The Best Kitchens We Saw on Instagram This Month — And What You Can Learn from Each of Them
Perfectly styled open shelving? Check. Pristine marble countertops? Double check. Alright, all those thumb-stopping kitchens you’ve bookmarked on Instagram might not be exactly attainable for mere mortals, except … are they? Maybe not the whole kit and caboodle (sorry), but look a little closer and I promise there are some valuable, usable lessons for real-life spaces once you look past the dollar signs floating across your eyeballs.
Hold on to your Instant Pots, folks, because you’re about to be inspired. These are the best kitchens I’ve seen on Instagram and what you can learn from each one.
One of the most talked-about (and regrammed) houses of recent months was the home of Athena Calderone of Eyeswoon — and her kitchen was one of the main stars of the Brooklyn townhouse. From the integrated stone sink to the heavily veined marble that’s carried through the countertops, backsplash, and shelf, it’s honestly hard to look away. While you’re staring, note the use of the sconce, which is a commonly overlooked lighting option in kitchens that adds so much depth and a sculptural element that levels up a quiet space.
Pink has never looked so grown-up and chic. Neal Beckstedt‘s design of a Gramercy Park home might have leaned a bit cold with just the polished stone and subway tile backsplash, but the addition of the butcher block countertop lends a really welcoming warmth to the space. (Also, A+ cabinet hardware that’s subtle but powerful somehow all at the same time.)
It’s hard to resist the urge to leave everything behind and move right into this kitchen from The Woodhouse Lodge. The stainless island top brings in an industrial “chef’s kitchen” vibe, and pieces like the oil paintings, mirror, and topiaries instantly make this space feel more like a livable room than a workhorse. Note to self: Add more oil paintings, mirrors, and topiaries.
There’s a lot to love about this Seattle kitchen by Heidi Caillier Design (featured in Rue Magazine), but it’s the brick flooring and the slender marble-and-iron island that transform the room into a cookery with worldly vibes. Those black marble countertops also add some serious depth. Try creating a small-yet-impactful vignette on your countertop with the same vibe — pick up a black marble cheese board and some white marble pinch bowls.
“Small” is a pretty subjective term for living spaces, but I think we can all agree that this 49-square-foot basement kitchen by Velinda Hellen of Emily Henderson Design is a solid example of a truly compact space. She somehow managed to fit in all the basic necessities including storage, a cooktop, sink, garbage disposal, refrigerator, hood (you have to see how she tiled it so beautifully), and a combo microwave/oven. Tiny doe not have to mean tasteless (or functionless), people. That’s the number-one lesson anyone with a small space should learn.
Our very own Maxwell Ryan has a kitchen in his Hamptons home that’s swoon-worthy. With a dark base cabinet all around, he kept things feeling light and airy by forgoing uppers and opting for a light gray veined stone throughout, including on the island waterfall and floors. See more at House Beautiful.
We all likely share plenty of opinions about Kardashian momager Kris Jenner (for better or for worse), but one thing we can all absolutely agree on is that her kitchen, designed by Waldo Fernandez and Clements Design, is ogle-worthy. The built-out bar around the island is a smart solution to separate dining space from the prep surface, and while I could hardly ever dream of having enough platters to fill up all those cabinets, using consistent hardware throughout in a gunmetal that blends in just enough with the doors keeps things cohesive and a bit more subdued than you’d expect.
Here’s an example of how to loosen up and not take your kitchen design too seriously. Designer, photographer, and blogger Dabito redid his guesthouse kitchenette for last year’s One Room Challenge and his mix of colors, playful backsplash tile, and over-scale sconces make for a space that seriously pops.
Sure, sprawling open-concept kitchens are great and all, but there’s something about a closed-off old-fashioned galley that’s hard to look away from. The warm tones of the off-white cabinetry and wall, oak flooring, antiqued brass hardware, and almond range is a lesson in how to do neutral and make it welcoming.
There’s nothing comical about funnyman Seth Meyers’ kitchen, designed by Ashe Leandro (featured in Architectural Digest). In fact, the dark-on-dark materials are seriously stunning, and a great example of how to take a monotone palette but introduce dimension through textures.
Which one of these is your favorite?