Ten kitchens with breakfast bars designed by architects
CategoriesInterior Design

Ten kitchens with breakfast bars designed by architects

Kitchens with breakfast bars feature in today’s lookbook, which showcases ten interiors from Dezeen’s archive.


Breakfast bars are multi-functional, bar-height counters where people can perch on bar stools to socialise or dine.

An informal alternative to the dining table, they can also be used for working from home, helping to make the kitchen a multi-purpose space that can be in use all day long.

Breakfast bars often make efficient use of space, combining with kitchen islands or peninsulas to provide storage and prep space.

This Dezeen Lookbook is the latest to feature design ideas for kitchens. Others explore kitchens with islands, light-filled kitchens, terrazzo kitchens and green kitchens.

Here are 10 examples of breakfast bars selected from Dezeen’s archive.


Dining space at Le Littoral by Architecture 49

Le Littoral, Canada, by Architecture49

The upstairs living space at this holiday rental in Québec by Architecture49 features a long, narrow galley kitchen with an island that doubles as a breakfast bar.

Backing onto a staircase, this offers guests emerging from the ground-floor bedrooms a convenient point to stop for coffee before heading to the living and dining area beyond.

The long, black island features a niche that allows stools to be partially tucked away to increase circulation space.

Find out more about Le Littoral ›


Angular kitchen table

Holiday home, Chile, by 2DM Arquitectos

The open-plan kitchen of this angular home in Chile by 2DM Arquitectos features a V-shaped worktop, with the narrow peninsula serving as a breakfast bar.

The worktop is made of chunky, oiled hardwood while the bar stools have matching tractor-style hardwood seats.

Find out more about the holiday home ›


Apartment in Born, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture

Colombo and Serboli Architecture installed a playful open-plan kitchen with a round-ended peninsula as part of its conversion of an old apartment in Barcelona’s El Born district.

The terrazzo worktop overshoots the narrow rendered plinth, creating a breakfasting area furnished with two Revolver bar stools designed by Leon Ransmeier for Hay.

Find out more about Apartment in Born ›


Kitchen of La Nave apartment in Madrid by Nomos

La Nave, Spain, by Nomos

The terrazzo-topped peninsula in this open-plan kitchen in Madrid rests on a complex frame constructed from pine struts. This holds an open storage shelf – a typical feature in traditional Spanish kitchens, which often feature open shelving concealed by curtains instead of drawers and cupboards.

Two wooden artists’ stools with adjustable-height seats provide seating at the bar. The raw, open-plan apartment is in a former workshop in Madrid and was designed by Spanish architect Nomos.

Find out more about La Nave ›


Mantelpiece loft, Sweden, by Note Design Studio

Note Design Studio created this loft apartment in Stockholm, inserting a mezzanine into the double-height space beneath a soaring mansard roof.

The compact kitchen is tucked beneath a bedroom and features a breakfast bar set into a terrazzo peninsula that also features a sink, allowing a single breakfaster to wash up their crockery without leaving the Sequoia bar stools designed by Torbjørn Anderssen & Espen Voll for Magis.

Find out more about Note Design Studio ›


Penthouse M by CJH Studio

Penthouse M, Australia, by CJH Studio

CJH Studio’s redesign of the interior of this penthouse in Gold Coast, Australia features a breakfast bar that is placed against a window to make the most of the view.

The narrow, freestanding bar is made of wood, adding a touch of warmth to the neutral tones of the kitchen, which features beige wall tiles and travertine flooring.

Find out more about Penthouse M ›


Island Rest holiday home in Isle of Wight designed by Ström Architects

Island Rest, UK, by Ström Architects 

Island Rest, a low-slung holiday home on England’s Isle of Wight by Ström Architects, features a kitchen island deep enough for a row of bar stools to tuck underneath.

Made of white solid-surface material, the breakfast bar contrasts with the black kitchen and offers a more informal option than the huge wooden dining table behind, which is set with eight classic Wishbone chairs designed by Hans J Wegner for Carl Hansen & Søn.

Find out more about Island Rest ›


Interior of DU18 by Turner Works

Holiday home, England, by Turner Works

Architect Turner Works converted a barn in Devon, England into a holiday home featuring an open-plan kitchen and diner overlooking a wildflower meadow.

The unusual kitchen layout features storage, prep space and appliances arranged along a wall plus a substantial island set at 90 degrees, forming a T-shape.

A shallow breakfast bar has been carved into one end of the island, which has a stainless steel counter above white storage units. The adjoining dining area features a double-length table with refectory-style seating.

Find out more about the holiday home ›


Rue de la Gauchetière by Future Simple Studio

Family apartment, Canada, by Future Simple Studio

This apartment renovation in Montreal by Future Simple Studio has an asymmetrical kitchen consisting of units arranged against an angled wall plus a tongue-shaped island, which doubles as a breakfast bar.

The island is topped with polished granite and clad in white-painted cement blocks. The worktop cantilevers at one end, creating enough space for two Form bar stools designed by Simon Legald for Normann Copenhagen.

Find out more about the family apartment ›


Orange Barcelona apartment

Klinker apartment, Spain, by Colombo and Seboli Architecture

Colombo and Serboli Architecture updated this Barcelona apartment to include a compact open-plan kitchen made of russet-painted MDF.

One half of the short, broad island hosts a hob, which is ventilated by a dramatic stainless-steel extractor, with storage set below the counter.

The other, free-floating half of the island serves as a breakfast bar with room for two. It is supported by a steel column in one corner and features plenty of legroom beneath.

The apartment is too small for a dining table so the breakfast bar acts as the main eating space.

Find out more about Klinker Apartment ›


This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing peaceful bedrooms, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

Reference

Fourteen space-efficient galley kitchens
CategoriesInterior Design

Fourteen space-efficient galley kitchens

For our latest lookbook, we’ve rounded up 14 galley designs by architects and designers that create space-saving and efficient kitchens.


A galley kitchen features two parallel rows of units separated by a passage. It is named after the food preparation area on ships, which are traditionally narrow, cramped spaces called galleys.

Galley layouts are often when space is limited since they offer a high proportion of storage and preparation surfaces compared to circulation space, or when the kitchen area is long and narrow.

They are also efficient since the cook can quickly and easily move between tasks.

They are one of the most popular kitchen layouts. The basic galley layout can be expanded by the addition of an island between the two runs of units.

This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous kitchen-related posts include compact kitchens, breakfast bars, terrazzo kitchens and kitchens with islands.


Wood covers the cabinetry at Sacha apartment by SABO project

Sacha, France, by SABO Project

The kitchen in this Parisian apartment is a hybrid of two popular layouts, being part galley and part one-wall.

A counter runs the length of the kitchen diner and features a galley area at one end, where a wall-mounted oven and a refrigerator are housed in full-height units. The entire kitchen features birch plywood cabinetry.

Find out more about Sacha ›


House in Red Concrete by Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter

House in Red Concrete, Norway, Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter

Rough concrete floors were combined with pine panelling and cabinetry in this classic galley kitchen in Norway.

Galley kitchens usually place the sink in front of a window with the hob on the windowless side but here the layout has been flipped, with spectacular mountain views proving a distraction for anyone working at the stove.

Walls are clad in pine panelling or rendered in cement to match the floor.

Find out more about House in Red Concrete ›


308 S apartment by Bloco Arquitetos

308 S Apartment, Brazil, by Bloco Arquitetos

This apartment in Brasília was built in the 1960s by architect Lucio Costa and landscape architect Burle Marx. It was remodelled with an open-plan design that exposes its concrete structure.

Its kitchen is organised at the front of the home and combines white cabinetry with granite work surfaces. The run of cupboards that faces the dining area doubles as a breakfast bar.

Find out more about 308 S Apartment ›


Barbican apartment by John Pawson

Barbican apartment, UK, by John Pawson

The minimalist overhaul of this one-bedroom apartment in the brutalist Barbican estate in London saw designer John Pawson replace the original warren-like plan with a geometric, broken-plan arrangement.

This includes a galley kitchen slotted into a passageway that leads to a small dining area.

Full-height, handless cupboards conceal appliances and belongings along one wall. The other houses a small countertop with a sink and hob, with more full-height storage to one side.

Find out more about the Barbican apartment ›


Mas-aqui inserted a kitchen below levels

Yurikago House, Spain, by Mas-aqui

A recessed kitchen on the ground floor of the multi-levelled Yurikago House sees flecked grey terrazzo countertops paired with terracotta floor tiles.

The end wall provides shelving on either side of a full-height unit that conceals a fridge-freezer.

Find out more about Yurikago House ›


Interiors by Katsutoshi Sasaki have a wood finish

Kasa House, Japan, by Katsutoshi Sasaki + Associates

This unusual cross-shaped house in Kariya, Japan by Katsutoshi Sasaki + Associates features an equally unusual kitchen.

The galley occupies one arm of the cross and consists of a stainless-steel countertop with a generous integrated sink on one side and timber cabinets on the other.

The wall behind the sink is open, providing a serving hatch for the small dining area area beyond.

Find out more about Kasa House ›


La Carmina galley kitchen by RAS Studio

La Carmina, Spain, by RÄS studio

The unusual space-saving layout of this Barcelona apartment conversion by RÄS studio features a square structure inserted into the living space that houses a bathroom and storage.

The gap between the cube and an internal wall has been used to house a compact galley kitchen that is separated from the dining area by the bathroom.

The asymmetrical kitchen has one polished granite counter, which is split in height to allow a small window to open inwards. The splashback is clad in mosaic tiles, as is the floor.

The other counter has a pine surface and splashback.

Find out more about La Carmina ›


Galley kitchen in a Valencian townhouse by DG Arquitecto

Valencian townhouse, Spain, DG Arquitecto Valencia

A narrow passageway in this Valencian townhouse is not quite wide enough even for a full galley kitchen. Instead, one run of units is shallower than usual and doubles as a breakfast bar.

Countertops are of marble while the floor is finished in mosaic tiles.

Find out more about the Valencian townhouse ›


Pale green galley kitchen by Design Eight Five Two

Flat 27A, Hong Kong, by Design Eight Five Two

Smart storage solutions, concealed cabinetry and custom-built furniture fill this kitchen in Hong Kong’s Kowloon Bay area.

A muted green colour covers the cabinetry below worksurfaces, with white cupboards on the walls and overhead spaces providing more storage.

Find out more about Flat 27A ›


Interior view by A Little Design

17.6-square-metre flat, Taiwan, by A Little Design

This former piano studio in Taipei measures just 17.6 square metres and 3.4 metres in height.

Its kitchen is tucked alongside the entrance hall, between two load-bearing walls. It packs a lot into its tiny footprint with storage reaching to the ceiling on both sides, open shelving and even a washing machine. A counter down one side juts out to accommodate a small electric hob.

Find out more about the 17.6-square-metre flat ›


Barbican flat by Takero Shimazaki Architects

Shakespeare Tower apartment, UK, by Takero Shimazaki Architects

Also located within London’s Barbican Estate, this apartment merges brutalism with elegant Japanese details.

It features a mainly wooden interior, with gridded timber panels used as screens to partially conceal the kitchen.

The concrete on the ceiling was left exposed and contrasts against the wooden cabinetry, while stainless steel was used across all work surfaces. Black glazed subway tiles decorate the floors.

Find out more about the Shakespeare Tower apartment ›


Galla House by Cavaa

Galla House, Spain, by Cavaa

Pops of colour were incorporated from other areas of the home in this kitchen designed by architecture studio Cavaa.

The studio fitted the kitchen behind a half wall with a glazed partition that stretches to the ceiling and visually connects the kitchen with the living area.

The cabinetry was finished with a light grey that links the storage solutions to its bluish-grey terrazzo floor that zones the area.

Find out more about Galla House ›


SuperLimão used bold colours throughout

RF Apartment, Brazil, by SuperLimão

Located within the modernist Saint Honoré Building in Sao Paulo, designed by Brazilian architect Artacho Jurado, this kitchen takes an industrial look and combines it with bold colours.

Large blue glazed tiles cover the floor, reflecting light across the space. Terracotta paint was applied across the ceiling and strip lighting, while the electrical wiring that wraps around concrete walls was painted a pale blue.

Find out more about RF Apartment ›


Clay tiles cover the floor of Portico House by Bloco Arquitetos

Portico House, Brazil, by Bloco Arquitetos

The open-plan kitchen of this house in Brasília by Bloco Arquitetos has a mixed palette that includes timber, terracotta and concrete.

The key design statement is the cast-concrete counter that divides the kitchen from the living and dining area and turning a supporting column into a feature.

The counter doubles as a breakfast bar and offers a limited amount of storage in low-rise cupboards.

The other side of the kitchen is more conventional, featuring a one-wall run of timber-fronted units plus a counter and splashback of speckled grey surfacing material.

Find out more about Portico House ›


This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing peaceful bedrooms, wallpapered interiors and colourful kitchens.

Reference

Ten space-saving peninsula kitchens designed by architects
CategoriesInterior Design

Ten space-saving peninsula kitchens designed by architects

This lookbook highlights ten examples of peninsula kitchens, which have the functionality of kitchen islands but are a more space-saving solution.


Named after the geological feature, a kitchen peninsula is a spur that juts out from the wall or work surfaces, creating a three-sided surface. Peninsulas are often additionally used as breakfast bars for casual dining.

Peninsulas offer a space-saving solution for kitchens that don’t have enough floor space for a free-standing kitchen island. They are also useful in kitchens with irregular layouts since they can be asymmetrical or placed at jaunty angles.

They can also be used to create a useful staging post between the food preparation area and the dining area.

This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous kitchen-related roundups include kitchens with islands, galley kitchens and kitchens with breakfast bars.


Caldrap in Barcelona, Spain, by Nook Architects

Caldrap in Barcelona, Spain, by Nook Architects

Nook Architects remodelled this 67-square-metre apartment in Barcelona to accommodate a family of three. A marble peninsula counter abuts the half-wall that divides the kitchen and the dining area.

A sink is sunk into the countertop at one end, and the marble surface overhangs to create a breakfast bar. Patterned tiles demarcate the kitchen area, which sits below a ceiling of traditional Catalonian brick vaults.

Find out more about Caldrap ›


Golden Lane flat renovation in London, UK, by Archmongers

Golden Lane flat renovation in London, UK, by Archmongers

Archmongers reinstated modernist design elements for this 1950s flat renovation in London’s Golden Lane estate. Chunky white-painted wooden frames separate the kitchen and dining areas, adding high shelving above the peninsula kitchen.

The white kitchen cabinets are topped with steel while grey terrazzo picks out the counter end and splashback.

Find out more about Golden Lane flat renovation ›


Reception House in Higashiyama in Nagoya, Japan, by Yuki Mitani and Atsumi Nonaka

Reception House in Higashiyama in Nagoya, Japan, by Yuki Mitani and Atsumi Nonaka

Architects Yuki Mitani and Atsumi Nonaka redesigned their kitchen to create a more social space when they remodelled their own home. A peninsula kitchen counter creates extra counter space, while allowing the hosts to chat with their guests as they prepare meals.

The rental flat came with no finishes, just raw concrete walls, so the architects played up to this and clad the counter with panels of industrial-looking zinc.

Find out more about Reception House in Higashiyama ›


Botaniczna Apartment in Poznań, Poland, by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio

Botaniczna Apartment in Poznań, Poland, by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio

A bronze tap complements the creamy marble of this peninsula counter for an open-plan kitchen diner in a Polish apartment. Agnieszka Owsiany Studio designed the space to be as calming as possible for a couple with high-pressure jobs in medicine.

Wooden shelves are built into one side of the counter, which overhangs slightly so it can double as an informal breakfast bar with saddle-style bar stools ›.

Find out more about Botaniczna Apartment ›


Apartment in Born in Barcelona, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture

Apartment in Born in Barcelona, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture

A curved countertop projects to form a breakfast bar in this colourful flat renovation by Colombo and Serboli Architecture for a woman working in the fashion industry.

The countertop abuts a bright coral arched volume that hides a guest bathroom. A polished metal tap curves over the sink on the kitchen side and two grey Revolver Stools from Hay can be drawn up to turn the surface into a breakfast bar.

Find out more about Apartment in Born ›


St Lawrence in Toronto, Canada, by Odami

St Lawrence in Toronto, Canada, by Odami

Canadian studio Odami opened up the previously enclosed kitchen of a dated 1980s apartment in Toronto. The peninsula kitchen adds more worksurfaces while creating a line of sight with the dining area.

Matching grey marble countertops and splashback contrast with the dark wood cabinetry and a matt black sink and tap.

Find out more about St Lawrence ›


Tsubo House in London, UK, by Fraher & Findlay

Tsubo House in London, UK, by Fraher & Findlay

Architecture practice Fraher & Findlay introduced a Japanese aesthetic during the renovation and extension of this Victorian-era house in London.

The kitchen features pink plaster walls and a peninsula-style polished concrete counter that also serves as a breakfast bar and continues up a short flight of steps to form a bench seat.

Find out more about Tsubo House ›


Cabinette in Valencia, Spain, by Masquespacio

Cabinette in Valencia, Spain, by Masquespacio

A row of retro-futuristic stools with tiered fringing from Spanish studio Masquespacio’s Déjà-Vu collection line up below the bar of this peninsula kitchen in a co-working space in Valencia.

The studio designed the space in homage to French director Jacques Tati’s 1960s film Playtime. The kitchen area features baby-blue tiling and strips of neon underlighting.

Find out more about Cabinette ›


308 S apartment in Brasilia, Brazil, by Bloco Arquitetos

308 S apartment in Brasilia, Brazil, by Bloco Arquitetos

Bloco Arquitetos reconfigured this 1960s apartment in Brasilia, adding translucent sliding doorways that can be pulled across to separate the kitchen and the dining area.

The peninsula kitchen with its marble counter abuts a concrete divider wall and allows the kitchen and dining room to become one large entertaining space when the doors are open.

Find out more about 308 S ›


La Nave in Madrid, Spain, by Nomos

Spanish architecture studio Nomos converted an old workshop into a home for two of its partners. The original pipes and brickwork are still visible in the kitchen, which has a rounded peninsula counter supported by a wooden frame.

Nomos built the custom timber elements out of pine, including the frame and the bar stools. A blue-painted shelf under the counter doubles as a handy spot to store breakfast cereals and cookbooks.

Find out more about La Nave ›


This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing peaceful bedrooms, wallpapered interiors and colourful kitchens.

Reference