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Kitchen

Kitchen Ideas for Real-Life Homes

The kitchen is the hardest-working room in the house and usually the most expensive to change. Our kitchen guides cover the ideas worth borrowing, what they cost, and what to plan for before you commit, from farmhouse sinks and open shelving to making a small galley feel bigger.

Latest Kitchen Guides

Small kitchen with no window brightened by warm under-cabinet lighting, white cabinets and a glossy white tile backsplash

Kitchen

Dark Small Kitchen Ideas: Brighten a Low-Light Kitchen (or Embrace Moody Colors)

A small kitchen with little daylight can feel bright with layered LED lighting, high-LRV paint and reflective surfaces, or cozy and deliberate with dark colors done right. Here's how to do either, with real paint colors and bulb specs.

October 22, 20267 min read

Farmhouse kitchen with sage green shaker cabinets, brass cup pulls and a white apron-front sink

Kitchen

Farmhouse Kitchen Cabinet Ideas: Door Styles, Colors and Hardware That Work

Farmhouse kitchen cabinets come down to three choices: a simple door style like shaker or beadboard, a warm, soft paint color, and hardware such as cup pulls and latches. Here's how to choose each one, plus how to paint the cabinets you already have.

October 22, 20267 min read

Farmhouse kitchen with a sage green island, butcher block top and turned legs, white cabinets and pendant lights

Kitchen

Farmhouse Kitchen Island Ideas: 10 Rustic Looks (With Real Sizing Rules)

The best farmhouse kitchen islands look like old furniture: turned legs, butcher block tops, painted bases and open shelves. Here are 10 rustic island ideas plus the clearance, seating and size rules that make them work.

October 22, 20267 min read

White fireclay apron-front farmhouse sink in a white shaker kitchen with a brass bridge faucet under a window

Kitchen

Farmhouse Kitchen Sink Ideas: Materials, Sizes and What to Know Before You Buy

A farmhouse (apron-front) sink is the signature piece of a farmhouse kitchen. Compare fireclay, cast iron, stainless, copper and composite, pick the right width, and plan the cabinet before you order.

October 22, 20267 min read

Small kitchen with the refrigerator door opening toward the counter beside it, groceries on the landing space

Kitchen

The Fridge Door Reversal Trick: A Simple Fix for Awkward Small Kitchens

If your fridge door opens the wrong way, you end up carrying groceries around it. Reversing the door can put the handle next to the counter. Here's when it helps, how to check your model, and what to plan for.

October 22, 20267 min read

Bright kitchen with a white island, three counter stools and wide walkways on every side

Kitchen

How Big Should a Kitchen Island Be? (Clearances, Seating & Size Chart)

A kitchen island needs about 42 inches of aisle on the working side (48 for two cooks) and 44 inches behind any stools. Here's how to size an island from your open floor space, with a chart of island sizes and seats.

October 22, 20267 min read

Kitchen with a freshly installed white 3x6 subway tile backsplash between butcher block counters and white upper cabinets

Kitchen

How Many Tiles Do I Need for a Kitchen Backsplash? (Subway, Mosaic & Large Tile)

A typical 20 sq ft kitchen backsplash needs about 172 3x6 subway tiles in a straight layout, or 188 in herringbone. Here's how to measure your backsplash and charts for popular tile sizes.

October 22, 20267 min read

Kitchen cabinet doors laid out on sawhorses mid-paint, a can of sage green cabinet paint and a small foam roller on a drop cloth

Kitchen

How Much Paint Do I Need for Kitchen Cabinets? (Small, Medium & Large Kitchens)

Most kitchens need 1 to 2 gallons of cabinet paint for two coats, plus 2 quarts to 1 gallon of primer. Here's how to measure doors, drawers and frames, and how much to buy for your kitchen size.

October 22, 20267 min read

Tiny apartment kitchen organized with a wall rail, open shelf, magnetic knife strip and a rolling cart

Kitchen

How to Organize a Small Kitchen With No Storage (Renter-Friendly Fixes)

A small kitchen with almost no cabinets can still work. Set up zones, use the walls and the space above the fridge, edit what you own, and add freestanding storage that leaves no trace when you move out.

October 22, 20267 min read

White shaker kitchen with a handmade zellige tile backsplash in soft white, brass faucet and open wood shelf

Kitchen

Kitchen Backsplash Ideas With White Cabinets: 14 Looks and How to Choose

White cabinets go with almost any backsplash, which makes choosing hard. Here are 14 backsplash ideas for white kitchens, from classic subway tile to zellige and marble slab, with grout and upkeep advice for each.

October 22, 20267 min read

Modern farmhouse kitchen with white shaker cabinets, black hardware, a wood range hood and a white apron sink

Kitchen

Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Ideas: 11 Ways to Get the Look Without the Clutter

A modern farmhouse kitchen pairs simple white or wood cabinets with black hardware, a farmhouse sink, warm wood accents and clean lines. Here are 11 ideas, a palette guide and the mistakes that make it look dated.

October 22, 20267 min read

Traditional farmhouse kitchen with cream inset cabinets, white apron-front sink, wood beams and open wooden shelves

Kitchen

Old Farmhouse Kitchen Ideas: How to Get the Traditional Look (That Actually Works Today)

Traditional farmhouse kitchens get their charm from a few specific choices: furniture-like cabinets, a deep apron sink, honest materials, and open storage. Here's how to design one, what each element costs, and what to skip.

October 22, 20268 min read

Small kitchen with two wood open shelves holding white dishes beside white upper cabinets

Kitchen

Open Shelving vs. Cabinets in a Small Kitchen: An Honest Comparison

Open shelves make a small kitchen feel bigger and cost less, but they collect dust and grease and hold less. Here's an honest comparison of open shelving vs. cabinets, smart hybrid layouts, and the shelf sizes that actually work.

October 22, 20267 min read

Three matching glass and brass pendant lights evenly spaced over a white kitchen island with counter stools

Kitchen

Pendant Lights Over a Kitchen Island: How Many, How Far Apart and How High

Hang island pendants about 30 to 36 inches above the countertop, keep them at least 6 inches in from each end, and space them evenly. Here's how many pendants your island needs, with worked examples for 6, 8 and 10 foot islands.

October 22, 20267 min read

Small farmhouse galley kitchen with white cabinets, a compact apron sink, open wood shelf and a window

Kitchen

Small Farmhouse Kitchens: 12 Space-Smart Ideas for Country Charm

A small farmhouse kitchen works when every piece earns its place: a 24-inch apron sink, a slim rolling island, vertical storage, and light colors. Practical layouts, measurements, and ideas for small country kitchens.

October 22, 20268 min read

Small L-shaped kitchen with white cabinets, wood counters, under-cabinet lighting and a window over the sink

Kitchen

Small Kitchen Design: A Beginner's Guide to Layouts, Clearances and Zones

Good small kitchen design comes down to a few rules: pick the right layout for your room, keep work aisles 42 to 48 inches wide, give every appliance landing space and layer your lighting. Here's how to plan it step by step.

October 22, 20267 min read

Bright small kitchen with white cabinets, a magnetic knife strip, hanging utensil rail and under-cabinet lighting

Kitchen

15 Small Kitchen Ideas That Make a Real Difference

Fifteen practical small kitchen ideas, from under-cabinet lighting and drawer organizers to compact appliances and light colors. Each idea comes with one concrete thing you can do this weekend.

October 22, 20267 min read

Small budget-friendly kitchen remodel with freshly painted sage cabinets, new brass hardware and a white tile backsplash

Kitchen

Small Kitchen Remodel on a Budget: Where the Money Goes (and How to Spend Less)

The cheapest small kitchen remodel keeps the layout, paints or refaces the cabinets, and puts money into the few things you touch every day. Here's where the budget really goes, what to cut, what to keep, and the right order of work.

October 22, 20267 min read

Vintage-style washable runner rug along a galley kitchen aisle with white cabinets on both sides

Kitchen

What Size Rug for a Kitchen? Runner Sizes, Sink Rugs and Table Rugs

Most kitchen runners are 2 to 3 feet wide and should stop 6 to 12 inches short of the cabinets at each end. Here's how to size a kitchen runner, a rug in front of the sink and a rug under a kitchen table.

October 22, 20267 min read

Kitchen Calculators

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Kitchen Island Size Calculator

The largest island your kitchen can fit with proper clearances, plus seating.

Tile Calculator

Calculate tiles needed for floors, walls, or backsplashes with grout spacing.

Grout Calculator

Determine how much grout you need for your tiling project.

Paint Calculator

Calculate how much paint you need for any room. Get accurate estimates for walls and ceilings.

Flooring Calculator

Estimate flooring materials needed for your project, including waste factor.