Stainless steel appliances set the tone for all other metals in the kitchen. When your largest appliances like the fridge or stove are stainless steel, they demand that other metals in the kitchen coordinate with them.  Of course you could add other metallic finishes to the room like oiled bronze or brass, but using silvery finishes with stainless steel gives the room a more unified appearance.

Silvery chrome and nickel work well with stainless appliances and sinks.  Chrome and nickel come in a number of finishes including satin and polished.  The more shiny the finish, the more the metals will stand out and sparkle in the space.

Silvery metals also work with any number of cabinet and floor choices. Dark wood cabinets and floors get a pop of sparkle with silvery chrome or nickel pulls.  The silvery pulls are like sparkling jewelry against the wood, like a sparkling bangle or necklace is against a little black dress.

These metals also look great with glass front cabinets and marble counters veined with grey.  Using silver against grey and white is a sophisticated look for the kitchen. It is also a great look for a bathroom.

The warm neutral color of the wall above the sink has enough tint to counterbalance the cool grey of the marble tiles in the shower.  Continuing the same warm cream from the wall onto the counter creates a wide swath of warmth. Both the stone countertop and wall color are complemented by the warm wood of the vanity.

The lack of flourishes and clean lines actually puts more emphasis and color and materials in this bathroom.  Wood grain, wall color and the stone all stand out as key design elements. The marble of the shower or the warm wood of vanity could either be put on the floor for a cohesive overall design. Another choice would be to carry the countertop and wall color onto the floor.

Adding an orchid brings in a beautiful organic touch to the cool surfaces and straight lines of the room’s designs.  A single natural element like a plant or vase of flowers stands out in a sleek space.  The orchid adds a pop of color as well as visual interest. Wood accessories would also add organic, natural warmth to the cool stone that dominates this bathroom.

Soft creamy white parsnips to bold oranges and lemons can inspire everything from wall color to the color of counter top appliances and runners on the floor.  Bolder colors for the walls can be inspired by the red of tomatoes, the purple of eggplants or the green of lettuce. Soft artichoke green, creamy banana yellows and pale browns from potatoes are more neutral and perfect for walls or even the cabinets.  A throw rug by the sink or stove can be a bolder color to add a pop of bright color to the room. Play off your floor color with lighter or darker colors to make the floors and the rugs pop. Tea towels and canisters are also great places to add bolder colors.

A bowl of fresh fruit on the counter or island makes for a great accessory in the kitchen. Using herbs and produce as accessories are inexpensive and functional ways to decorate your kitchen.  These edible accents can also add a lovely fragrance to the room, as well as colorful visual interest.

Next time you need inspiration for decorating your kitchen or adding a punch of color, look to your garden or produce bin in the fridge for color ideas.

Making a dining room that is open to the kitchen feel like its own room means highlighting the dining space to make it feel special.  Here that is done by a gorgeous inlay in the floor that has bands of darker wood outlining the dining area.  The space is further anchored by an area rug under the table. If you do not want to go through the expense of having a stained border added to your wood floors, a painted border could also be used.  If neither of those options appeal to you, an area rug or room size rug in the dining area can help the space feel separate.

A pretty chandelier above the table is a lovely way to make the dining area feel more formal. A similar chandelier or pendant in the kitchen, above the sink or island, would tie the spaces together.

Working in the same color palette for both rooms, playing off the cabinet color with a similar toned wood dining table and chairs also unifies the design of the two joined spaces.

Open kitchens allow the chef to interact with family and guests. Use design to celebrate this great feature of open entertaining.

Red cabinets grab and hold the eye when you first look at this kitchen, but there’s more happening than red. White, silver and green with touches of yellow also help this kitchen to stand out.

The extensive use of white keeps the red cabinets from overwhelming the space. White and silver are the only other tones that play permanent roles in the space, and silver is the unifying element. If you count, there are nine stainless features in this kitchen, scattered throughout, particularly around the boundaries.

Ebony wood flooring always works well with a contemporary environment. Its rich dark tones support the other color choices while grounding the room. This choice will also work well in the rest of the living space due to its versatility and automatic style.

The plant styles and positions are cleverly planned to add another color and also as a connecting feature. At first glance, the vases of greens above the sink appear to be an image or perhaps a tile backsplash. In reality, they are real plants set in an opening over the sink. The consistency of size, material and spacing turn houseplants into art. You can do the same thing if you use the same vases or pots and space them evenly.

Altogether, this kitchen invites you to cook, despite its small space. What can you do to your own kitchen – of any size – to add to its warmth and charm?

Let’s take a look at the elements that make this space ideal for the serious home cook.

If we look at the lighting, there are a generous number of ceiling lights to even out the overall light spread and reduce the chance of inconvenient shadows. Additional task lighting under the upper cabinets gives cooks the opportunity for the fine detail work that requires more illumination.

The range has a built-in high-speed fan, and the stainless steel covers the stove’s backsplash. In addition to that oven, a double oven to the right provides three baking spaces plus a warming drawer. Life is good for the cook who is also a home baker. The dishwasher is a two-drawer model, which allows for smaller loads so you can clean as you go.

Glass-fronted upper cabinets leave all critical serving pieces in plain sight to grab when plating the meal or setting the table. Even the faucet at the kitchen sink has an extra-high profile to provide enough space for large pots and pitchers.

The functionality is clear, but it’s also a beautiful, light and inviting space to work. The wood floors – not visible in this photo – add warmth to the space. Three coats of polyurethane keep the floor protected from spills and crumbs while still allowing it to have that rich farmhouse look. Altogether, this is a kitchen that would make almost any cook happy.

From the daring color scheme to the clean lines of every element, this bathroom demonstrates the modern look with flair. The curves of the unique tub echo in the vases that hold the only other color, the natural green of a few plants. One other natural element serves to accessorize the room simply – a handful of grey water-rounded stones.

Up-lights above the white rectangular cabinets provide generous and indirect lighting for the entire room. This lets the glossy red flooring shine throughout, actually showing white reflections from the tub and vanity. This room’s use of red dares to make this vivid color the strongest positive element in the room. Black lower shelving/cabinet units step into the background. White alternates background and foreground – background with the upper cabinets and definitely foreground with the tub and sink shouting out against the darker tones.

Here’s the amazing functional element to this bath. Many of the rectangles in this room’s wall design hide storage shelves. Shallow at the bottom and a little deeper above, this room provides a yeoman’s share of storage. Doors with spring locks require no pulls to distract from the clean lines. By using this space rather than just letting the design stand alone, the designer provided a certain look for the bathroom and additional storage that can be useful in the bath and for other storage needs.

The magic in this room come from two sources – the beauty of the design and the thought behind the functionality.

Even tubs that have space around them generally handle only so much before running out of room or making your bathroom look cluttered. This design helps address the problem.

Tucked in a corner beyond the vanity, several shelves have space for virtually anything you want to grab in the bath. The slight distance helps avoid splash issues while still staying reachable without inconvenience.

Do you like to read in the bath? Tuck your latest paperback on one shelf to grab and peruse while you get nice and pruney. Debating between bath salts or lots of bubbles? Both will fit here, waiting for your decision.

This shelf space is tucked to the side of the vanity in the back of the bathroom. It allows you to store various bath favorites without having them mess up your counter or fill your vanity drawers. Put them in lovely containers (unbreakable recommended) and they will be decorative as well as convenient.

This tub is nice and deep, making it perfect for a long soak. Lighting is subtle and the modern vanity with its onyx top warms the otherwise all-white space. Toss your towel on the far end of the vanity and you’re ready to dry off when it’s time to take your relaxed self to bed.

This post is part of Bathroom Blogfest 2011. To learn more about it, check out the Bathroom Blogfest Blog!

Below is a list of other participants you might enjoy visiting!

Susan Abbott - @susanabbott – fromCustomer Experience Crossroads explores Bathroom Blogfest: what bathrooms say about culture

Laurence Borel - @blogtillyoudrop – fromBlog Till You Drop writes about Blogfest 2011 – Topshop’s smart Tumblr strategy

Nora DePalma - @noradepalma – from O’Reilly/DePalma: The Blog, thoughtfully describes Bathroom Blogfest: Climbing Out – When You’re 90

Emily Hooper - @FCNewsMag – from Floor Covering News Blog shows us how she is Climbing Out and Moving On. I can’t wait to see what the next bathroom looks like!

Diane Kazan – @dkazan – from Urban Design Renovation explains Why do Bathrooms Cost So Much to Remodel? Routing Remodel Riddles

Veronika Miller - @Modenus – from Modenus Blog inspires us to truly climb out in Bathroom Blogfest: Climbing out – a very personal take

Victoria Redshaw & Shelley Pond - @scarletopus – from the Scarlet Opus Trends Blog show us marvelous visions of trends to come in Bathroom Blogfest 2011

Christine B. Whittemore - @cbwhittemore – in Content Talks Business Blogrecaps Wednesday’s Bathroom Blogfest Twitter Chat: #kbtribechat

Ted Whittemore - @TedWhittemore – from Working Computers urges you toComputer Backup or Climbing Out of the Computer Crapper [can you believe the images he found?]

Chris Woelfel - @tileexperts – from Artcraft Granite, Marble & Tile Co. shares another interview with us about how Tile Transforms.

The darker woods of the floor and furniture in the seating area anchor the space and add drama. The dark wood cabinet with glass doors provides added storage and anchors the eating area. A black painted farmhouse style table with rush seated chairs creates a cozy dining nook off center in the space.

A brown, white, and black runner captures the rooms predominate colors. The black shades on the chandelier help the fixture stand out against pale walls. Black trim around the white window shade gives the shade a tailored, polished feel. Metallic accents in the pendant lights and drawer pulls add sparkle.

Other accessories like a vintage style black wall clock, black and white art and white bowls continue the palette. Accessories bring life to a room. A simple colorway lets food be the focus of this eat-in kitchen.

It’s not hard to make a kitchen cheerful and alive. Color and contrast make a space feel special. Unfortunately this kitchen demonstrates little of either characteristic.

The cabinets match the countertop, losing an opportunity to add contrast. The neutral flooring in a light shade is fine but the white tile backsplash has a minimal effect on the look of this kitchen. The only real contrast comes from the black bases to the upper cabinets, which isn’t enough to compensate for all of that brown.

Let’s consider adding a spark to make this kitchen come alive. How about a glass tile backsplash? Take a look at the one in the photo shown below. There are brown and light neutral tiles that link to the other kitchen elements, but then this backsplash adds in yellow and green to make it special.

With the addition of one new element, this kitchen can move from bland to spicy. And the good news is that you don’t have to piece this type of design together. At our showroom you can take a look at a variety of tile combinations to suit your color preferences, taste and style.

Take a chance and update your kitchen. By adding one new element you can make your kitchen capture people’s attention even if you don’t cook.