Bosch Appliances–Beauty and Brains!

I was delighted to be invited to the Bosch training and showroom facility in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona. I so welcome these opportunities to travel to corporate showrooms around the country (and abroad) for focused product training, which always adds another dimension of insight into a brand’s unique history and philosophy.

Robert BoschWho knew the founder’s name was Robert Bosch (1861-1942) who was equal parts socialist and capitalist, botanist and inventor, pacifist and philanthropist … whose company was one of the first to provide health care to its employees as well as the eight hour work day … who worked with Thomas Edison for a year here in the US and who had a commitment in theory and in practice to (what we now fashionably call) Reuse, Recycle and Reduce - in extreme ways? Bosch (the corporation) has recently celebrated 125 years of being in business as well as celebrating their equally long tradition to social commitment.

Half of the profit that Bosch generates each year goes toward philanthropic and environmental endeavors-nearly astounding! Since 1964 the Robert Bosch foundation has funded more than one billion euros toward the company’s social and environmental commitment. What an inspiring piece of “corporate history.”

BOSCH SHOWROOM DELIGHTS

I will have more information on some of the great features of Bosch appliances in another post. Quite frankly, I lost track of all the #1 awards Bosch has won, but it is impressive. Half the fun of going to these events is to enjoy the beautiful showroom design! I’ll take you for a short tour. Let’s take a look, and note the appliance integration. Enjoy the view.

Below: A look at the Bosch reception area just past the front desk. Tranquil and serene, connected to the feeling of the Arizona landscape 

Below: A wide shot (with the exception of one leg of the “U” shape) of the kitchen we cooked in, with a complete suite of Bosch appliances. A simple design with just a touch of coolness in the countertop and tile backsplash, accented with cool (toned as well as featured) stainless steel appliances.

Below: The tall wall of appliances and storage – so popular in European kitchen design, it serves as a visual foundation to the kitchen.

Below: We were all “Engineers in Training” for the day with real Bosch product engineers! Taking a short break in between learning all sorts of mathematical equations and theories-exhausting!

Below: A nice tight integration with cabinetry and countertop – the Bosch slide-in range. A slide-in range is a superb and elegant solution (and less costly than the purchase of a separate cooktop and oven) to what could otherwise be the bulky look of a freestanding range. An often forgotten product solution, the slide-in range provides a “flow” to your kitchen

Below: A fantastic and delicious artisan focaccia, just out of the Bosch true convection oven. It was delicious! Part of our experience cooking with Bosch appliances

Below: Now, let’s take a peak at a few other kitchens in the Bosch facility with either Thermador or Gaggenau appliances, both under the Bosch corporate umbrella

Bye, Scottsdale! (sniff...)

English Fancy–Royal Wedding Edition

Are you all recovering from your Royal Wedding revelry?  I didn't think I'd get caught up in the hoopla, but found myself stalling my toddler from heading to the playground so we could catch the tail end of the festivities.  I bribed her with promises of seeing "horsies" and princesses err...Duchesses of Cambridge (?!).  Now, onto festivities of our own, though no less majestic - Moodboard Monday Royal Wedding Edition!

Paying homage to the formality of traditional English Kitchens, we've kept things sophisticated in this week's installment with a subtle and classic color palate of white, nickel & blue.  For initial inspiration I've drawn from one of my all-time favorite images of a gorgeous kitchen designed by our very own Susan.  Though not technically located in England, the aesthetic is definitely reminiscent of a traditional, luxurious English farmhouse kitchen. 

Loving the striking look of this Falcon Range, with its rich heritage as one of the UK's leading manufacturers of professional range equipment.  Care to greet a life size portrait of the happy couple every time you reach for the milk?  Enter this GE fridge and get your royal fix in a prominent manner. 

Finally, what Royal roundup would be complete without a healthy dose of the great UK emporium, Liberty?  Cut up some crumpets on Carmen the Sheep. Host tea time with thisEmma Bridgewater dish ware set, and sew up a quick apron & tea towels with these gorgeous Liberty textiles. 

Cheerio!

Best, Kelly

KBIS 2011 Kitchens

I always like to walk the kitchen and bath show and take pictures of the kitchen displays. Having just been at IMM Cologne in January, the kitchen designs were dramatically different at KBIS and I MUST gather together the images I have of full size kitchen displays from the IMM Cologne show.

There is much more detail in the KBIS kitchens (that is not a positive or negative, it's in the eye of the beholder.) The first image is from an Italian manufacturer and all others are American manufacturers - the style contrast is clear!

My opinion: in some cases, more is not better. Restraint is a good thing...less is more and all that. We also need to remember that we will have reactions to these different styles and there is a kitchen design for everyone, just like there is a guy for every girl and vice versa. Enjoy!

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KBIS 2011 - Kitchen Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas

Merrilat KitchenFresh from walking the show floor of KBIS (Kitchen Bath Industry Show) held in Las Vegas, following is an overview of my impressions of what's new, what's trending and why. 

THE SHOW FLOOR

The kitchen and bath show (KBIS) was smaller than last year, three years after the financial crisis, which was quite surprising to me and to other veteran industry attendees I spoke to. Those who attended their first, second, or even third KBIS, have no concept of how different a show KBIS has become since before 2009 (I've gone for about 20 years now.) To see the show even smaller this year, and the booths stretched out (wider aisles, etc.)  within the exhibit hall to achieve a perceived "fit", was obvious and a bit disconcerting, 3 years after 2008. 

Exhibit booths for major brands were drastically smaller, in probably all cases, often with little adornment (thank you Formica for a smallish but fabulously designed booth.) And, countless major national brands simply disappeared from the show floor this year. KBIS is a shadow of the show it used to be. The show program (a sort of soft cover book of conference schedules and exhibitor list) tells the story too -geez, was it small!!

That said, I would never not go. It (the basis of the show) is my world, the one I reside in every day. How can I not go? So, I go, and I'm still genuinely very excited to attend every year. Good for those companies who did display...I assume due to the show's size, they had quality visitors to their booths.

NEWS FROM THE KITCHEN AND BATH SHOW

Without further ado, here are the major trend messages observed from the show floor! Visual examples will be forthcoming in future posts.

It's all about BROWN undertones - the whole spectrum from light, mid tones to coffee - brown finishes and often gray browns (more brown than gray) dominate cabinetry, new countertop introductions, tile, more. Black, at least in cabinetry, and white (as always), are in the mix....black as the new (yet classic) neutral for cabinetry?

Transitional cabinet door styles, the shaker door in various forms, and the soft modern style or a more simple traditional theme, was a focus for the kitchen and bath

Technology focused on quiet, soft, easy access, ergonomic design solutions for cabinetry

Multimedia - products mixing disparate materials for a fresh design statement...the theory that interesting texture can be a small price to pay here and there in the context of the cost of a whole kitchen remodel

Sinks - seamless integrated sinks and countertop solutions and sinks designed to perform multiple functions including doubling as counter space

Budget - Many manufacturers introduced a lower priced line or moved/modified existing products into a lower price point to provide expanded choices to their customers. Even luxury brands such as Artistic Tile, Corian, Dacor and others have discovered and introduced new ways to make their products affordable. This is an across the board trend and seen in product design with a focus on style, durability and longevity.

Tile - Tile is getting smaller and longer lengths in many cases with newly introduced high def imaging to create a truly authentic look. Many/varied glass accents. Tile continues its style story in the kitchen with softer/simple, often mosaic, designs that encompass expanded areas in the kitchen beyond the backsplash for a look that flows (example, surrounding a window to the ceiling)

Lighting innovations continue to focus on led and substitutes were shown for the typical incandescent light bulb design but with energy efficiency built in. Task and accent lighting keeps getting smaller and more flexible in terms of installation and design (lighted tile in a backsplash anyone?) even color of lighting available.

Cabinet hardware is focusing on additional warm finishes and styles with more visual weight to make a statement (bang for the buck theory and a good one). More soft modern styles and styles which are very modern, projecting significantly off the cabinet for its own statement, are trending. I also observed this in Germany in January at IMM Cologne.

Green - An effort to "go green" but not as prominant an effort as I've seen previously

Color - I did see quite a few products of neutral shades which had a soft green undertone, sort of a gray green. Otherwise, color, in its bold form, was hard to find! I observed it in pockets, certainly not as a dominant theme at the show.

Innovation? Not so terribly much this year as compared to other years. More repositioning/tightening of existing product lines and thinking more creatively in terms of budget products...which of course, is good news to many, many Americans, making the kitchen design process fun again for lower budgets.

This is my preliminary (but well thought through) report. After looking more closely at my 800 images, I may add additional thoughts. More to come!!

Appliance Spotting At IMM Cologne - The Living Kitchen

As anyone who has even remotely followed European kitchen design knows, appliances are virtually engineered into the most seamless fit within cabinetry to create as seamless a look as humanly possible.

To me, built in appliances are a special type of beauty to behold. It's sculptural, often a look of architectural permanance in the home and the design just flows. But, it's certainly not all about appliances being built in...some of the coolest appliances were freestanding or top mounted.  Let's take a look at some appliance awesomeness.

Below, Liebherr's experiment with texture-I was told it was a concept

Below, a sleek built-in Gaggenau oven...just fits in there so snugly!

Below, a very cool downdraft fan that glows - I did not get the name of this appliance, but I'll attempt to find out and report back!

Below, I just loved the knobs of this Siemen's cooktop...enjoy!

Below, love the stacked, super built in Miele ovens, don't you?

Below, an elegant drop in gas cooktop by Foster

Below, how about this curved range by Lofra

Below, uber built in cooktop in stainless steel by Bora - note the flush installation

Below, sexy built in Miele ovens once again!

Below, I really love this cooktop by Foster that is a long span of one cooktop wide, front to back

This is pure eye candy (at least for me!) I like many of the details. I have more appliances to show, which I will, soon! Much more to come from the IMM Cologne Living Kitchen show in Germany, especially the fantastic design of kitchens and furnishings...not to mention the displays within the exhibits!

IMM Cologne - Living Kitchen Overview

The Living Kitchen show at IMM Cologne, held in Germany less than less than 2 weeks ago was kitchen heaven, purely and absolutely. The exhibits “told” many visual stories – whole stories, as the displays were large, some, enormous. I was a guest of Blanco (a bigger player in the global sink and faucet scene in terms of design and product presence than I realized) and was invited as a member of the Blanco Design Council. Here are some of the most compelling chapters in the book of today’s kitchen!

Chapter I Overview – The Living Kitchen was a very appropriate name for this show. Lowered “platforms” and varying levels for alternative living in the kitchen, a more “living room-like” aesthetic, the warmth of wood or faux wood, are a few of the specific features  which define this movement. Sinks and faucets are going along for the “living kitchen” ride and fabulous examples will follow. It is clear that style and function have met, fallen in love, and are planning for the future. Simply, it’s about living in the kitchen…see how:

Chapter 2 – Cabinetry designed as sculpture is a traditional strong point of European kitchen design but seems to take another step into integration with surrounding rooms, which is VERY exciting visually yet may also make that connection in a quiet and elegant way, the result of which can be a space which appears more expansive.

Chapter 3 – Appliance Integration and Technology – European kitchen design has always been the leader in integrating appliances (seamlessly.) Appliances, any type, are now fully concealed into cabinetry which replicates truly invisible cabinetry, and I would not even say they are integrated into pantry cabinetry; I would call it the built in closet look! In addition, exposed appliances are showing super seamless integration into countertop design.

One appliance which is not so much about integration is the hood – the hoods total transformation into a design element is complete. Whether your style is pretty, modern, super stylized or elegantly low profile, the hood is a wonderful opportunity to express oneself and I think that’s one of the feel good stories here!

Appliance technology is about energy efficiency, a variety of neutral color choices (very exciting to see) healthy cooking, and the ultimate: personal cooking flexibility-where would you like the burner positioned on the cooktop? And there’s more! A food preparation appliance that allows food to last in a refrigerator for 2-3 weeks – surely, a game changer! Examples to be shown soon!

Chapter 4 – Natural real or natural faux materials – What this means is that natural wood grain rules…sometimes, the more textured the better, which adds visual interest, sometimes a little whimsy too. But, the story here is about an appreciation of nature in many forms.

Chapter 5 – Color - Well, the fun news is that the accent colors were clearly lime green. There were accents of magenta as well. The biggest color story was the greige, beige, mushroom neutral, which I have mentioned before. It seems that quiet and serene has spoken more loudly than color at this show, at this time. But, that is not to say that color was not present in bold, fun, ways. I'd say that its presence felt more focused than broad. I'd call it: "color optional." 

Sooooooo much more to talk about, all coming soon!!! Do you want to see more??

IMM Cologne - Kitchen Thoughts

I am writing this on the plane on my way back from IMM Cologne, the Living Kitchen trade fair in Cologne, Germany. I was a guest of Blanco, as were four other bloggers (Paul_Anater, Jamie Goldberg, Cheryl Clenendon and Leslie Clagett) who are also part of the Blanco Design Council. It was an AMAZING trip. Germany is rich, culturally, and visually beautiful, not to mention on top of its game, showcasing innovative kitchen design and that includes Blanco's line of products which were exactly on the mark for today's (interestingly, US) consumer.

So, I think the best approach might be to present my discoveries, impressions, and information in an organized way. I have just spent the last five hours of this flight sorting into categories, one by one, just around 2,360 images, taken over several partial days. THAT is a record for me!

My singular goal at any show is to size up products and displays quickly (for the most part) and be ready to shoot fast, really fast, even as I see people walking into the image I want to shoot. In a nano second, I know that a section of an image can easily be cropped, so there is no dilly dallying, camera in hand. As a result, speed and quick right brain visualizing gets me lots (and lots) of good information in my images. It's an obstacle course, and I love it!!

That said, I'm trying to do several things at once at the show...understand the products, the details, and the design, ask questions of those working at the booth...and move on! A veteran of 20 years of trade shows has made my particular process into a science!

Now that the images are categorized, I think (unless I change something later) I will do an in depth series on the following topics.

Here are the categories that we will be covering over the next few weeks:

• Kitchen Living Show Overview-talk about trends
• Appliances
• Countertops
• Cool and Uber Cool Kitchen Design Details
• Dining Tables
• Kitchen Stools (so fun to look at, I think!)
• Drawer Inserts (wait till you see THESE)
• Hardware
• Overview of Kitchen Design Trends
• The "Living Kitchen" Special Exhibit 
• Sinks and Faucets
• Color and Texture
• Possibly flooring

Oh yes, and I really want to include a post on kitchens on a budget, as I have been inspired by some of the displays I've seen - let's just say, high design/low budget is SO doable and you've got to see how easy it is to achieve a fantastic modern kitchen.

If anything else comes to mind, I will adjust the agenda. What about you - what information are you interested in knowing??

I'm soooooooooo excited - it's great to feel that spark of excitement..many sparks in this case! (I took this image below while on the train from Dusseldorf to the Blanco factory in southern Germany - what views!)

IMM Cologne Living Kitchen - Germany, January 2011

A simple post with images to share of the Living Kitchen show in Germany. I am not able to elaborate more at this moment as time does not permit, but surely you can ooh and ahh at the images, no? I am here courtesy of Blanco America. I visited the factory and headquarters today. How do you say "7 patents" in German? I was beyond impressed AND inspired. Look at Blanco. SO-Just for you...

Lechner Countertops - Made of Glass - Trend Alert: sinks in rectilinear "boxes" sit atop countertops Another example of concealed ovens and I will be showing you others Love this cooktop and its grates - by Smeg Gaggenau's awesome booth - a factory type grunge look going on simple, elegant, and note the thin countertopos Clever storage, simple, clean lines, restorative neutrals And last, but possibly my "Best of Show for 2011": Last but not least, the cooktop that I BELIEVE will change cooking forever: Gaggenau's cooktop - put your pot WHERE YOU WANT...anywhere on the cooktop and the cooktop will respond. Image shows the pots at each side of the cooktop to illustrate the burner-less glass

Visualize Your Kitchen Design!

I picked up a new pair of eyeglasses yesterday. They are bold (for me), funky, and remove "good looks" as a (normally) important factor when I wear glasses, instead, replacing that concept with "a" look. Going down this road definitely messes with my head because I've always thought of glasses to be something to enhance my looks (if they had to be worn). So, this is a little getting used to for me. It's out of my comfort zone, too, as I've never purchased glasses with a dark frame as I've always had light colored hair.

Which then made me think about the design of these glasses as compared to design in our homes. Does beauty in our homes (as one's quest is for facial beauty) need to be the singular goal we aspire to? Do you let beauty guide your decisions because it's easy and safe? More importantly, do you define beauty in only one way?

Another piece to this quest for beauty is this - with interesting glasses, as with design, there is sometimes a fine line between cool and, well, odd or ridiculous, don't you think? I observed my thoughts as I tried on the glasses...over and over. Did I look ridiculous? Were they cool? Where they awesome? Which one of these adjectives?

The voice of reason came to me and said, what else...beauty (or an interesting look) is in the eye of the beholder (as is coolness, ridiculousness and awesomeness!) That was my answer. The glasses gave me enough of a "fun" boost to persuade me to buy them.

Two recent glasses purchases-one blue, one tortoise shell, dark, and rounded!

The Kitchen Design Link

I think in the design of our kitchens, there is more to strive for than simple, safe, beauty. We should (and I rarely use the word "should") challenge our traditional view of beauty from time to time, and all across the board in our lives, from eyeglasses to kitchens. And, then, question if we really care about "beauty" as a concept in favor of a different feeling. We can then be open to new ideas, new design solutions, opportunities to explore and thus, expand our personal aesthetic.

Tell me your thoughts about what the word "beauty" means to you and its importance in your life and your home! I want to know. I like enlightening experiences, especially small, everyday, ones.

TPB Top Porzelanik Barcelona - A New Kitchen Countertop

It's my real pleasure to announce a brand new product for American kitchens! I've searched and searched and I cannot see where this product has been talked about in the US anywhere online up to now. 

It's a kitchen countertop that creates an entirely new category of countertop materials, starting now! It's beautiful, it's extremely durable and it will coordinate perfectly with any kitchen decor. I saw it at the kitchen show, SICI in Spain, and it's called TPB | Top Porzelanik Barcelona. It is a newly introduced product for this company. I attended the SICI show in Madrid as a speaker on American kitchen design, along with my colleague Roberta Kravette, courtesy of the top kitchen design software program, autokitchen which is based in Spain, but has software users around the globe.

NOTE: I have no ties of any kind to this company. I discovered it at the SICI show, love it and wish to share my find.

The TPB top is, essentially, a ceramic tile countertop, in slab form.  The top is light weight and possible to have 100 different finishes and textures. There are six different "bases" available, each of which will give a different look to this thinner-than-normal countertop. It's easy cleaning and highly durable. It is a natural product and completely recyclable. Take a look at the spec sheet. And here is a list of features and benefits of the countertop material. 

I have two samples that I was able to take back with me, and while some of my images below are very close up and the surface looks to have a textured relief, it is completely smooth with just a tiny textural feel. I encourage you to take a good look at the website to see all of the information about this very interesting and exciting countertop material!

Following are images that I took at the SICI show in Madrid a few weeks back. I predict that this material will receive a very enthusiastic greeting in the U.S. It is stunning.

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Decor8

One thing I can surely say...I've admired Holly Becker, Founder and Editor of Decor8, well before I started blogging in February, 2007. Holly's blog was, and is, more than ever, a top model for super creative and relevant online interior design content. I definitely do not know how she does it, seemingly, with such ease and always with style. The quality of the content is amazing. I know Holly, as we have cross paths here and there, to be focused, yet wide open to inspiration! 

I asked Holly if I could pose a few questions to her. I was curious to find out what her current design aesthetic is, how or if it is changing, and a few questions about kitchens, of course! Let's get to know Holly a little better...

But first: Holly is featured as an ex-pat American blogger living in Europe in the premier issue of Rue Magazine! Holly's feature is on page 41. I must add that I was thrilled to see Copenhagen as a very favorite place...it's mine as well...home is #1, Copenhagen is #2!

How is your personal design aesthetic changing, now that you are settled into Europe, Germany in particular?  

The light is so much different here in northern Germany - much cooler - and I love it. It has given me the opportunity to finally embrace the color palette that I love - white walls, wood floors and colors that make me happy like pale grey, lavender, blue tones, yellows, greens, pinks, gold and silver... I felt in New Hampshire I was very limited since the light was very warm and the windows in my 1875 carriage house were quite small. Here, at least in northern German cities, the buildings are large and rooms have large windows and often high ceilings, so this is ideal for me. I also have the old Jugenstil architecture in my city, Hanover. 

I live in a district called List and we have some gorgeous buildings here with amazing places to live - either to rent or own. Most rentals here do not have closets, in fact none do, so you have to bring your own closets in the form of wardrobes so I've had to change how I approach storage. Some rentals have closets off of the kitchen; these are for food storage usually, but that is only common in the buildings built in the 1800-early 1900s. 

I also have acess to very different products and supplies here, from paint manufacturers and colors, to wallpaper vendors, furniture showrooms, you name it - it is completely different from my life in the states. Back home, I'd drive into Boston and know exactly where to go for lighting, flooring, furniture but here I'm still learning and sampling new brands so that has also impacted my design decisions.

Having seen countless images of kitchens over the years via the amazing quantity and depth of posting that you do, what is the general type of aesthetic and/or design elements that "speak" to you, and are there any kitchen images that you can think of that you're crazy about? I know your fans would love to see that!

Oh yes, the older I get (I guess it has to do with staying home and entertaining more now in my thirties over socializing at bars and restaurants as I did a lot in my twenties) the more influenced I am by having the right space for cooking and storage - the kitchen is becoming more and more a part of my life like never before!

I've recently embarked on going from a renegade experimental cook to one who follows cookbooks (most people start cooking the other way around!) and I guess as a result I'm finally learning about all of the gadgets needed to make some of these new recipes! I usually cook the same things over and over again and they usually do not require more than my two hands for rolling out dough, pots, pans, a spatula, a blender, a whisk and some good wooden spoons! With cookbooks come responsibility and breaking your own rules, which I am trying more and more now, mostly because I became bored with my meals.

I'm suddenly excited to get involved in this whole new world of lingering in foodie shops and am finally putting thought into purchasing a Kitchenaid stand mixer. I want a kitchen that feels authentic and real, not fussy, and I think counter space is critical. I also like it when stove tops are separate from the oven, I find it easier to bake with a wall oven, for instance, but I also like having less visual clutter by keeping cabinetry unified below. I love open shelving, but not for everything, just for glassware that is used daily along with some plates and bowls, again, things that are used and washed regularly.

I was storing wine glasses (I drink wine maybe a few times a month) on open shelves and that was a huge mistake because they became huge dust magnets. I also stored mixing bowls and it was the same thing -- dust, dust, dust! Now I store only items on my open shelves that are either eaten (I put nuts, seeds, dried fruit, cereal) in clear storage containers with white lids (keeping healthy foods visible is better than showcasing the candy, I keep that tucked away in my "no no drawer") or items that again, are used daily like my mugs, glasses, bowls and plates.  

Opinions! Yes, that's what makes a highly personal kitchen function perfectly!  ...Susan

Coming Next: Holly's personal design aesthetic described, and her dream kitchen!

Nate Berkus + Kitchen Design = STYLE

I like Nate Berkus' style - I'm definitely a fan! Style is the word that comes to mind when I see interiors that have been touched by his creative hand.

I often see a philosophy of Nate's work which expresses "tradition with an edge." Nate's "edges" are awesome...cool color stories, tradition meets modern, texture meets soft, pattern dominates to unify, among so many more design concepts that delight, and always, for some reason, just feels right! Nate's infectious enthusiasm for design translates into an ease, a gracious informality that's easy to live with. I mean, I see him on Oprah, and before I know it, I'm smiling. He's seems to be such a happy guy! Creating interiors with a happy disposition definitely shines through one's work.

I'd love to see Nate do more kitchens, and I'd love to collaborate with him! Here's Nate's kitchen in his Chicago apartment. 

It flows. I love the black window trim. The turquoise is a great color and just flows into a collection of clean, solid, elements, sort of a framework for the room. And, those chairs and table...LOVE.

And Nate's Manhattan apartment....this kitchen I love! I'm a real lover of white floors...I have two painted white wood floors in my own home. It looks very much like a Swedish rag rug on the floor and the blue, black and touches of wood just punch up the space. The enveloping white on floor, ceiling, and walls, is the unifying element, which adds a flow and maximum spaciousness. There's a Scandinavian aesthetic to this kitchen. Another: LOVE!

Nate Berkus' kitchen in his Milan apartment is another Wow! See what I mean? He has a vision! This is European modern elegance. It's quite sophisticated, with strength in large color elements, yet quiet. The brown leather chair adds a feeling that this is a room, not only a utilitarian kitchen, and the color of the chair adds life. Very well done! The lighting fixture, honestly, to my eye, is the perfect touch. LOVE!

Nate, I'd love to see more kitchens! This sampling alone includes such a great collection of creative and diverse (and unexpected) details, don't you think? 

First two images from Oprah.com, last image from ElleDecor.com.