The 10 top kitchens of 2012

This year in kitchen design we saw the introduction of cozy elements such as fireplaces and farm tables and unexpected color popping up on cabinets, sinks, and ceilings.

A horse stable turned kitchen

Designers used a modern mix of materials: an antique hutch paired with a glass backsplash; an Ikea kitchen with a show-stopping chandelier. However it was designed, this year's style is warm, welcoming, and inviting.

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Designer Mick De Giulio repurposed three horse stalls in this old, Lake Forest, Illinois, barn into a pantry, cooking area, and cleanup section. "We just worked with what was there and had fun with it," he says

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.

1 of 12 Ngoc Minh Ngo

Cool minimalism meets cozy rustic

The stainless steel glows in the northern light, but it's the fireplace that keeps you warm in this Mammoth Lakes, California, kitchen by Mark Egerstrom.

Bing: Beautiful kitchens

2 of 12 Lisa Romerein

A tri-colored kitchen

Designer Carey Maloney and Hermes Mallea tricked out a New York, New York, kitchen with gleaming metal cabinets – in white as shown here – as well as green and red.

Video: How to remodel your kitchen without spending a fortune

3 of 12 Trevor Tondro

A family-friendly kitchen

Nicole Hough's meticulously organized kitchen in Ridgewood, New Jersey makes everything easy and fun for a family of enthusiastic cooks.

Bing: Kitchen essentials

"It drives me crazy to be digging around looking for something when I'm cooking," she says.

4 of 12 Laura Moss

A new kitchen with a warm patina

Designer Samantha Lyman offset new cabinetry with vintage lights from a Dutch ship, an antique armoire, and a glass backsplash.

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"I love classics, but I'm always asking 'What's the twist? What's the cheeky element that gets your attention?' "

5 of 12 Lisa Romerein

A tiny, studio-apartment kitchen

A small-scale sculptural island sets an adventurous tone for a 400-square-foot Brooklyn apartment designed by the Brooklyn Home Company

Bing: Small kitchen ideas

6 of 12 Tara Striang

A gracious and airy kitchen

Mary Jo Bochner's 100-year-old house finally got the kitchen it deserved with new Ikea cabinets, a rescued farm table, and a chandelier the size of a hot-air balloon.

7 of 12 Trevor Tondro

A sun-baked yellow kitchen

Judith Espinar choose a happy yellow color as a backdrop to the pottery collection she displays in her kitchen, a traditional adobe space that was renovated by Jim DeVille and Scott Robey.

8 of 12 Peter Vitale

The kitchen of the year

Beautiful kitchen with silver and navy blue

It's a kitchen you'll never want to leave. Mick De Giulio's design included a butler's pantry with glass shelves, mirrored paneling, and a painted ceiling.

9 of 12 Francesco Lagnese

A humble but homey kitchen

Simple green cabinets and an old pine farm table chosen by designer Young Huh recapture the spirit of her client's childhood kitchen. "There's a humbleness to everything, but also an elegance in the attention to detail and the quality of the materials," she says.

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10 of 12 John M. Hall