Decorating & Design
10+ Designers Take Us Inside Their Own Kitchens
Published on February 28, 2024
Behind every great kitchen is a great designer. Whether choosing the right layout or optimizing storage, style and functionality, the process of designing a kitchen is highly personal. These experts turn the heart of their homes into a perfect lens into their unique style and design ethos.
See Lynda Reeves’s lakehouse kitchen that embraces the mix with vintage heirlooms, innovative appliances and hidden storage. Brian Gluckstein’s handsome black and white kitchen is sleek and timeless, while Kyle Timothy Blood’s charming farmhouse kitchen pays homage to its past.
Scroll down for 10+ designers’ kitchens you’ll love!
Brian Gluckstein’s Classic Black & White Kitchen
Designer Brian Gluckstein, pictured here with his partner Gary Sarantopoulos, knows how to design a kitchen that works. Keep scrolling for a look inside.
Brian updated the traditional style of his 1913 kitchen by staining the wood cabinets a dark, smoky brown and swapping out the Gothic fretwork for something cleaner. “I elevated the fireplace so you can see it from anywhere in the kitchen,” he says. “In the winter, it’s wonderful to have that fire going when it’s snowing outside.”
Brian’s a huge fan of antiques like the English breakfast table in this nook. “I don’t want a shiny perfect table,” he says. “The patina makes it special and shows the way we live.”
Natalie Tredgett’s London Kitchen
“I wanted our home to feel joyful and unexpected — full of surprises,” says maximalist designer Natalie Tredgett. If you’ve seen her colorful home, her understated white kitchen may actually surprise you the most.
“I designed the kitchen as a glorified hallway,” says Natalie. “It’s almost as though you can’t really tell it’s a kitchen, which was the goal.” Despite its streamlined look, Natalie’s appreciation for color and bold design is seen from above with textured pink ceilings and a whimsical light fixture.
Lynda Reeves’s Lakehouse Kitchen
“This is the kitchen of our recently renovated lakehouse. I chose off-black painted custom wood cabinets by Bloomsbury Fine Kitchens and Stormy Black counters from Greensville Soapstone Company. I designed the cabinets and made my kitchen feel dressy enough to be opened into the dining room. Here I am sitting at our dining table, and behind me is a wonderful photograph by Indigenous artist Dana Claxton. The chairs are from the House & Home collection at Homesense.”
“I went for great appliances — a 48 inch Wolf gas range with two ovens and open shelves above for dishes. Confession: we started with a vintage work table in the centre of the kitchen, but I quickly realized that we needed to be able to eat right in the kitchen when it’s just us. So Michel made us a kitchen table, and the console table you see in this shot got moved out!”
“In this view you can see the French country armoire that I have had for 40 years. It’s fabulous because it holds all my china, platters and bowls. Notice no overhead vent hood. Instead, I used a down draft that disappears down into the counter behind the stove.”
“An integrated fridge looks like a clothes closet. As long as you choose really strong hardware, you don’t need traditional appliance hardware.”
“Wood and glass display cabinets showcase a collection of earthenware and pottery. I didn’t put lights in these on purpose. I wanted them to feel like old cabinets.”
“Behind those cabinet doors is a hidden coffee bar that doubles as a small appliance pantry. The Wolf drawer microwave is cool and compact.”
Brooke Butler’s Mid-century Modern Kitchen
“My goal is to design spaces that marry form with function and have a deep connection with nature,” says designer Brooke Butler. When it came to renovating her 1980s ranch house in Calgary, Brooke opted for a mid century-inspired look in the open-concept kitchen.
The two-tone kitchen is packed with texture: a brick backsplash and range hood and white oak cabinets. “It was important to still see the wood-grain through the low-sheen colored lacquer on same of the cabinets,” says Brooke. An expansive island with Caesarstone counters seats 8.
To maintain the mid-century vibe, integrated custom wood pulls keeps things streamlined.
Kyle Timothy Blood’s Charming Farmhouse Kitchen
After falling in love with designing his clients’ vacation homes in the Hamptons and Cape Cod, NYC designer Kyle Timothy Blood discovered his own piece of paradise in Prince Edward Island. Kyle worked hard to preserve every room of the late-Victorian farmhouse, but the kitchen deserved a full renovation. See how he paid homage to the original aesthetic below.
Shaker cabinets and a vintage-look freestanding island are hallmarks of a classic farmhouse kitchen. “While trying to find the perfect putty shade for the cabinets, I was initiated into — and tormented by — P.E.I.’s deceptive, beguiling light,” says Kyle. “Nineteen sample pots later, we found a winner.”
The kitchen sink is backed by beadboard wall panelling. A coastal painting flanked by two windows adds to the pastoral feel.
Sappho Griffin’s East Coast Kitchen
Sticking to a discplined budget during a renovation can be tricky, but Nova Scotia designer Sappho Griffin set a realistic wish list. “There were mostly only cosmetic changes to do, which was good, as I was building my design firm and didn’t want a large project.”
The majority of her renovation budget — around $90,000 — was allocated to the kitchen. New flooring, wood cabinets, marble countertops, open shelves and a walnut butcherblock island transformed the space.
The wood and white kitchen has a modern farmhouse vibe thanks to the sink and faucet. “Our family of five is active in the kitchen and a stained finish hides a lot,” says Sappho of the lower cabinets.
Olivia Botrie’s English-inspired Kitchen
When it came to renovating her century-old semi-detatched house in Toronto, designer Olivia Botrie was determined to maintain its charm. Specifically, Olivia wanted to create a kitchen that felt lived in and warm. “Like it had been here forever,” she says.
The English-style kitchen definitely feels that way, with Shaker-style doors, historical green cabinets and brass fixtures. “I fixated on that khaki green early on,” says Olivia, referring to Farrow & Ball’s Treron hue. “I love the look of it with the medium brown floors and the brass.”
A designated coffee and toast station is home to small appliances and a mix of family heirlooms.
Veronica Martin’s Modern Black & White Kitchen
Designer Veronica Martin of Two Fold Interiors had one goal in mind for her Victorian home’s main floor. “I wanted to have the kitchen open to the rest of the main floor for entertaining,” she says.
Dramatic and elegant, the kitchen has rich-hued wood cabinets that set off the marble double-waterfall-edge island. “The first thing you see in the house is that marble,” says Veronica. On the range side is a wine fridge and, in a cavity near the stools, is hidden storage for liquor bottles.
The gorgeous oak cabinets have a visible grain and texture that Veronica loves. “The modern slab wood doors mixed with the protruding gables creates an interesting detail,” she says.
Fenwick Bonnell’s Compact Condo Kitchen
Fenwick Bonnell’s 834-square-foot condo is a lesson in compact design. A living room with a Murphy bed and a kitchen island with a mounted TV are some of the ways he optimizes every square inch. Scroll down for a look inside his eat-in kitchen!
Fenwick designed a dining-height island that extends into a table with chairs. “I knew I didn’t want stools, but I also didn’t want a height transition between the dining table and island,” he says. “It was a bit of an experiment, but now I really like the way it feels.”
A lowered induction cooktop creates a dramatic statement. “You’re looking into the pots and stirring or cooking at a height that’s more comfortable,” says Fenwick.
Curtis Elmy and Trevor Ciona’s Luxury Penthouse Kitchen
“We always start the design in the kitchen because it tends to sets the tone,” says Trevor Ciona. Take a look at Atmosphere Interior Design’s fashionable penthouse kitchen below.
The glamorous black, white and gold kitchen is as luxe as it gets. Calacatta Capri marble and mirrored cabinets doors gives it an Art Deco-inspired vibe.
The open-concept condo kitchen is hardworking with plenty of storage and counter space.
Jo Levitan’s Parisian-Inspired Kitchen
When design duo Jo Levitan and Maayan Kessler discussed the design of Jo’s midtown Tudor-style house in Toronto, it was clear they were on the same page: the look would be modern European.
The kitchen’s marble slab and integrated shelf were inspired by the Parisian kitchen of architect Joseph Dirand. Subtle, Shaker-style cabinets adorned with unlacquered brass hardware and fixtures are the epitome of sophistication. “I naturally gravitate toward Shaker-style cabinets,” says Jo. “I didn’t want to rewrite the map.” Jo found a slab of marble just wide enough to bridge the cabinets. Original Cesca stools and antique, mid-century Italian sconces are vintage touches.
A picture window above the built-in kitchen desk beautifully frames the ivy outside.