although here’s the thing: There isn’t one right answer. If you know you want to go bold but aren’t sure where to begin, we’ve got you covered with 10 drop-dead gorgeous spaces in which the backsplash is the undisputed star.

Check Yourself

The backsplash in this English countryside retreat, dubbed Charlotte’s Folly, was so bold that designer Emma Ainscough’s clients almost turned it down at first. Red and white checkers everywhere, and with blue cabinets? “Generally, they agreed that more was more, but this one took a little bit of warming to,” says Ainscough. Paired with sky blue cabinets and a delicate flower-inspired pendant lamp, the result is utterly charming. 

Spread the Love From Wall to Wall

In an open-concept kitchen as large as the one in this Laguna Beach home, designed by Jen Samson, the details can get lost because your eye is going in a million different directions—from the living room TV to the walk-in pantry. So it helps when your backsplash is so all-consuming (a colorful zellige helps) that it reels your attention back in.

Explore the Spectrum of Marbles

“I’m not afraid to be bold and make a statement no matter what people say,” says Eric Bach, the owner of this Echo Park Craftsman, which stars at trippy green marble in the kitchen. It was this exact stone that inspired him to call up designer Leah Ring of Another Human in the first place. She had posted a similar slab on her Instagram and he became obsessed. What ensued from his gut feeling was a gut reno.

Take It to the Ceiling

In order to make this heavy, dark Spanish terracotta tile from Walker Zanger feel modern in this contemporary Brooklyn home, designers Amanda Jesse and Whitney Parris-Lamb covered every possible surface in the stuff, including the vent hood and a small window ledge. The result is minimal yet monolithic—and far from old-fashioned.

Stick to the Cooking Area

Drawing inspiration from Morocco and Mexico, Natalie Saunders and her husband, Louis Litrenta, kept their Joshua Tree kitchen as natural as possible with plaster cabinets, reclaimed wood doors, and an olive green backsplash by Clé Tile applied only behind the stove. The splash of color, which the couple chose to mirror the shades of desert flora, is all the flavor this space needs.

Sandwich Pattern Between Opposing Colors

The graphic Moroccan cement tile Dabito put in his guesthouse kitchenette acts as a barrier between the pink walls and the green cabinetry as well as a visual break from the two whimsical hues. This way, the space reads playful not overwhelming.

Embrace Tiny Details

A backsplash can feel dynamic, even when it features the most straightforward geometric forms. The secret? Vibrant grout. When you step back from this blue and white design, the lines create a textilelike pattern on the wall.

Be Gutsy With Neon

Brynn Jones didn’t have to make a statement with a moody cabinet color or dramatic marble countertop—the electric yellow-green backsplash says it all. The hit of chartreuse also calls attention to the mini shelf running along the length of the cupboards, which houses her ever-growing collection of vintage glassware. 

Turn Your Tile on Its Head

Take a lesson from one of Sarah Sherman Samuel’s latest kitchen projects for graphic designer Bri Emery and lay out half your tile horizontally, half vertically. Depending on where you look, the result is either classic (the swaths of simple stripes) or totally contemporary (where the lines meet).

Save by Going Small

This kitchen ticks multiple boxes in the trend department, including farmhouse sink and rustic-mod cabinetry crafted from plywood. But it’s the backsplash that takes things to the next level. The mini hexagon tile immediately captures your attention, and best of all it’s inexpensive! 

The post 10 Kitchens Where the Backsplash Is the Main Event appeared first on domino.

Renovations are pricey—those involving the heart of the home, even more so: According to the Real Remodeling Costs calculator on Houzz, the average cost of a kitchen remodel rings in anywhere from $13,700 to a whopping $44,100. So when you find little shortcuts that can save a few bucks, it’s best to go ahead and take them. Maybe it’s peel-and-stick tile for the backsplash you’ve always wanted or heading to a certain Swedish retailer for your new cupboards. The problem is, IKEA cabinet doors aren’t always the most stylish…and that’s where these companies come in. 

The brand’s cult following has spawned an entire generation of companies aimed at dressing up pared-back basics. You can get slipcovers for your Söderhamn sectional and legs for your Besta—though we’re most interested in the zhuzhed-up fronts that will transform the most basic of cabinetry. If you’re planning an upgrade involving IKEA cabinet doors—even if it’s not for a few months—these makers will convince you to ditch the sledgehammer. 

Fronteriors

Pairs best with: Sektion, Besta, Pax, and Billy cabinets.

The price point: Fronts-wise, you can score a simple solid-color drawer front for a Sektion cabinet starting at $46, or invest more than $450 on a cane door replacement for a Pax closet. The “shop the look” section of the website is the quickest way to get an idea of how much a full hack (doors, sides, and top included) will run you. 

What it’s known for: IKEA is famous for its very flat, very boring cabinet fronts, so we’re guessing part of the reason you’re interested in hacking yours is because you want to add some fresh dimension and texture to your piece. Fronteriors, which is constantly releasing stylish drops, is the place to go if you are craving a hint of linen, a row of slats, closed-cane weave, or trendy oak veneer. 

Cane Closed Weave Door for Besta, Fronteriors ($197)

Shop

Green Framed Oak Door for Sektion, Fronteriors ($190)

Shop

Plykea

Pairs best with: Sektion cabinets.

The price point: The cupboards alone vary but begin at an estimated $2,750 for a small kitchen to $6,450 for a large kitchen. 

What it’s known for: If a colorful dinnerware collection is as bold as you’re willing to go, these are the fronts for you. Plykea offers three different materials—each customizable in a number of hues—but is best known for its classic Scandi style: simple, timeless, and categorically minimalist. They’re best served as is, sans decorative pulls or knobs. 

Birch Ply Doors, Plykea

Shop

Formica Faced Ply Doors, Plykea

Shop

Kokeena

Pairs best with: The Sektion, Pax, and Godmorgon systems.   

The price point: Since everything is tailor-made to your space, you’ll have to reach out for a custom quote. 

What it’s known for: Traditional but make it eco-friendly: The Portland, Oregon–based brand is so committed to sustainability that it’s one of the core values of the company. (It uses low- to zero-VOC paints and varnishes and relies on recycled plant fibers to round out its materials.) This means you can’t go wrong with any of the polished wood doors, but don’t sleep on the Townsend Home collection if you’re craving a deeper dose of color. 

Sage Cabinet, Kokeena

Shop

Moss Cabinet, Kokeena

Shop

Reform

Pairs best with: All IKEA kitchen systems. 

The price point: An average kitchen design is between $20,000 and $30,000.

What it’s known for: The eccentric rich aunt of the kitchen cabinet family: There are luxe finishes, yes, but they’re paired with funkier features like color-blocked fronts and little round handles. This is because of the numerous architects and designers Reform routinely collaborates with, from Norm Architects to Cecilie Manz; it’s high-end on a budget. 

Frame Cabinet Fronts, Reform

Shop

Basis Cabinet Fronts, Reform

Shop

Superfront

Pairs best with: The Metod and Besta systems. 

The price point: Expect to shell out between $39 for a tiny drawer and $293 for a larger cupboard. 

What it’s known for: This collection is all about prints. Pick between fish scales, geometric shapes, and stripes to add a bit of texture in place of cookie-cutter IKEA cabinet doors—or mix and match your lowers and uppers for some real pattern play. 

Geometric Fronts, Superfront

Shop

Fields Fronts, Superfront

Shop

Semihandmade

Pairs best with: The Sektion, Besta, Godmorgon, and now-discontinued Akurum systems. 

The price point: It largely depends on the size and style of your cabinetry, but to give you a good idea, pieces for a four-drawer Godmorgon vanity go for around $735, while the DIY Quarterline Sektion doors (you paint them yourself!) are $104 each.

What it’s known for: The Instagram-famous kitchens you see in all your favorite design stars’ homes. Semihandmade has teamed up with Sarah Sherman Samuel, Chris Loves Julia, and most recently Leanne Ford for various lines, culminating in an offering that has those classic vibes—e.g., natural-colored wood and Shaker silhouettes—but also includes a few more playful options.  

SSS Desert Grey Beaded, Semihandmade

Shop

Supermatte Night Sky Shaker, Semihandmade

Shop

Holte

Pairs best with: The Metod system. 

The price point: An example of a medium kitchen project is £12,775 (or $16,270) for the IKEA cabinetry, Holte fronts, handles, and countertop.

What it’s known for: For anyone looking for something punchier, don’t sleep on Holte’s vivid orange fronts and half-moon–shaped steel pulls (the cobalt shade is also a favorite). There are 120 total colors and six different handles, so if you’re on the hunt for something truly bespoke, you’ll find it in the mix. 

Cobalt HPL Front, Holte

Shop

Mint HPL Front, Holte

Shop

The post 7 Brands to Shop for Your IKEA Cabinet Doors Upgrade appeared first on domino.

While everyone else was in the comments section of Jenna Lyons’s recent Instagram video debating if Brooklyn is “the city” or not, we were zeroed in on another detail. No, it’s not how close the RHONY star’s red fingernails were to her microplane, or any other unexpected touch Lyons is a fan of, but a little nook off to the left of her shiny brass countertops.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rob Li (@broccoliraab)

Tucked away in its own neatly sized home is a roll of paper towels, flush on both sides (we applaud the contractor here). If you’re planning a kitchen renovation or have the room to incorporate built-in storage without a full gut, it’s a smart way to save precious countertop or cabinet space. We like to think you could even remove the roll when guests are over and display knickknacks there instead; they wouldn’t even know it was meant for the latter. 

The petite pocket got us thinking of all the discreet ways we’ve seen paper towels dealt with, whether that’s incorporated into cabinetry, nestled under a shelf, or installed beneath a shelf. Or you can go the opposite route entirely and just proudly put it on display.

Pretty Paper Towel Holders

NewMade LA Paper Towel Holder, West Elm ($68)

Shop

Spool Paper Towel Holder by Sam Stewart, Areaware ($50)

Shop

Undershelf Paper Towel Holder, Yamazaki Home ($14 was $20)

Shop

Perkins Paper Towel Rail, Schoolhouse ($149)

Shop

Alessi Mattina Paper Towel Roll Holder, Nordstrom ($76)

Shop

East to West Magnetic Paper Towel Holder, Stainless Steel, Amazon ($10)

Shop

The post Jenna Lyons Shows Us That Nooks Are for More Than Reading appeared first on domino.

Let’s be real, having a minimalist kitchen inevitably involves some visual decluttering. It’s time to ask yourself: Do I really need those three cake stands on top of the fridge? When was the last time I used the air fryer on the counter? What you don’t need to do is resign yourself to open shelving if you don’t want to. There are plenty of other ways to streamline your space that still allow for tucking away the not-so-pretty stuff. To get inspired for your aesthetic overhaul, here are nine renovation tips from some of our favorite minimalist kitchens. 

Elevate the Humblest of Woods

After removing a wall to open up her Costa Mesa, California, kitchen, artist Bethany Brill chose to construct everything from the backsplash to the cupboards out of the simplest of materials: plywood. To balance out all the utilitarian elements, she sourced a single row of cheery yellow upper cabinets from Reform. They’re strategically placed up high so that they don’t cast shadows on the countertops. 

Commit to an All-Black Palette

When you hear “minimalist kitchen,” you probably picture white walls, Calacatta marble countertops, and creamy subway tile. But any monochromatic scheme can have the same soothing effect—even black. Look closely at this Harlem kitchen by architecture firm Re-ad and you’ll see there is nuance to the material mix: The cabinets are actually a deep blue; the backsplash is a shiny porcelain tile with veining; and the walls are swathed in a matte limewash paint. 

Relegate Everything to a Single Wall

When Marimekko chief creative director Rebekka Bay and her husband, Ricky Nordsøn, cofounder of Nord & Sand, bought their Denmark summer house, the 1972 kitchen was still standing, complete with its original appliances. To keep their refresh of the space from looking too new, they stuck with the same single-wall layout, then modernized the finishes. The linoleum cabinets trimmed in natural oak paired with a red linoleum countertop remind the design-minded couple of the work of Alvar Aalto, Jean Prouvé, and Charlotte Perriand. 

Maximize Light With Shiny Doors

Choosing a cabinet color for a galley kitchen can be tricky—you don’t want it to make the already tight space feel even tighter. So Copenhagen-based architects Camilla and Martin Boccardi Christensen took a different approach: stainless steel fronts. “It’s very important for us that our kitchen is super-functional, tidy, and yet beautiful and robust in its materiality,” says Camilla. They divided the space into two zones: The left side is where all the action happens (it has the sink, oven, dishwasher, and long countertop); the right side is for storage and the fridge.

Plop in a Prefab

Longtime editor and podcaster Spencer Bailey’s black kitchen doesn’t just look minimalist, the entire design process was simple. All the components, from the floating shelving to the appliances, are from Danish manufacturer Vipp and they took just two days to install.  

Let There Be Light

Inspired by the London home of a friend who happens to be the son of famous minimalist architect John Pawson—not even a clove of garlic gets left out on the counter!—creative producer Sue Chan began chasing that same level of zen in her L.A. house. The key to nailing that feeling in her kitchen? Sticking with a warm white and wood scheme and carving a skylight into the sloped ceiling. 

Hide the Hood

The eye is inevitably drawn to a shiny metal vent smack-dab in the middle of the room. So we say box it in. For this San Francisco home, designer Noz Nozawa chose California-sourced grey elm for the cabinetry, open shelving, and range hood surround, a variety that has a “quiet wood grain reminiscent of Japanese Hinoki cypress,” she says. 

Make It All About the Hardware 

Neutral zellige tile, a wall-mounted faucet, flat slab oak doors that match the countertop—these are all common ingredients for a minimalist kitchen. What makes this space, designed by Paris-based firm Corpus Studio, serene without being boring are the sculptural cabinet knobs that look like jewelry for the millwork. 

Take All Your Storage Down a Notch

This Denmark kitchen, designed with simple framed-out Reform cabinets, is all about practicality and longevity, hence the timeless white palette. “We can always paint the walls and change the furniture to change the expression of the room. I wanted a light feeling,” says one of the owners. But more important was the decision to go with a ton of lower cabinets. This way, there’s nothing weighing down the space, plus they make it easy for their three kids (ranging in age from 3 to 8) to access what they need all on their own.

The post Not All Minimalist Kitchens Are Void of Upper Cabinets appeared first on domino.

Open. Closed. Open. Closed. It seems like no one can ever agree on which one is best for a kitchen layout. Some homeowners prefer a setup that allows them to watch the game on the living room TV while they’re standing at the island; others want to do all their cooking (and mess making) behind the scenes in a cozy galley. But by the looks of Drew Barrymore’s Hamptons home, which the actor and talk-show host recently listed with Kathy Konzet at Sotheby’s for a cool $8.45 million, you don’t have to choose between the two.

Barrymore’s farmhouse-style kitchen, featuring butcher block countertops, milky white cabinetry, and industrial black track sconces, is only partly open to the adjacent living space. Two glass doors flank the island and offer the opportunity to divide—or open up—the two areas. 

For added flexibility, there are small accordion doors running along the island topped by a half-wall of windows. It’s basically a traditional kitchen pass-through window—a feature that renovation platform Sweeten saw spike during the pandemic as homeowners started to crave the best of both worlds—with a twist. You can push the doors fully open when dinner is served or crack them just a bit when you simply want to hear what everyone’s chatting about in the other room. 

Perhaps the most genius part of Barrymore’s arrangement is that even with the accordion and two side doors closed, the space is still flooded with natural light, addressing the common worry that a closed-off kitchen will feel cavelike. As someone who is slowly reimagining every small countertop appliance in our kitchens, we should have known Barrymore would have the answer to this debate, too. 

The post Drew Barrymore’s Hamptons Home Is for Sale, and It Has the Ideal Kitchen Layout appeared first on domino.

The American version of a French country kitchen usually goes something like this: light gray cabinets, ceiling-mounted copper pots, a fancy La Cornue range, and Regency-style lanterns. But if you stepped inside a real home in, say, the Loire Valley, you’d be pressed to find these stereotypical rustic-chic details. Instead you’d discover spaces that are cozier yet practical at their core. Looking at some of our favorite French country kitchens abroad, here are 12 things we noticed (almost) all of them have in common. 

Creative Open-Storage Solutions 

It’s not unusual to situate the playroom next to the kitchen, that way you can have eyes on little ones while getting dinner ready. But photographer and artist Aurélie Lécuyer came up with a setup that pleases everyone: Her kids’ fun zone is located on a mezzanine above the kitchen, which they can access via a plaster-coated staircase that doubles as storage. It also means Lécuyer doesn’t have to drag out a step stool every time she wants to reach the highest pot. 

Knotty Woods

Sleek white oak is a popular choice in American kitchens, but this space belonging to winemakers Camille and Guillaume Boillot in France’s Burgundy region is covered in a less obvious wood: fir. The paneling, which stretches to the ceiling, emits a buttery warm glow alongside the cream resin floors. 

Lighting With Personality

A cohesive lighting plan is hard to follow when you work in the design industry like Romain and Loanah Faget, the pair who runs bespoke cabinetry and furniture studio Blomkål. The couple simply has too many ideas. So as a result, the pendant lamps that line their galley kitchen are a mix of everything from IKEA to one-of-a-kind finds from shops in their town, Angoulême.

Dining Tables That Double as Island Extensions

It’s clear stepping inside an authentic French country kitchen that when guests come over, they’re gathering here. So many homeowners make way for friends to dine in the kitchen, often with an antique dining table or, in the case of this stone farmhouse in Basque, a leaflike extension that is attached to the plaster island. 

Painted Furniture 

French country kitchens have the tendency to skew moody, mostly because of their low ceilings and small windows. To raise spirits, it only takes a can (or two) of a happy paint color. The owners of this charming home in the Périgord region gathered green, yellow, and pink and took paintbrushes to the dining chairs and crooked built-ins.  

Plate-Slash-Mug Racks 

When Véronique Powell moved back to this 18th-century mill in Charente after living on the island of Hydra, Greece, for several years, she took a few ideas back with her, including a newfound love of blue and white everything. Now she shows off her breezy dish collection with an out-in-the-open rack that also has rows of hooks for coffee mugs. 

Countertop Decor

Just because you’re accustomed to seeing table lamps on nightstands doesn’t mean one can’t live on your countertop next to your coffee machine. While the placement seems unusual, they make a kitchen feel 10 times homier—and it gets you out of paying a contractor to rip open your ceiling and install canned bulbs.

Minimalist Cooktops 

Interior designer Ludivine Degas and her husband, Stephane, chose to leave city life for a 1970s home on Arcachon Bay, and with that, they also left behind unnecessary visual clutter. The streamlined island features a Pitt cooking system that allows them to wipe in between all the crevices.

Hits of Verdant Green

While French country kitchens tend to feature muted shades of cream, white, and wood, one outlier you’ll see frequently is emerald green. We’re guessing it has something to do with reflecting the lush rolling hills you’ll peep out the window.

Cooling Floors

Terracotta hex tile flows from room to room in Sharon and Paul Mrozinski’s Provence home, infusing some color into the house and also offering a cooling spot for bare feet to land in the hottest months of the year. 

DIYs From the Garden

On the kitchen table, Rochefort-based gift boutique owner Georgia displays a mix of old and new dishware, but not all are for serving foie gras or oysters. The soup tureen has been transformed into a candelabra of sorts with the help of some sturdy taper holders and eucalyptus sprigs.

The post 12 French Country Kitchen Ideas From Real Homes in Burgundy and Beyond appeared first on domino.