While the L-shaped kitchen with butcher-block island provided plenty of counter space, these homeowners disliked the tight walkway created by the peninsula. Stark white laminate cabinetry with slab doors washed out a room that already lacked design detail.

OWNER: Rich Maile
DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen.
Cresent Springs, KY
www.dreammaker-remodel.com

The designer had worked with the homeowners before, so she understood the family's needs for their kitchen. High on their list of priorities was maximizing the wall space. The designer looked to the adjoining dinette area as an opportunity for expansion.

DESIGNER: Susan K. Palmquist, CKD
Sawhill Custom Kitchens
Minneapolis, MN
www.sawhillkitchens.com

With a full-sized family and a dog to boot, these homeowners wanted to enlarge their kitchen to fit their busy lifestyle. The new design had to alleviate work triangle congestion and add storage and counter space.

DESIGNER: Laurie Butler, CKD
Sawhill Custom Kitchens
Minneapolis, MN
www.sawhillkitchens.com

The modernized kitchen provides ample storage and work space. Tucked under countertops and along the walls, the perimeter cabinets feature recessed stainless steel pulls and a horizontal wood grain that keep their look sleek. Blue translucent glass panel doors add color and character to the earthy palette. Pendant track lighting and a stainless steel canopy hood with tall duct cover pull attention upward.

Drury Design
Glen Ellyn, IL
www.drurydesigns.com

Tearing down an interior wall and removing soffits made the kitchen look more spacious and allowed the wall cabinetry to be taller. A short, curved peninsula with beadboard paneling provides enough space for a prep sink and seating for three guests while a window seat provides an extra spot to perch.

Designer: Rita L. Peterson, ASID, CAPS

Photographer: Rita Peterson

Associates in Building & Design

Fort Collins, CO

www.abd-ltd.com

With extra walls gone, Saran's new kitchen is now open to the living area. The kitchen makes use of more available space with plenty of room for cooking and entertaining. Four large stools hug the large island counter so guests can be a part of the cooking process. Glass inserts in the SieMatic Country House Collection cabinetry echo this idea of openness, as Saran and Burd's collection of colorful glass and plateware peeks through. Finished in a Magnolia White lacquer, the cabinetry evokes the house's farmhouse style with antique iron knobs.

SieMatic New York

New York, NY
www.siematic-newyork.com

When Bruce Woolf and his wife moved out of the city and into the suburbs, their dinner plans changed. The couple had loved ordering take-out when they lived in New York City, but in the 'burbs they discovered a new love of cooking. Unfortunately, their suburban home's cramped kitchen didn't allow Woolf and his wife to indulge in their new favorite pastime. Woolf, principal designer at Quaker Road Associates in Chappaqua, New York, designed his wife and two children a new kitchen to fit their cooking lifestyle.

Quaker Road Associates
Chappaqua, NY
www.quakerroad.com

Known for pairing Indian and American influences in his cooking, Chef Suvir Saran is the co-owner and co-chef of Dévi Restaurant in New York City and the author of two cookbooks, American Masala and Indian Home Cooking. When Saran moved into his farmhouse in upstate New York in 2006, the kitchen did not reflect his culinary sensibilities. The tiny kitchen cramped Saran's style, but with the help of his design team, he was able to transform his small kitchen into an open, welcoming space for Saran and his guests.

SieMatic New York
New York, NY
www.siematic-newyork.com

After living in her home for ten years without updating her kitchen, this homeowner decided it was time to remodel. An inconvenient layout and bulky appliances made maneuvering in the old kitchen difficult, and improper ventilation made cooking a smoky mess. With an improved floor plan, upgraded appliances and refined details, this kitchen allows its homeowner to cook and entertain in style.

Drury Design

Glen Ellyn, IL

www.drurydesigns.com

A living and dining area sprawled across from the kitchen, taking up valuable space in the room's floor plan. Designer Amy Sandack, AKBD, removed a wall and moved the kitchen to this larger area, allowing for extra storage and surface space while still incorporating living and dining areas.

Drury Design
Glen Ellyn, IL
www.drurydesigns.com