Kitchen

In this kitchen, stone tiles are laid in the center, but not all the way to the cabinets, with the wood surrounding its perimeter. It gives the effect of an area rug.

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Saltillo floor tiles. Terracotta tiles really warm up this kitchen and relate to the wooden ceiling beams. Tip: True saltillo tiles are porous and break easily, so a more practical choice is Saltillo-look concrete or high fired porcelain tile. Arto Brick carries a concrete line called Artillo.

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Wrought iron work. This white kitchen is fresh and dramatic contrasted with the black stone counters and dark aged wood plank floor. The wrought iron work in the gate, the six lantern island pendant and cabinet inserts are hints that there is some Spanish influence in this space.

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Wooden ceiling beams. This architectural detail is often found throughout the house. And how about that cozy cooking alcove?

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Oil-rubbed bronze finish. The dark brown aged look of oil rubbed bronze works well in a Spanish kitchen. This finish is seen on faucets as well as hardware.

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Here is an unusual corner refrigerator which looks like a piece of furniture.

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Dark walnut cabinets with ornamentation. Most antique Spanish furniture was made from walnut and has decorative details like rope and beaded trim. The wood on this hood ties it to the rest of the cabinetry.

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Flared hood. Curves are seen in Spanish style, from arches to scroll patterns, so it is not surprising that the hoods are often flared in shape. This one is made from sheetrock, with cast stone trim and corbels.

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6. Segment the storage. This wonderful working kitchen offers accessibility without clutter, thanks largely to segmenting the materials. Pots, pans and heavier items go below on the island, lighter servingware resides on the upper shelving, and grab-able spatulas and utensils find a discreet spot in the corner of the countertop.

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Use a cabinet door. Wall mounted spice shelves are terrific and are available from most cabinet manufacturers. They also can be done in an existing kitchen cabinet. When storing spices I prefer not to have a cabinet too deep; things get lost. This solves that problem: Shelves are shallower to allow for the door mount spice holder. Rev-a-Shelf makes something similar to the one we see here. Tip: If you want to install something like this in an existing kitchen, measure the depth of your spice holder and hardware and cut down your shelves by that amount to make everything fit.

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Light streams into Smith's kitchen remodel. The room incorporates eco-friendly cork floors, a cherry butcher block countertop, handcrafted cabinet doors and a touch of stainless steel.

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This kitchen/dining area has a spare Scandinavian sensibility. The shutters and trim give it some older elements; the slipcovers on the Parson's chairs keep things comfortable but streamlined.

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The dish rack has long been the bane of my kitchen counter, taking up space and looking none too pretty in the process. A slight lift and it's no longer a space suck. Huzzah!

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"The kitchen was literally a strip of wall in the living room, with a 2' x 1.5' section of countertop, one drawer and a few cabinets," Killy shares. "Utilizing the walls for vertical storage was essential; every nook and cranny was considered a potential storage opportunity."

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My personal favorite expression of the peninsula is the one that's attached to a perpendicular wall, without any cabinets on that wall. It looks like an island; the only difference is that there's no walkway on one end, and this can often translate into more counterspace and better circulation. For smaller kitchens, this is a great solution. When you have to carve out at least 36 inches on both sides of the island, that really eats into your real estate. If you're looking for a more spacious circulation path, this is the way to go. Tip: To get this look, where a peninsula looks more like an island, resist the desire to put cabinets on either side on the perpendicular wall or even above the counter.

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These beams tie beautifully into the lighter wood throughout. The choice provides stunning detailing and contrast without weighing down the room.

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Pot rack

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This kitchen vignette shows another mix of metal finishes. The goal is to spread out the effect of the copper sink. The brass and copper faucet, the brown quartz composite counter and the bronze cabinet hardware extend the impact of the sink. The effect is all the more interesting and organic because the metals don't match.

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If your kitchen is not quite wide enough for an island, rethink your counter. Just a little jut away from the walls — as in this kitchen — ups the available workspace by a lot.

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These pot racks make great use of what might have ended up as wasted space in this kitchen. Notice they are hung adjacent to the stove, making them easily accessible when needed.

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Knife blocks are space suckers. A mounted knife rack, on the other hand, keeps your tools within reach — while at the same time tucked out of the way.

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Similarly, devoting some open cabinetry to coffee and tea service help guest to feel welcomed and be more self-sufficient. Which is also nice for you.

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