It’s official. I’ve bought a house and the entire kitchen needs to be torn out and rebuilt from scratch. Yay me! For the first time ever I get to design the exact kitchen that I want. And even luckier for me, my partner is a carpenter who specializes in kitchens and built-ins. I’m living the dream!

So now comes the big question. What exactly constitutes my dream kitchen? I have dozens upon dozens of inspiration pics, but narrowing it down is no easy feat! For now, these are my top three.

This is currently my number one. The interior design is by Amy Tausk of Swoon Interiors and the cabinet and architectural design is by Stephanie Frees of Plain and Posh. I don’t usually go for gray cabinetry but I really like how warm this colour (Benjamin Moore Solitude AF545) looks in the photo. In reality, I’ll have to see how it looks in my space once we get going with the renovation. But the combo with the wood backsplash and gold hardware creates exactly the kind of warm and elegant atmosphere I want.

This is another look that I really like. Designed by Lauren Elaine Interiors, it’s got the elegant vibe I love, and it makes me feel relaxed just looking at it. I love the white, grey and gold combo, and the styling is really lovely. I know it’s not totally realistic for the main kitchen (the photo is from a butler’s pantry) but I’m loving the architectural details. In a perfect world I’ll find a way to combine this look with the first photo.

Lastly (for now), there’s this one. It’s similar to the first photo, but perhaps a little more realistic for my budget. A wood counter is more economical than Quartz, and no backsplash means even more money saved. (I found this on Pinterest and I’ve searched for owner, but no luck yet. I’ll keep searching and update the post when I find it!) If I go for this look I’ll really have to think about how practical a wood counter is. I love it, but the maintenance may be more than I can handle.

So what does this tell me? Despite not usually being a fan of gray, a warm shade combined with wood and gold accents might be the way to go. And I’m clearly drawn to glass doors for the uppers, but that one I’ll really have to think about. I love the look when everything is beautifully styled, but the chances that I can keep that up are slim to none.

Stay tuned…