Direct from the Designers
Posts tagged kitchen designs
House Plans with Fabulous Kitchen Floor Plans
1 month ago
1 — A regal kitchen like this from the Chatham House Plan has every amenity a homeowner could crave. With rich hardwood floors from Lumber Liquidators® and granite countertops, it has a clean and sophisticated appearance that will be in vogue for years to come. Top off the kitchen with some pendant lights over the counter and you have a kitchen table ready for multiple purposes. Of course, all this luxury is not without practicality, as this kitchen’s storage needs are covered by effective use of custom cabinetry from KraftMaid.®
2 — A kitchen like this doubles as a dining room, ideal for entertaining a small dinner party. Stylish and elegant cabinetry and countertops are perfectly paired with these 5-Star appliances. When it comes to luxury and performance the technology of Wolf® and Sub-Zero® Appliances remain favorites for high-end homes. You can also customize the way you cook with their virtual kitchen designer. The award-winning kitchen is part of the Retreat at Water””s Edge House Plan which won “Best of Show” at the Seattle Street of Dreams and AIBD Design Competition.
3 — An open floor plan blends the kitchen and the living areas together, making it ideal for a cozy family gathering. This luxury kitchen floor plan features a Wolf® range top, which is perfect for the chef of the family, and the island can double as a buffet for entertaining. A Delta® faucet sits center stage at the kitchen sink and an ornate tile backsplash behind the range adds a decorative finishing touch.
4 — Not an inch of storage is wasted in this European-influenced kitchen. The KraftMaid® center island includes drawers that make keeping countertops clear a breeze. Stainless steel appliances from Jenn-Air offset the crisp white countertop and island. Adding appliances to compliment your cabinetry is easy with Jenn-Air’s® DesignVision app for iPhone. The light tile and cabinetry are offset by dark flooring from Lumber Liquidators.®
5 — A thoughtful layout for a family, this spacious kitchen floor plan blends form and function with country styling. At the center of this kitchen is an island with two sink-prep areas outfitted with Delta® faucets. Light square tiles and chandelier lighting from LAMPS PLUS® offset the dark marble. This cozy kitchen is the perfect place to prep meals and spend time together as a family.
Quartz vs. Granite Kitchen Countertops | house plans
2 months ago
A kitchen counter is a space that is used for more than just cooking. It’s where kids do their homework and eat breakfast, and it is no surprise that they will probably take a lot of abuse during their lifetime. In recent years, quartz countertops have been on the rise. If you are thinking of the crystals that you would use during your high school experiments, think again. The quartz countertops found on the market today are stylish and fresh, and have their own benefits when it comes to making a smart choice for your kitchen counters.
This beautiful country kitchen will stand the test of time with these granite countertops.
Since your kitchen counters are bound to be a surface that will take a lot of abuse, one of the most important decisions regarding selecting a counter is surface durability. Before you worry about limitations of style and color, let’s begin by saying that both quartz and granite are available in a wide variety of colors and styles, making it easy to adapt either into your kitchen house plan.
Granite is a very strong material that resists cracking and chipping but quartz rates higher on the hardness scale. Quartz is also non-porous, which means it resists common stains such as oil, coffee, and wine better and is very easy to clean. Granite on the other hand, is composed of a crystalline structure that is composed of several fissures that requires regular sealing. This maintenance needs to be done about once a year or you run the risk of staining your granite or letting bacteria fester inside. Quartz on the other hand offers superior protection against pathogens.
This beautiful kitchen with white cabinetry has a beautiful quartz countertop surface that will resist staining.
Cost is another factor in choosing your countertops. While both make excellent choices for kitchen counters, the cost of the materials can vary greatly. Granite tends to be the more expensive material, depending on style. Quartz countertops can vary widely, but given the ease in maintaining the countertop, you might find the higher cost to be more practical than unreasonable.
Overall, the choice of granite or quartz countertops is really a matter of preference, but one thing is certain. When it comes to installing your countertops, make sure it is done by a specialist. Hiring a specialist will reduce the risk of chipping, breaking or fissuring. Check out these fabulous kitchen collections for Direct from the Designers to start creating your dream kitchen house plan.
House Plans: Fabulous Kitchen Floor Plans
1 year ago
by Christine Cooney
in House Plans
With the holiday’s right around the corner it’s the perfect time to think about designing a new kitchen, which is why Direct from the Designers recently updated its collection of best-selling kitchen floor plans. Regardless of the size of the home, all the kitchens in this collection feature perfectly crafted work zones for prepping, cooking, serving and cleaning so homeowners can create the perfect home cooked dinner or holiday feast with ease and enjoyment.
The trend continues to create an open living space where the kitchen is integrated in a way that it’s not only used for cooking but entertaining and interacting with family and friends. Since the kitchen is such a key ingredient to your homes overall design, it should reflect your personal qualities and tastes, but without losing functionality.
Whether you are planning a kitchen remodel or building a kitchen from scratch for your dream home your kitchen floor plans is critical in how efficiently your kitchen space will function for you and your family. For some great examples of innovative kitchen designs you’ll want to explore kitchen floor plans from leading house plan companies like Direct from the Designers, who not only offer detailed floor plans but great photography so you visualize your new kitchen.
Here are three innovative, fabulous kitchen floor plans fresh from the architects drafting table to inspire the chef in everyone:
This one-story house plan satisfy and delights on all levels, particularly in the kitchen.
Though this is but a single-story home, The Leewright House Plan satisfies and delights on many levels. The exterior has visual appeal with varied rooflines, a mix of materials and graceful traditional lines. The interior is thoughtfully planned for family living. Count among the living spaces a huge great room with sloped, vaulted ceiling, fireplace and built-ins; a media room with double-door access; a private home office; and an outdoor living area with fireplace. There are two dining spaces — a formal dining room with hutch recess and a nook that opens to an outdoor kitchen with built-in grill. Speaking of kitchens, the main one in this home has an island, two sink prep areas, a butler’s pantry connecting it to the formal dining room and a walk-in pantry. Family bedrooms sit to the front of the plan and are joined by a Jack-and-Jill bath. The master suite is on the far right side. Its grand salon has an eleven-foot ceiling, a fireplace, built-ins, a walk-in closet and a superb bath. If you need extra space, there’s a bonus room on an upper level above the garage.
This gorgeous kitchen features an expansive floor plan with kitchen island.
When you enter the courtyard of this two-story home, you’ll feel like you’ve just entered into the elegant world of Tuscany. The old world charm and craftsmanship are evident as you pass through the tower entryway into the gallery and great room with beamed ceiling and fireplace. There’s a huge open kitchen with breakfast nook, center island and peninsula so you can enjoy casual dining with family and friends. The French doors lead you to an expansive outdoor living space featuring a covered patio, stone floor and fireplace. The second floor features 461 sq. ft to create a unique/flexible space to fit your family needs. Shown as a game room with full bath, this space could easily be converted into another a fourth bedroom or office.
The brilliantly designed kitchen area of this two-story home features a snack lounge, circular dinette and dining area.
This beautiful traditional house plan has great curb appeal and an amazing layout. Soaring to 22 feet, the ceilings in the great room are adorned with decorative beams, recessed lighting and a massive stone fireplace. The brilliantly designed kitchen area, snack lounge, circular dinette and dining area combine functionality and beauty. Separated by decorative columns, the octagonal shaped hearth room creates a feeling of warmth and relaxation. There’s plenty of room to grow with this house, which comes with an optional basement plan featuring a game and recreational room, wet bar, guest room and plenty of additional flexible spaces.
Enjoy their recently updated its collection of best-selling kitchen flloor plans, featuring a wide range of architectural styles and sizes, including homes from their exclusive ENERGY STAR approved house plans collection.
House Plans featuring Eco-Friendly Kitchens
1 year ago
A recent issue of Dream Green by Direct from the Designers House Plans is all about satisfying home builders craving for creating an eco-friendly kitchen.
After all, the kitchen is one of the most popular rooms in any home and a key ingredient to any well-designed house plan. It is the place where we create great dishes and gather for food and conversation. When it comes time designing your new kitchen, be sure to satisfy your craving for style while balancing functionality, by making sure you have enough space for food preparation, storage, cooking and cleanup.
A great addition to any kitchen design is to incorporate a kitchen island so you can have extra space for food preparation and cleanup and more time for socializing. It is especially useful for entertaining, snacking, light lunches and breakfast, if you have enough room to add seating.
All of the house plans in Direct from the Designers green collection feature the latest in kitchen design ideas, from green flooring products to high-efficiency appliances, gorgeous countertops, water-efficient faucets and decorative millwork.
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Great Kitchen Designs for the Holidays
2 years ago
by Christine Cooney
in House Plans
Gathering to prepare a big meal and eat great dishes with family and friends is an important part of any special event, especially Thanksgiving. Our house plan designers believe that an ideal space for such events would be a large open kitchen and dining room with plenty of counter space for more than one cook. If space allows, the perfect design would have a functional island (possibly with a cook-top, cutting board and prep sink) to separate the space between cooking and entertaining. The dining room should be a flexible space that can easily be transformed from a place where you sit down for daily family dinners to an elegant table set for a special occasion.
When it comes to designing your kitchen, remember that function will matter much more than aesthetics. A kitchen should be well laid out with enough practical counter space and plenty of cabinets. You””””””””ll really feel the limitations and frustration of a poorly designed kitchen when you””””””””re trying to plan a holiday dinner or large party. Think of the future, because a kitchen makes a great selling point to any home regardless of the size – so invest in your upgrades now, rather then wishing you had later.
Get inspired by our collection of fabulous kitchen floor plans.
This house plan features an open living space shared by the kitchen, dining room and living room. It's the perfect spot for hosting a party.
