Falling for Five Redesigned Kitchens

Five homeowners, along with their designers and builders, create an array of kitchens that cook.

Our kitchens are the heart of our homes, the hub around which the household revolves. Whether it’s preparing Sunday dinner, organizing school lunches or pulling together a large holiday meal, we gravitate toward the kitchen because preparing and eating food brings us together. Designing the perfect kitchen is much more than choosing top-of-the-line appliances, functional cabinets, the appropriate countertops, and other items like backsplashes and lighting fixtures. It’s about meeting the homeowner’s needs, and incorporating one or two special elements to make the room unique. The following five kitchens are very different, but each beautifully—and perfectly—suits its owner.