Best of Design 2026: Best New Kitchen

With custom millwork flanks and rich, glossy cabinetry, the newly built kitchen in this Upper Lawrenceville home blends warm and cool tones to create a sense of both groundedness and suspension.

Justin Cipriani, owner of Pittsburgh-based Cipriani Studios Design + Development, says the design was inspired by Fallingwater, the famed Mill Run home by Frank Lloyd Wright — and the north star of Cipriani’s company.

“The home is an organic modern design … but with earthy materials and colors to ground it in the hillside,” he says of the home nestled in the hills over Lawrenceville. “The kitchen really compliments this feel but elevates it to be cleaner and chicer.”

He cites the cabinets, which are wood-toned but smooth and glossy, as capturing warmth in a way that “takes it up a notch to be a little sleeker.”

Judges indeed took notice, naming it their Best New Kitchen in Pittsburgh Magazine’s Best of Design contest. In particular, they praised the lacquered wood cabinets and the space’s strong, crisp lines, which judge Crystal Knapik, a senior associate at CannonDesign in St. Louis, notes gives the space “more of a bold elegance.”

“I think it’s really unique while being classic and warm,” adds judge Katie Savakis, a project designer at Vocon’s Cleveland office. As for the inspiration behind the design, it was simple: family.

“The owners are newlyweds with a big extended family, so they needed a family-style kitchen/ dining that was open, [with] lots of seating and access to the outdoor roof decks,” Cipriani says.

Among the room’s standout features are floor-to-ceiling picture windows and appliances that were moved behind matching cabinet panels to cultivate a focused feel. The result is an elevated-but-grounded space that exceeded the owners’ expectations. Now that it’s complete, they look forward to enjoying the home.

“The design, as with most custom homes, really fits like a glove,” Cipriani says.

Vendors

Architectural Design: Cipriani Studios
Interior Design: Cipriani Studios + Oread Design
General Contractor: Shape Development Group
HVAC: D&M Mechanical Contracting
Electric: Werner Electrical Services
Plumbing: Lia Plumbing, Heating & Air
Flooring: Rusmur Floors Carpet One Floor & Home
Tile: Creese Management
Custom Work: AW Decking & Construction, Brett Gossard Masonry, Groll Ornamental Iron Works, JW Trim
Painting: Kevin Kemmler Painting
Cabinetry: Mullwoods
Hardware: TopKnobs Europa finger pulls
Appliances: Voss
Fixtures: KrausKore
Countertops: Armina Stone Cambria Berkshire Brass
Windows and Doors: Anderson
Glass and Mirrors: Rex Glass
Exterior Finishes: Metropolitan Siding
Drywall and Insulation: NathCo Construction
Concrete: Orban Contracting & Landscaping
Block Foundation: Premier Custom Concrete