Homes + Decor

15 Kitchens With Plenty of Natural Light

You’ll itch to get cooking in these sun-bathed spaces

June 2, 2016

What better way to show off your culinary creations than in the flattering glow of natural light? These kitchens from the pages of AD let you do just that, thanks to an abundance of windows and glass doors. In fact, these spaces were designed to make the most of ample sunlight—some forgo upper cabinets for more windows, while others feature shiny, light-reflecting countertops. With all that glass comes another perk: great views, from manicured gardens to stone terraces. It may be one of the busiest rooms in your home, but the kitchen can also be the place you always wish to be, from dawn till dusk.

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In an Arizona home by architect Marwan Al-Sayed and interior decorator Jan Showers, vintage Murano-glass light fixtures accent the kitchen, which is appointed with oak cabinetry and stainless-steel counters, sinks, and sink fittings, all by Bulthaup; the white-oak floors are by Carlisle Wide Plank Floors, which reflect the natural light from the glass doors.
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Custom-made cabinetry by Ferguson & Shamamian meets vintage Italian pendant lights in the sunlit kitchen of a Martha’s Vineyard home decorated by Victoria Hagan Interiors.

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To maximize the light and views, there are no upper cabinets in this New Jersey kitchen by architect Michael Graves and designer Victoria Hagan.
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Natural light streams in through towering French doors in this Los Angeles kitchen designed by Madeline Stuart and equipped with pendant lights from BK Antiques, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, a Blanco sink with Kallista fittings, and a Viking range.

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Industrial light fixtures from Obsolete and bluestone countertops from Alan Court & Assoc. complement white-oak cabinetry in this New York kitchen designed by Alfredo Paredes; tall windows and French doors flood the space with light.
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A band of windows illuminates designer Muriel Brandolini’s Hampton Bays kitchen, which is equipped with cabinetry faced in colored wood veneer and concrete counters; the pendant lights are by Twentytwentyone, and the stools and corner bookcase are from Design Within Reach.

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A chandelier by David Weeks for Ralph Pucci hangs above a set of Eero Saarinen Tulip chairs by Knoll in the sunlit kitchen/dining area of this Manhattan penthouse by David Mann and Brett McMullen of MR Architecture + Decor; the Hudson counter stools are by Emeco.
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This sunny Hamptons kitchen designed by Mary Foley and Michael Cox features oak cabinetry by Frank Greenwald and Artemide pendant lights.

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Designed by Javier Barba, this light-filled kitchen on the Greek island of Mykonos is a sleek, contemporary space; the cabinetry is by Bulthaup.
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Urban Archaeology lights are suspended above the island in designer Victoria Hagan’s bright Connecticut kitchen; the farmhouse sink and fittings are by Waterworks.

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In this gleaming Hudson Valley kitchen by designers Enrico Bonetti and Dominic Kozerski, the lights are vintage marine fixtures, the backsplash is of honed marble, and the sink fittings are by Waterworks.
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Madrigal ceramic pineapples bask in the tropical light of Robert Willson and David Serrano’s kitchen in Merida, Mexico, which features Willson-designed floor tiles and cabinetry by Bohl Architects.

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Juergen Riehm of 1100 Architect transformed this Brooklyn kitchen by giving it a light-filled relationship with the outdoors. A trio of Harry Bertoia wire stools are placed at the bar while an Eero Saarinen marble pedestal table stands nearby.
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Designer Joan Behnke used antique Tunisian tile from Exquisite Surfaces to make a lively backsplash in Gisele Bündschen and Tom Brady’s sunlit Los Angeles kitchen, which is appointed with Formations pendant lights, marble countertops from Compas Architectural Stone, custom-made alder cabinetry, an oak island, and a Wolf range.

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The airy, elegant kitchen of this Houston home by architect Allan Greenberg and decorator Elissa Cullman features light fixtures by Ann-Morris Antiques and Greenberg-designed cabinetry.