Louisiana kitchens are the heart of the Creole dishes—jambalaya, seafood gumbo, and boiled crawfish—served during the huge family gatherings Louisiana is so justly known for. For such an important part of a Louisiana home—for such a key aspect of Southern culture— a good contractor is needed to create a kitchen that is both functional and as stylish as this region of America is. And professional kitchens have become increasingly important as the city of New Orleans as the city emerged in recent years as a leader in the Deep South inspired renaissance of American fine dining.

Whether it’s a classic coastal kitchen, a historic renovation of a shotgun home’s kitchen or a modern contemporary upgrade to a chef’s professional space, the contractors on this list are seasoned professionals qualified to create your dream kitchen. We picked a dozen and then ranked them based on their accolades, press recognition, experience, and the overall strength of their portfolio.

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12) Gibson Design + Build

301 30th St., New Orleans, LA 70124

Gibson Design + Build is a company born of Connor Gibson’s love of architecture and design. The Mississippi native spent ten years working for a commercial design-build contractor before he decided to transition to residential architecture and start his own company.

Gibson folds the builder and the architect into one entity. He uses this master builder philosophy to create distinct homes and custom renovations throughout the New Orleans and Metairie area. These homes are done in a mix of contemporary and traditional styles.

The featured project is part of a whole house renovation of a shotgun home in Uptown New Orleans. The kitchen was moved to the front of the house to facilitate an open concept. The result: a double-parlor with twelve-foot ceilings typical of the homes in NOLA. The elegant white countertop is highlighted by thoughtfully placed lighting, and the improved flow from room to room makes the home perfect for entertaining guests.

11) Showcase Homes & Remodeling

1953 E-70th St. Suite #3, Shreveport, LA 71105

Brent Burt spent 35 years as a carpenter doing everything from house framing to detailed trim work. He also spent years providing custom cabinetry to homes in Northwest Louisiana. After honing his skills, continuously learning the ins and outs of the building business, and earning his Graduate Remodeler certification from the National Home Builders Association (NAHB), Burt was ready to start his own. He established Showcase Homes & Remodeling in 2006 and focused on kitchen and bathroom remodeling.

The firm’s high level of skill, paired with the latest building technology, has resulted in efficient and well-planned cooking spaces. This Provencal-styled kitchen is compact but functional. Lots of lighting from the ceiling and even from the top cabinets keep the space bright and cheery. Exposed beams, a cherry red island, and creative backsplash add appeal

10) Jay Rutter Construction

107 Rezin Court, Thibodaux, LA 70301

When he was twelve, Jay Rutter spent his free time cleaning up in his father’s construction jobs. Then he learned how to pour concrete. By high school, he was working on framing and roofing crews. After studying construction management at Louisiana State University, he started Jay Rutter Construction in 2005. The firm has done projects in ten parishes across South Louisiana including Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans.

The firm is exceptionally good at incorporating rustic details into its kitchen remodels. Exposed brick and wood beams in the ceiling are a signature of the firm. This transitional kitchen’s focal point is the arched brick that perfectly frames the space. Dark wooden beams and matching brick floors complete the rustic atmosphere.

9) Lagarde’s Kitchen and Bath Design

800 Metairie Road Suite T, Metairie, LA 70005

Jimmy Lagarde is known for his world-class kitchens that are the choice of New Orleans’s renowned celebrity chefs. As an engineer and a chef, he has perfected a signature blend of functional elegance in his luxurious kitchens. He is a member of the international gourmet society Chaine des Rotisseurs and has also created kitchens for Louisiana legends such as cajun/creole chef Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse. His kitchens have reached as far as Central America and Europe and are scattered throughout the United States.

For 48 years, Lagarde’s Kitchen and Bath Design have brought that same top-notch service to Louisiana locals. The firm creates truly custom renovations of kitchens and bathrooms as well as whole homes. This beautiful kitchen in the Garden District is one example of the firm’s work. Ivory cabinets give maximum storage. The exposed brick in the range section and the patterned flooring bring zest to the space.

8) MLM Inc.

3500 N Causeway Blvd. Suite #160, Metairie, LA 70002

MLM Inc. has been rated as one of Louisiana’s top commercial and residential contractor in New Orleans, building a solid reputation for both kitchen renovations and bathroom renovations. After Hurricane Katrina, it helped rebuild numerous homes and businesses throughout the area. In 2012, MLM won a Sonata Award for best bath design and remodeling. The firm’s principal, Machi Medrzycki, was ranked among 2015’s  Forty Under 40 Remodelers featured in Professional Remodeler.Other awards include the Sonata Award for Best Bath Design and Remodeling in 2012. They also have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. MLM has also been named top 5 kitchen remodeler by General Contractors Magazine.

For renovations, the firm loves to use natural stone and glass combinations, open spaces, and simple, elegant designs. In the featured project, you’ll see a row of huge windows floods the kitchen with abundant light. Marble countertops and backsplash highlight that sunshine. Sand-colored vertically-grained cabinets were installed for their texture.

7) Susan Currie Design

233 Walnut St., New Orleans, LA 70118

Susan Currie always wanted to pursue a career in design. So, after graduating from Eastern New Mexico University, she worked to earn her associate degree in Interior Design. Today, Currie is an Allied Member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and one of only 25 Certified Aging in Place Specialists (CAPS) in the greater New Orleans area. Currie works in the Southeast and Southwest regions, with most projects concentrated in Atlanta and New Orleans.

The firm’s work is defined by a tasteful play on colors, textures, and materials. It has also its own line of cabinetry to provide truly custom spaces to its clients. National and local publications have featured the firm’s well-appointed spaces. These include New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles, Southern Living, Gambit’s Cue, and Inside New Orleans.

6) Kitchen & Bath Cottage

6505 Line Ave. Suite #3, Shreveport, LA 71106

Husband and wife team Terry and Mary Ann Elston teamed up to found KItchen and Bath Cottage in 2001. Terry is a custom home builder that has more than three decades of construction experience from custom homes to full scale remodels. Mary Ann is an accounting graduate and professional photographer. Renovating their home in Shreveport led to an epiphany, and to start a locally owned, custom, home design-build firm to serve North Louisiana. Today, the firm has more than ten employees and has done numerous kitchen, bath, and whole home remodels.

The firm creates ultra-luxe kitchens using high-end materials in classic palettes. From polished dark wood to variegated marble, the firm sources out the best possible pieces to make a kitchen as beautiful as it is functional. In this kitchen remodel, the firm frames the room with wood in the kitchen island and ceiling beams. Marble and soapstone countertops, a dainty blue backsplash, a textured custom range hood are also featured.

5) Sensa Design

3102 Fern St., New Orleans, LA 70125

Sensa Design is one of the few firms pioneered by a woman in New Orleans. Colombia-native Andrea Mejia started Sensa Design in 2016 after working for 10 years as an industrial engineer in Hong Kong. Working abroad exposed her to different cultures, architecture, and styles of living which broadened her perspective on design. These are reflected in her firm’s bespoke kitchens and bathrooms that have been featured in The Advocate and on the New Orleans Home and Garden show.

The firm’s kitchens are predominantly minimalistic. Smart and space-saving layouts are also commonly used. This monochromatic kitchen is sleek and modern with its chrome appliances and checkered tile. Shaker cabinets and a drop in porcelain sink bring in a vintage touch. What makes this kitchen especially notable is the spacious feeling it creates despite being only a twelve-by-twelve foot space in historical house. 

4) Entablature

8438 Oak Street, Suite C, New Orleans, LA 70118

Entablature is a design-build residential and commercial contractor that prides itself on its knowledge of New Orleans architecture and its ability to blend its work within the historic character of the neighborhood. This ability and flexibility have earned the firm the designation Best Builder from the New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles Magazine for 2017 and 2018.

Its highly-qualified team of experts is led by principals Chris Kornman and Scott Logan. Kornman is a third-generation builder who has extensive experience in renovating old New Orleans homes. He has been featured on Professional Builder’s Top 40 Under 40. Kornman manages the day-to-day operations of the firm. Logan is a licensed attorney with a successful career in real estate and is in charge of the firm’s business, financial, and legal aspects.

Entablature’s expertise in creating modern translations of classic New Orleans architecture is especially evident in its kitchens. This contemporary kitchen features the high ceilings and narrow tall windows common in the shotgun houses of the area. Those striking vertical lines are reinforced with pendant lights, high chairs for the kitchen island, and smoke cabinets.

3) DMG Design+Build

2345 Metairie Rd., Metairie, LA 70001

For a young company, the DMG Design+Build has accomplished a lot in Louisiana’s remodeling industry. In its five years in the business, the firm has participated in the 2016 International Builders Show as the New Orleans representative, it has been featured in Preservation in Print as Builder of New Orleans in 2017, and the firm has graced the pages of New Orleans Living. The firm has also earned awards from the annual Louisiana Remodeling Excellence Awards for its whole house renovations and kitchen remodels.

The design-build firm is headed by Ryan McCroskey. The 37-year-old CEO was recently named one of 2019 Pro Remodeler’s Forty Under 40. He aims to improve the firm’s work continuously through technology and by implementing eco-friendly products into its build.

One of the firm’s award-winning kitchens is this luxe modern contemporary remodel. It features high gloss flat panel custom cabinetry, LED under cabinet lighting, and gorgeous marble countertops with a matching farmhouse sink. The project won 1st Place in Kitchen Renovation Over $50K in the 2016 Louisiana Remodeling Excellence Awards.

2) James Andrus Construction, Inc.

100 Parkgate Blvd., Lafayette, LA 70508

James Andrus Construction is one of Lafayette’s oldest, most respected remodeling companies. It has been remodeling since 1984, producing first-rate additions, kitchens, baths, finish carpentry, interior and exterior alterations, and home repairs. Leading this multiple NARI Regional Contractor of the Year Awardee is James Andrus. He has an associate degree in architectural drafting. He is also a former board member of the Acadian Home Builders Association.

The firm favors classic silhouettes in its kitchen remodels. The firm opened up this once cramped and outdated kitchen without compromising its timeless charm. Upper cabinets and an imposing hood were replaced with functional, modern amenities. Cream and sage colors were used to maintain its classic, clean look. This kitchen won 2nd Place Kitchen Remodel in the 2014 Louisiana Remodeling Excellence Awards.

1) Renovate, Inc.

824 24th St., Kenner, LA 70062

Leading Louisiana’s top kitchen remodelers is Kenner-based Renovate Inc. This design-build company has received national acclaim, ranking on coveted lists of remodeling publications such as Professional Remodeler‘s Forty Under 40, Remodeling Magazine‘s Remodeling 550, and Qualified Remodeler‘s Top 500. In 2014, it was named St. Tammany HBA Builder of the Year, the Louisiana HBA Remodeler of the Year, and the NAHB Certified Graduate Builder of the Year.

The firm’s award-winning reputation and high-quality projects are the legacies of founders Karen and Frank Castjohn. Karen is the product of the US Small Business Association’s prestigious E200 Emerging Leaders Initiative. She is also a materials specialist. She regularly consults with the firm’s clients to find the perfect details and finishes for their project. Their son, Nick Castjohn, has been working on construction sites since he was 15. Pairing his love for construction with a degree in Information Technology and a Masters degree in Strategic management, he is continuing his parent’s legacy in the Jefferson parish in his role as the firm’s CEO.