A kitchen that measures 320 to 350 square feet offers tons of roomy potential. The abundant space allows for an open layout, optimized cooking zones and enhanced entertaining, all with plenty of elbow room. Here, before-and-after photos of four uplifting kitchen remodels show a little of what’s possible.

1. Charming and Cheerful

Before: This aging Delafield, Wisconsin, kitchen had dark cabinetry and countertops that gave it a heavy, shadowy look. An off-center stainless steel range, backsplash and hood dominated a back wall. The refrigerator stood on a wall to the right of the range, out of view, across from the sink and separated from it by the island, creating an inefficient workflow. The only pantry was located down the hall, accessed through a mudroom.

The homeowners, a couple with grown children and two dogs, wanted a kitchen with improved storage, a more efficient layout and a fresh look with an antique English sensibility. For help, they hired design-build firm Refined Renovations.

After: After removing and donating what they could from the old kitchen, the Refined Renovations design and production teams had a blank canvas. Drawing inspiration from historical English kitchens and sculleries, this cheerful and charming makeover spearheaded by lead designer Morgan Taugher includes painted custom inset perimeter cabinets surrounding a stained oak island, all topped with marble-like Matarazzo quartzite.

Slightly shifting the location of the sink, placing the new paneled refrigerator to its left, centering a smaller range on the back wall and rotating the island 90 degrees created a more user-friendly layout. The furniture-look island, new decorative ceiling beams and refinished and stained hardwood floor add warmth. A bank of tall windows measuring just over 6 feet wide lets in abundant sunshine.

2. Light and Lofty

Before: This Las Vegas kitchen had a dark and dated 1990s Mediterranean style the homeowners disliked. A soffit wrapping the room forced the upper cabinets down, creating a closed-in feel. Tile flooring was cold and hard on the feet. And the small office niche in the back corner sat mostly unused.

But the couple, parents of four kids, had a keen fondness for the impressive arched opening between the kitchen and breakfast room. Wanting a brighter space with high-end appliances and a more custom look, the couple turned to designer Rebecca Zajac.

After: Using the arched opening as inspiration, Zajac designed a modern Spanish-style kitchen. She repeated the arch motif with an arched opening to a new butler’s pantry, an arched custom range hood and arch details on a new black-stained oak island.

The removal of the soffit allowed Zajac to take a couple of banks of upper cabinets flanking the range all the way to the raised ceiling. The creamy white Shaker-style perimeter cabinets, soft white walls and marble-look porcelain countertops all deliver a light and airy look. A new engineered white oak floor adds warmth. Brass stools at the island coordinate with unlacquered brass cabinet knobs and pulls. Pendant lights over the island feature white plaster shades and a natural rusted iron finish.

3. Modern and Warm

Before: The forest setting of this Woodland, Minnesota, home was a big influence on the design. Lots of large windows brought the woodsy feeling indoors. But a large vent hood over the island was a head banger and blocked all the sightlines across the kitchen. The kitchen also felt enclosed and cut off from adjacent rooms.

Most of the finishes in the kitchen dated back to 1978, so they showed the wear and tear of almost half a century of use. The homeowners wanted a more livable and attractive space, and turned to interior designer Colleen Slack for help.

After: The designer used Houzz photos to communicate ideas to her clients and help find the exact style they wanted. Creating a space that would be warm modern but not specifically midcentury modern with details that were refined but not elegant were big goals.

With the large vent hood gone, views across the kitchen are clear and the space is brighter and airier. Walnut cabinetry, a granite waterfall island bar, high-end appliances, a cozy banquette and a more open feel between rooms are just a few of the fully remodeled kitchen’s new assets. Meticulously book-matched cabinetry provides continuous horizontal graining patterns. Backsplash tiles with finished edges and large-format floor tiles that were painstakingly laid out in drawings on-site are other details that bring this livable space to the next level.

4. Elegant and Functional

Before: In this aging 1970s Davis, California, space, a peninsula divided the kitchen from the dining area to the left. White tile countertops, dated and aged parquet wood flooring, basic wood cabinets and the lack of a backsplash and sufficient storage did little to energize the look and feel.

A former pantry can be seen at the back left. The brown door at the rear of the short hallway connects to the garage. The brown door on the right side of the short hallway leads to a closet, which the homeowners thought could be put to better use. Wanting to create an inviting and stylish kitchen where their family and friends could gather while they prepared meals, these empty-nest homeowners returned to designer Kellie Love, who had helped them renovate their laundry room and hall bathroom.

After: Love eliminated the peninsula to open up the space. An island with seating anchors the new layout. A beloved piece of ceramic dishware from the homeowners’ collection inspired the warm and elegant color palette. Matte sage green perimeter cabinets (Herbes de Provence by Benjamin Moore) improve storage and offer a warm complement to the rift-cut white oak base of the island.

Love transformed the pantry into a hutch-style built-in with glass-front upper cabinets that display the couple’s dishes. LED lights inside and underneath the cabinets help illuminate the area and create a warm glow at night. A new door to the garage has a touch keypad lock and lever handle in polished chrome. A new pocket door to the left of the fridge connects to a new walk-in pantry that replaced the former utility closet. The updated backsplash has 2½-by-10-inch matte white ceramic tiles in a horizontally stacked pattern. The warm, elegant style ensures the design will look stylish for years to come.

Kitchens that measure between 310 and 370 square feet offer room to stretch out — and to get creative. These medium-to-large spaces often come with enough square footage for better flow, generous storage and flexible island seating options, making them ideal for both everyday living and entertaining. To see what’s possible, check out how these design and remodeling pros transformed outdated or inefficient kitchens into stylish, functional hubs full of clever ideas and thoughtful details.

1. Organic Modern Refresh With Streamlined Style

Before: This Calabasas, California, couple appreciated the overall layout of their 2002 Spanish-style kitchen, as well as the rich stone tile flooring, decorative wood ceiling beams and pro-style appliances. But the ornate cabinet details, busy backsplash and green granite countertops didn’t match their style.

Looking to create a more timeless feel with clean lines and an organic modern aesthetic, they brought in designer Sarah West to help elevate and streamline the space.

After: While the original footprint stayed the same, West replaced the ornate cabinets, backsplash, countertops and island, thoughtfully integrating the elements the homeowners wanted to keep.

Custom rift-cut white oak cabinetry combines Shaker-style doors and slab-front drawers, accented with a mix of oil-rubbed bronze knobs and pulls. A warm greige paint (Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore) covers the upper cabinets on the right, while creamy white walls (Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore) and a zellige tile backsplash tie the palette together.

West removed the decorative wood trim on the hood, then reframed part of the hood and reshaped the corners for a cleaner look. A new plaster finish gives it a soft, refined feel, while a brushed bronze pot filler and shelf below add a touch of character.

Backless leather-and-wood counter stools offer casual seating on three sides of the new island, which features post and foot details that give it a freestanding furniture look. Warm gray quartz countertops with soft charcoal veining complement the kitchen’s neutral palette. Three modern conical pendant lights with glass shades and oil-rubbed bronze finishes add a sophisticated touch.

West also removed millwork that had previously blocked the arched sink window, opening up the view and emphasizing the curve, an elegant nod to organic modern style.

2. Family-Friendly Expansion With Clever Storage

Before: This Minneapolis couple and their three kids loved cooking and baking together. But the cramped U-shaped kitchen in their 1904 home didn’t support their lifestyle. A range wall on the right closed the kitchen off from a mudroom and an underused space, while worn white cabinets, dated finishes and aging appliances added to the frustration. The only element they wanted to keep was the red oak flooring, which just needed patching.

To create a more open, functional kitchen with better storage, improved flow and a style tailored to the family, they brought in designer Kate Roos for a full remodel.

After: Roos removed the range wall to extend the kitchen into the former mudroom, adding 45 square feet to the layout. The expansion made room for a compact walnut island that offers seating, storage and prep space. It also includes a clever rolling baking cart that tucks neatly underneath when not in use. The wood tones warm up the space and coordinate with the custom walnut range hood.

Light gray perimeter cabinets and 3-by-8-inch white ceramic tiles keep the space bright and airy. A handmade backsplash on the range wall adds a spark of personality with a mix of amber, gray and espresso tones.

The new sink wall — previously part of the mudroom — features a 36-inch white cast-iron farmhouse sink with a basin rack and a stainless steel pull-down faucet with magnetic docking. The existing stainless steel dishwasher sits to the right, while pullouts on either side of the sink keep dish towels and essentials organized. A 24-inch drawer microwave is tucked into the island’s interior side. Across the room, a 36-inch French door refrigerator is surrounded by a mix of open and closed storage.

A new glass back door leads to a new mudroom with a built-in walnut bench that ties in with the other warm walnut details throughout this now functional, family-friendly kitchen.

3. Elegant Overhaul With Smart Layout Tweaks

Before: After nearly 25 years in their upscale Carlsbad, California, tract home, this couple were ready to update their aging kitchen. They had grown tired of the brown granite countertops and backsplash, brown slate tile flooring and green cabinets that lacked sufficient storage. While the sink on the right and range top on the back wall functioned well, the left-side refrigerator wall was less efficient, with an angled doorway leading to a small butler’s pantry and an awkward walk-in pantry beside the fridge. A desk area (not shown) on the sink wall and a dining table placed too close to the island further disrupted flow.

After: Ramsay reworked the layout by removing the butler’s pantry, straightening the angled corner and creating a more streamlined run of cabinetry. She also replaced the awkward walk-in pantry with tall pantry cabinets to the left of the fridge, turning that wall into a sleek, functional storage zone.

Eliminating the dining table opened up space for a 5-by-8-foot navy blue island with seating on three sides, allowing guests to comfortably face each other. The bold island contrasts with creamy warm beige perimeter cabinets (Dumpling by Sherwin-Williams), crafted from paint-grade maple with beaded inset Shaker-style fronts. Wood-look luxury vinyl flooring brings additional warmth and durability to the space.

The island’s base, painted in Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore, grounds the space with a rich, saturated hue. Blue-and-white chambray performance fabric on the counter stools complements the color while adding soft texture. Gold caps on the island legs offer both elegance and durability, echoing the champagne-finish cabinet pulls and a pair of 18-inch antiqued burnished brass ring chandeliers above.

By relocating the desk area to an adjacent wall — formerly home to a single glass door — Ramsay was able to install French doors that enhance the kitchen’s connection to the expansive backyard.

4. Lake Retreat Upgrade With Space-Saving Moves

Before: Tucked into the woods on an island in Lake Champlain, Vermont, this 1955 “seasonal camp” is where empty nesters Lance and Dawn Trigg host gatherings with family and friends. But the Florida-based couple felt the outdated kitchen wasn’t party-ready. Aging appliances, worn cabinets, extensive pine paneling, green linoleum flooring and blue-green laminate countertops made the space feel dark and dated. A clunky peninsula disrupted traffic flow, and an old staircase across from it took up valuable floor space. Though the existing windows offered lovely views, they were drafty and in need of replacement.

After: The remodel team cleared out the old appliances, cabinets, countertops, flooring and peninsula, upgraded the electrical and plumbing, and replaced the bulky staircase with a compact spiral design set deeper into the house. This opened up 141 square feet, making room for a new island with added storage, seating, a beverage fridge and pullout liquor shelves.

The island’s cool blue-green hue (Composed by Sherwin-Williams) pays tribute to the lake outside, while clean white perimeter cabinets with a touch of gray complement the painted greige wall panels (Grége Avenue by Benjamin Moore). A refinished pine ceiling and new rustic pine flooring in a natural finish add warmth and balance to the space.

With the peninsula removed and the spiral staircase installed, Mee relocated the refrigerator to where a window once was. Efficient rollouts and dividers optimize storage around the fridge, while a 24-inch built-in microwave fits neatly into the busy pantry wall.

The updated front door was shifted slightly to connect with a new porch and paved walkway. Moving the refrigerator freed up space for a mudroom wall packed with smart, functional storage solutions.