A simple design with pops of green brings out the brighter side of this Arkansas kitchen. For our 50th anniversary Idea House in 2016, one designer simply wouldn’t do. We brought together a team of five designing minds to make a one-of-a-kind home.

When designing an open kitchen, consider forgoing a built-in island for freestanding furniture, which can add personality and make a kitchen feel more traditional. Search for butcher-block versions of work tables, or find a table you love and adapt it to counter height. Furniture-like islands or worktops are open kitchen ideas that can lighten up a space, and they’re often more affordable than a built-in island. Plus, we love the easy accessibility of open shelves for regular-use items. From tiles and countertops to door fronts and appliances, kitchens are full of hard surfaces, which can sometimes feel a little harsh and unforgiving.

This colour will give your kitchen an evergreen look

As we find ourselves gravitating more toward the kitchen, it becomes paramount to actively shape it into a space that feels welcoming. Here are a few living kitchen ideas to get you started on crafting a space that serves as both a culinary spot and a stage for social gatherings and life’s cherished small moments together. With some help from the experts, we take a look into the rise of the living kitchen concept and find out if it is truly the key to making our cooking spaces all the more sociable, comfortable, and beautiful. Now, this traditional kitchen is drenched in sunlight, with an eat-in area thanks to a breakfast bar with expanded seating—perfect for entertaining, homework help, or cocktail hour. When choosing the right white paint color for your space, take into consideration the undertones and amount of natural light.

• The L-shape layout of this elegant kitchen is paired with a beige countertop and backsplash that is augmented by the cabinet lighting.
• Space alone doesn’t make a space feel luxurious—although, as you’ll see in our examples below, a soaring ceiling doesn’t hurt.
• When daydreaming about your ideal space, be sure to consider functionality as well as beauty.
• “If I have it my way, we’ll be seeing a lot more traditional, rustic-style kitchens and homes in the next year,” says the designer Amber Lewis, on the appeal of Shaker kitchens.