Simplicity in Design: 5 Haute Homes with Minimalist Kitchens

The kitchen is the hearth and heart of the home. Our ancestors brought fire into the cave, and eventually built a house around that hearth.

And then came The House that changed everything: Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1934 Willey House, organic architecture made manifest and the template for his Usonia to come.  

Wright renamed the Wiley kitchen “workspace,” and linked it to the living room with a Dutch door and plate glass wall, defying conventions that kept the kitchen far from social spaces. Wright sought harmonious balance between form and function. 

Enter today’s minimalist kitchen, where simplicity reigns: Clean lines, smart appliances, sleek finishes, and integrated panels to hide the sins of clutter (pots and pans, noisy appliances, fridge magnets, and that infamous crooked kitchen drawer).

Each element is curated for the aspirational cook or the consummate chef. And whether it’s a kitchen in a pied-à-terre or a palace, no matter: Efficiency must go hand in hand with artistry. 

1. Ipeak House in Caledon, Ontario, Canada 

Surrounded by 100 wooded acres in the Caledon countryside, an hour from Toronto, Ipeak House is a forest retreat in the spirit of Wright’s organic architecture. 

Kariouk Architects designed the long, tent-angled steel roof to shape the interior volumes toward a view of the forest. The asymmetric, steel frame construction is clad in slate to echo the rock outcrops on the grounds. 

Nature is mirrored indoors, too. Granite walls adorn the open-concept kitchen and vast great room. Beyond is a two-story deck with a white oak tongue-and-groove ceiling and ipe wood floor. 

The additional bedrooms are suspended like a cocoon above the main floor from a 40-foot steel beam and accessed by a catwalk. 

The lower level is dedicated to entertainment and relaxation, with a movie theater, gaming room, and infrared sauna. 

Related: Discover a Top Designers Recipe for the Classic Kitchen of Your Dreams 

2. Contemporary Compound in the Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California 

Perched on a promontory behind gates in the Hollywood Hills, this ultra-contemporary private compound redefines luxury living. 

A triumph of contemporary architecture, the home offers every conceivable amenity for the discerning. The star attraction is the 360-degree vista of the City of Angels—perhaps the most spectacular view in LA—best observed from the owner’s suite terrace. 

Honed quartzite countertops grace the chef’s kitchen, equipped with the latest appliances from Miele and Gaggenau. 

Three separate staff quarters include a prep kitchen and laundry. Privately situated, the self-contained guest house has its own pool and one of the finest residential gyms and spas ever built. 

This home is the pinnacle of luxury, tucked away in the hills, yet just moments from the glamour of the entertainment capital of the world. 

3. Condominium Apiani in Cascais, Portugal 

Apiani is a luxuriously sleek yet welcoming contemporary condominium in the coastal resort town of Monte Estoril, Portugal. 

Its three luxurious dwellings offer a visual and sensory connection with nature. Landscaping softens the geometries of the design, particularly in the garden-level residence, a contemporary, light-infused living space at one with its lush surroundings. 

The reception areas, formal dining area, and sumptuous gourmet kitchen connect to the gardens by sliding glass doors. 

All three bedrooms are en suite, including the principal bedroom, a glass-enclosed sanctuary with a deluxe bathroom, walk-in closet, and private terrace that opens to the garden. 

Building amenities include a doorman, ample storage areas, and lower-level garage with three private parking spaces and EV charging stations for each unit. 

Related: Read Why White Works in Minimalist Design

4.Castle-View Residence in Prague, Czech Republic 

With 3,186 square feet of living space, this luxurious, light-filled, bohemian apartment (in the heart of Bohemia, no less) is the largest in a refurbished historic building in Prague’s Lesser Quarter. 

Surrounded by ancient churches, squares, and cobblestone streets, the two-bedroom residence’s open-plan living space feature pale oak floors, exposed oak beamed ceilings, and big windows framing views of Prague Castle. 

The focal point of the neat galley kitchen and dining hall is a contemporary cylindrical fireplace. 

The principal suite has a glass-walled bathroom, a walk-in closet and views of the iconic St. Vitus Cathedral. There’s a guest bedroom and bathroom, a utility room, and an attic suitable for a study. 

High-end features include imported travertine tiles, LED beam lighting with remote control, air-conditioning, heat recovery, and a true Gothic cellar with a vaulted ceiling, perfect for storing wine.  

5. Cooper River Retreat in Charleston, South Carolina 

This brand-new, custom-built coastal home on the marshes of Charleston’s Cooper River abounds with Lowcountry charm. 

The main floor features a foyer, elegant living room, and sophisticated chef’s kitchen (with prep station and butler’s pantry).

Adjacent is a dining room with mitered shiplap ceiling and views of the salt marshes. This level also offers an office cove, laundry room, craft desk, and, the highlight, a south-facing wall of windows looking onto a row of old oak trees. 

Accessed via elevator or staircase, the first-floor owner’s suite opens to a screened-in porch and an outdoor fireplace.

The upper floors house three en suite bedrooms, a media room, and loft space. A three-car garage with a workshop has space for cars, boats, and golf carts.