Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Kitchen of the Year 2017 contest winners have proven every homeowner’s desire to balance beauty and function in a family kitchen, spoken so eloquently by Lori Johnston of AH&L.

Kitchen trends abound in all three projects featured from abundant natural light, architectural design elements, white kitchen cabinetry with stand-out custom islands, Carrara marble countertops to space-saving pull-out cabinets that house frequently used kitchen items.

Unlacquered brass hardware calls to attention a zinc vent hood and faucet hardware in the Forever Young kitchen, inviting a graceful aging over time.

I love the steel-framed doors with glass panes and windows that allow natural light to have its rightful place in the kitchen that also created an opportunity for specific mood and task lighting at night.

For island seating the use of faux leather on barstools is a great choice for growing families. Another amazing kitchen trend is seen on creating a full backsplash wall with your choice of stone.

Appliance trends are reflected in one kitchen that is equipped with two dishwashers, a warming drawer (one of my favorite appliances) and a breakfast bar. One kitchen has a hidden TV behind a marble slab over the range while another includes a drink station for entertaining.

Overall, I love the personalization of each kitchen designed to reflect the homeowner’s lifestyle and family needs. The library lights placed over windows, oversized islands that support multi-tasking needs, texture variations, custom finishes in cabinetry and the navy blue island are just a few of the unique features designed to reflect the homeowners style.

At the foundation of these contest winning inspired kitchens lay a great deal of planning and quality execution, a community effort lead by great design teams. May your dream kitchen enjoy the same results!

Please visit Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles to view the entire project gallery and designer sources.