Beautiful Kitchens with Natural Colors

This homeowner studied cooking in Italy, and she wanted her kitchen to feel like the ones she'd experienced there. Tumbled-marble floor tiles, an orange marble countertop, and knotty pine cabinets create an earthy look.

These homeowners wished for a traditional Irish country style that would subtly reflect their ethnic heritage. Past-perfect patinas on the kitchen furniture, such as the black painted and distressed island base, bring about the look, as does the pigmented plaster on the range hood decorated with a Celtic stencil.

Bright efficiency defines this wood-wrapped kitchen. The dominant material is Brazilian cherry kitchen cabinetry and complementary wood flooring. Creamy yellow walls provide a subtle contrast but mainly function to emphasize the warmth of the wood and introduce a sunny theme.

Traditional white cabinetry and crackle-finish tile bounce light around this enclosed kitchen. The only window is made of leaded glass, which brings in the daylight. A coffee-color oak floor and the lightly distressed black island base provide contrast.

An exquisite mix of surfaces and colors blends to proclaim a clear contemporary statement in this remodeled kitchen. Walls of glass show off mahogany, maple, quartzite tile, limestone, and stainless steel. Together, they make a high-style decorative impact.

The couple who remodeled this kitchen like contemporary furniture imported from Denmark, and that style and color preference shows clearly. Maple cabinetry trimmed in Sapele mahogany sets the tone, complemented by soapstone perimeter countertops, a laminated-glass backsplash, and wicker baskets.

Lightly stained maple flooring and Larch wood cabinetry set the scene for contemporary elegance in this one-wall kitchen. Stainless-steel countertops and accents reinforce the sleek, no-clutter look. The elevated wood slab eating counter lightens the room.

Earthy salvaged bricks viewed behind sleek stainless steel exemplify the combinations of color and texture that appear here. The travertine floor tiles below an antique wood breakfast table also show how diverse materials can work together in an eclectic kitchen.

A mostly coffee-and-cream color scheme brings the kitchen in a '60s ranch in line with the country French character in adjacent rooms. The taupe-glazed cabinetry sets up a smooth background for the island's rough work surface.

A neutral, pale color palette keeps with historic Charleston, South Carolina, where homes like this one date back to 1780. Intentionally, no single color jumps out at you, yet a feeling of warmth and elegance pervades the room.