Although Rubén wasn’t born or raised in the generally warm and sunny Mediterranean city of Valencia, his years as a college student in this region decisively influenced his cooking style. During that time he managed to learn and prepare almost to perfection what is considered by many to be the quintessential Spanish dish: paella. (His friends even gave him the noble title of The King of Paella!)

When I first saw this chandelier in the virtual pages of Lonny magazine, I chuckled at the side note describing it as "an audacious flourish." That's pretty much what this is: it's not just a chandelier (which we've seen in kitchens before); it's a chandelier in the shape of a large sailing boat, and it completely steals the show.

Molly and Tyler's classic-cool California cottage kitchen — say that five times in a row! — really gives off an easy, breezy vibe. The muted teal wall color (painted "some leftover from I don’t know where," says Molly) pairs perfectly with the minty backsplash. A Saarinen kitchen table and chairs from DWR nestled into the cozy breakfast nook blends in well with this otherwise-all-IKEA kitchen. All in all, this is great color inspiration for those who favor crisp blue-green shades. See more photos below:

You may not think you know Normann Copenhagen, but chances are you'd recognize a few of their classic pieces. (Remember this peeler? Or this tea egg? Or these fun beater whisks?) Fans of modern design also know that you can find Normann Copenhagen pieces at stores like Horne, Huset, and The Modern Shop, but the brand has its own online webshop as well where you can peruse and purchase the full beautiful line.

Melissa (of home blog The Inspired Room) knew that her kitchen was "certainly not the worst kitchen ever," but she wanted it to feel like her kitchen, not like a generic builder's kitchen. So after three years of living with it as is, she took the plunge and made it her own, focusing on giving it a better layout and a lot more charm. See the 'After' photo below:

Frank Novak's Los Angeles home is what you'd describe as "Depression-era modern." You'll find a lot of white, spare surfaces with an almost "hospital aesthetic," as Apartment Therapy wrote. But this is all intentional. "The house inspired me to honor its spirit and bring it back to feeling period correct. All decisions and purchases were made with this goal in mind," Frank says. Some of those purchases include white metal cabinetry in the kitchen and a vintage Western Holly stove. See more photos below:

There was nothing quite so angsty in my kitchen renovation as the countertops. Maybe it's because I was coming from a rental kitchen with truly awful laminate countertops, countertops that were not only dirty cream in color but textured with deep wrinkles, like rhinoceros skin, never clean and never smooth; but I was convinced that the countertop choice would make the kitchen. Countertops are the difference between easy cleaning and dread. Countertop material changes the light in a kitchen, and is the surface under your hands and food. For me, kitchen renovation meant finally having countertops that were beautiful, bright white, and easy to clean. And not too expensive, my husband added. 

Marble was the natural choice. Right? Right! Here's the story of how we overcame our fears, and found our honed marble countertops. 

This schoolhouse-inspired dining room is so fun, with its floor-to-ceiling world map, vintage chairs, and purple (!) dining table. If this inspires you to paint your own dining table (or other piece of furniture) consider this tip from Jenny Brandt, the table's owner...

Erin and Danny live in a 500-square-foot apartment in San Francisco, but that doesn't keep them from entertaining as many as 20 friends at once! They're able to do this in part because of their terrific kitchen, which is organized for maximum efficiency and storage. See more photos below: More

It's striking to see this antique 19th-century architect's table used as a dining table. What a beautiful, sturdy piece. This kitchen, with its green metal cabinets, definitely reads vintage, but I believe this table could work in a more traditional, farmhouse-style kitchen, as well as something super modern. The contrast would play nicely. More