This traditionally-styled kitchen utilizes rich wood cabinetry, intricately patterned granite, and glass tile backsplash, and open shelves near the ceiling for display of dishes.

Stephen Johnson

We chose cabinetry made from reclaimed barnwood from Country Roads Associates (in Holmes, NY) as well as a copper farmhouse sink to get the farmhouse feel. Adding the brick wall and reclaimed 2" thick barnwood beam shelving further enhanced the rustic nature of the design. The Caspian blue glass tile by Akdo Tile, stainless steel appliances (Viking, Bosch, Liebherrr, Thermador) and thin Dekton (by Cosentino) counter tops lend the contemporary touch. Hafele hardware and interior cabinet lighting also adds a contemporary touch along with the Blum Aventos lift-systems (automatic cabinet doors). Photo by Chris Sanders

Tom Arban

Our brief was to create a calm, modern country kitchen that avoided cliches - and to intrinsically link to the garden. A weekend escape for a busy family who come down to escape the city, to enjoy their art collection, garden and cook together. The design springs from my neuroscience research and is based on appealing to our hard wired needs, our fundamental instincts - sociability, easy movement, art, comfort, hearth, smells, readiness for visitors, view of outdoors and a place to eat. The key design innovation was the use of soft geometry, not so much in the planning but in the three dimensionality of the furniture which grows out of the floor in an organic way. The soft geometry is in the profile of the pieces, not in their footprint. The users can stroke the furniture, lie against it and feel its softness, all of which helps the visitors to kitchen linger and chat. The fireplace is located in the middle between the cooking zone and the garden. There is plenty of room to draw up a chair and just sit around. The fold-out doors let the landscape into the space in a generous way, especially on summer days when the weather makes the indoors and outdoors come together. The sight lines from the main cooking and preparation island offer views of the garden throughout the seasons, as well as people coming into the room and those seating at the table - so it becomes a command position or what we call the sweet spot. This often results in there being a family competition to do the cooking. The woods are Canadian Maple, Australian rosewood and Eucalyptus. All appliances are Gaggenau and Fisher and Paykel.

Ansel Olson

Putra Indrawan