Kitchen style · Style Journal
Traditional
Time-honored shapes, rich wood and the kind of detail that never dates.
A traditional kitchen borrows from fine furniture. Doors have raised or inset panels, cabinets reach the ceiling with stacked crown molding, and islands often look like freestanding tables on turned legs.
In Los Angeles this style suits Spanish Colonial, Tudor and older Craftsman homes, where the kitchen should feel like it has always belonged to the house.
Materials & finishes
- Cabinet doors
- Raised-panel or inset doors with beaded frames; glass-front uppers for display
- Wood & finish
- Cherry, walnut or painted maple in deep black, cream or heritage green; hand-rubbed glazes
- Countertops
- Honed marble such as Calacatta or Carrara, or soapstone with an ogee or bullnose edge
- Backsplash
- Full-height marble slab behind the range, or handmade subway tile
- Hardware
- Bin pulls, knobs and latches in unlacquered or aged brass
- Sink & faucet
- Fireclay apron-front sink with a bridge faucet
- Lighting
- Lantern pendants over the island and picture lights over open shelving
- Flooring
- Wide-plank oak in a medium stain, or terracotta tile
Design tips
- Run cabinets to the ceiling and finish with layered crown molding.
- Use one statement piece, such as a carved hood or a painted island, so the room stays calm.
- Mix metals carefully: brass hardware with a matching faucet, and darker lighting.