You know that awkward gap of wall surface left between the tops of most kitchen cabinets and the ceiling? It's generally about twelve inches in depth and has long puzzled renters and homeowners alike when it comes to decorating, leading to such ideas as hanging rows of plates waaaaaay up high or squeezing in a few silk philodendrons (in the case of the ledge instead of the soffit). Here are some fresh ideas if you're bothered by the gap in your kitchen: More

I've always loved Victoria Smith's (of sfgirlbybay) personal style. She calls it "bohemian modern" but there's a lot of black and white, a lot of wood. Her new rental kitchen is the perfect example: the wood cabinets are nothing fancy — they look like basic contractor-grade cabinets — but she really made it work by creating a strong, neutral palette around it. Of course, plenty of light doesn't hurt! See more photos below: More

When I first moved into my 1920s rental apartment, I was horrified by the built-in mirrored cabinet above the sink. Wouldn't it be awkward to stare at myself while doing dishes? Yet this little cupboard unexpectedly became the most joyful feature of my kitchen (and it has nothing to do with vanity!). More

A blank, white wall can be intimidating or inspiring. Do you leave it as is and own the emptiness? Do you hang a bunch of prints, or shove a cabinet in front of it? You could do any one of these things, or you could take a note from Adrienne Antonson's Brooklyn apartment and hang a wall of black pots (with a few handy tools thrown in). In addition to being a functional storage solution for her pans, the black and white contrast makes for a great display. As a bonus, Adrienne says the radiator below heats up the pots for her, so they're already toasty warm when she puts them on the stove. More

Who says bigger is better? Part of what we love about our weekly Kitchen Tour feature is that we get to see real cooks making real kitchens work. So today we salute the small rental kitchen with all its cramped quarters and quirks, and the owners who devise storage strategies and infuse joy into their space, whatever its handicap. When the love of cooking and eating is the thing, everything else is workable. More

Do you remember IKEA's colorful kitchen backsplashes from a few seasons ago? What looked at the time to be elaborate tile or mosaic patterns was actually just IKEA fabric hung behind plexiglass! Since then this idea has popped up around the internet as one DIY backsplash solution for rental kitchens.

More

We love peeking into food professionals' home kitchens. How do chefs and bakers cook at home? What is their space like? Here's an especially inspiring little kitchen in the West Village of New York City, inhabited with charm and cheer by Mark Wynsma, the pastry chef at Commerce Restaurant. More

When I arrived at Samin Nosrat's house, her front door (which, appropriately, also happens to be her kitchen door) was wide open. I could see her shuffling around inside with a rag underneath each foot as she hastily dried her freshly washed kitchen floor. With sparkling eyes and a wide smile she shuffled forward and welcomed me into her kitchen.

More

Rental kitchens are notorious for crummy cabinets, and there's little to be done if your landlord doesn't allow permanent changes. However, if you're artistically inclined, take a cue from set designer Jen Chu, featured in Apartment Therapy's Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces. She covered her kitchen cabinets in white contact paper, traced a stencil of a woodland scene, and then painstakingly carved it out with an X-acto knife. Amazing! See more photos below: More

Lindsay's seasonal, local, loving food blog, Rosemarried, first caught my eye last year. She prepares healthy foods and strives to cook (and live) in the moment. When I realized this blogger and I lived in the same city, I knew I had to check out her kitchen.

More