To keep your counters clear and knives handy during food prep, Pence recommends swapping out your knife blocks for drawer ...

1. Don't overcrowd your kitchen counter “One common mistake when styling countertops, is to overcrowd them,” says Sarah Brady, founder and principal designer of Salt Design Company.

Cabinets in Farrow & Ball Picture Gallery Red (No. 42) complement the Rojo Alicante marble from Spain that graces the countertop in this space by Brooklyn-based design studio Workstead.

Kamohai and Tristyn Kalama are no strangers to the light cabinetry and dark countertop combo — they even used the same design combination in their own kitchen. In a home tour they did for HGTV ...

“We recently sold a four-year-old display for $8,000. If a customer were to purchase those same cabinets today, the cost would be $17,000 to $18,000,” he says.