Best of the Week: 27 Clever Kitchen Set-Ups
From genius layouts to smart storage solutions, here are 27 inspired kitchen designs on Houzz
Georgia Madden
30 December 2020
An awkward floor plan, a lack of storage, nowhere to squeeze in a dining table… no matter the size and shape of your kitchen, chances are that it presents some sort of design challenge. But where there are problems there are also solutions, as these 27 inspired kitchen designs from around the world illustrate.
1. Location: Leichardt, NSW
Designer: Renotech Building
Features: Compact lines, an understated colour scheme and an abundance of built-in storage to keep clutter at bay – a great solution for a small kitchen.
Designer: Renotech Building
Features: Compact lines, an understated colour scheme and an abundance of built-in storage to keep clutter at bay – a great solution for a small kitchen.
2. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: Katie Sargent Design
Features: There’s much to love here; a cheery blue-and-white colour combination and a clever, stepped island design that perfectly accommodates a pair of bar stools.
Designer: Katie Sargent Design
Features: There’s much to love here; a cheery blue-and-white colour combination and a clever, stepped island design that perfectly accommodates a pair of bar stools.
3. Location: Vancouver, Canada
Features: A practical kitchen storage set-up that combines shelf and drawer storage for all your cooking and dining supplies.
Thinking of renovating your kitchen? Find a kitchen designer near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
Features: A practical kitchen storage set-up that combines shelf and drawer storage for all your cooking and dining supplies.
Thinking of renovating your kitchen? Find a kitchen designer near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
4. Location: Moscow, Russia
Features: Proof that a kitchen in a small apartment doesn’t have to be without personality. Here, the owners have chosen warm timber cabinetry, groovy white subway tiles and bold black accents in the form of the oven and range hood.
Features: Proof that a kitchen in a small apartment doesn’t have to be without personality. Here, the owners have chosen warm timber cabinetry, groovy white subway tiles and bold black accents in the form of the oven and range hood.
5. Location: Perth, WA
Designer: Mikasa Designs
Features: A forgiving timber-and-black colour palette (great for families) and plenty of custom shelves and cabinets specially designed to fit the owners’ cookbooks, wine collection and cooking paraphernalia – a great way to maximise storage space.
Designer: Mikasa Designs
Features: A forgiving timber-and-black colour palette (great for families) and plenty of custom shelves and cabinets specially designed to fit the owners’ cookbooks, wine collection and cooking paraphernalia – a great way to maximise storage space.
6. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: GIA Bathrooms and Kitchens
Features: A stepped-down kitchen island designed for dining; the sophisticated materials palette makes the area suitable for both casual meals and entertaining.
Designer: GIA Bathrooms and Kitchens
Features: A stepped-down kitchen island designed for dining; the sophisticated materials palette makes the area suitable for both casual meals and entertaining.
7. Location: Adelaide, SA
Designer: Platinum Fine Homes
Features: A light colour palette and fine-lined materials, such as the slender benchtop, trick the eye into believing this compact kitchen is bigger than it really is.
Designer: Platinum Fine Homes
Features: A light colour palette and fine-lined materials, such as the slender benchtop, trick the eye into believing this compact kitchen is bigger than it really is.
8. Location: London, UK
Features: Storing pantry items in pull-out drawers rather than cupboards you have to delve into makes them far easier to access. But the clever touches in this small kitchen don’t end there…
Features: Storing pantry items in pull-out drawers rather than cupboards you have to delve into makes them far easier to access. But the clever touches in this small kitchen don’t end there…
…It boasts internal drawer organisers for cutlery and sharp knives…
…And even a pull-out chopping board to provide extra prep space.
9. Location: UK
Features: Beautifully considered touches – such as a neat little section of wine storage near the ceiling and deep storage drawers at the end of the kitchen island –make this two-toned kitchen sing…
Features: Beautifully considered touches – such as a neat little section of wine storage near the ceiling and deep storage drawers at the end of the kitchen island –make this two-toned kitchen sing…
…Note how the blonde timber shelves contrast with the graphite cabinetry and turn the owners’ simple collection of jars into an eye-catching feaure.
10. Location: Brighton, Victoria
Designer: GIA Bathrooms and Kitchens
Feature: Raising the kitchen island maximises the floor space here and makes the room appear bigger. A marble-and-white palette and touches of brass add elegance.
Browse more beautiful Australian kitchen designs
Designer: GIA Bathrooms and Kitchens
Feature: Raising the kitchen island maximises the floor space here and makes the room appear bigger. A marble-and-white palette and touches of brass add elegance.
Browse more beautiful Australian kitchen designs
11. Location: Hobart, Tasmania
Features: A half-height timber splashback such as this one is a smart solution in an entertainer’s kitchen; it shields cooking mess from guests’ view while allowing the cook to remain part of the conversation.
Features: A half-height timber splashback such as this one is a smart solution in an entertainer’s kitchen; it shields cooking mess from guests’ view while allowing the cook to remain part of the conversation.
12. Location: Sydney, NSW
Designer: Alpha Renovations
Features: Including an overhang in your kitchen island design, which the owners have done here, allows you to tuck bar stools neatly away when they’re not in use for an uncluttered look.
Designer: Alpha Renovations
Features: Including an overhang in your kitchen island design, which the owners have done here, allows you to tuck bar stools neatly away when they’re not in use for an uncluttered look.
13. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: Style Precinct
Features: Feature wine storage – an appealing touch in an entertainer’s kitchen.
Designer: Style Precinct
Features: Feature wine storage – an appealing touch in an entertainer’s kitchen.
14. Location: Boston, USA
Features: A fold-down kitchen table is a practical choice in a family kitchen; open it up when you’re dining or if you need extra prep space, and fold down the sides when it’s not in use. This one even includes handy drawers to store cutlery and napkins.
Features: A fold-down kitchen table is a practical choice in a family kitchen; open it up when you’re dining or if you need extra prep space, and fold down the sides when it’s not in use. This one even includes handy drawers to store cutlery and napkins.
15. Location: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Features: Sleek, high-gloss cabinetry looks sophisticated and keeps the owners’ cookware neatly hidden away – ideal when your kitchen opens directly to the living and dining rooms, as this one does.
Features: Sleek, high-gloss cabinetry looks sophisticated and keeps the owners’ cookware neatly hidden away – ideal when your kitchen opens directly to the living and dining rooms, as this one does.
16. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: Ardent Architects
Features: A durable, concrete floor and an easy-to-live-with grey-and-timber palette. An appealing combination for a family kitchen in a contemporary home.
Designer: Ardent Architects
Features: A durable, concrete floor and an easy-to-live-with grey-and-timber palette. An appealing combination for a family kitchen in a contemporary home.
17. Location: Strathalbyn, SA
Designer: Space Craft Joinery
Features: A forgiving colour scheme, plenty of bench space for prep and a pair of ovens at an accessible height concealed behind the timber section. A great kitchen arrangement for a keen cook…
Designer: Space Craft Joinery
Features: A forgiving colour scheme, plenty of bench space for prep and a pair of ovens at an accessible height concealed behind the timber section. A great kitchen arrangement for a keen cook…
…And here’s a view of that kitchen from the chef’s side.
18. Location: Cornwall, UK
Features: A pull-out pantry that disappears into a nook in the wall when not in use – genius.
Features: A pull-out pantry that disappears into a nook in the wall when not in use – genius.
19. Location: Sydney, NSW
Features: Taking the cabinetry right from floor to ceiling allowed the owner of this tiny kitchen to maximise their storage potential. Including open storage in the form of a shelf for cups and a rail for serving spoons ups the charm factor.
Features: Taking the cabinetry right from floor to ceiling allowed the owner of this tiny kitchen to maximise their storage potential. Including open storage in the form of a shelf for cups and a rail for serving spoons ups the charm factor.
20. Location: San Francisco, USA
Features: Thanks to its clever layout, this compact kitchen manages to squeeze in a bench seat for casual dining.
Features: Thanks to its clever layout, this compact kitchen manages to squeeze in a bench seat for casual dining.
21. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: smarterBATHROOMS+
Features: Choosing matching containers for your open storage, as the owners have done here, gives the arrangement a smart and cohesive look…
Designer: smarterBATHROOMS+
Features: Choosing matching containers for your open storage, as the owners have done here, gives the arrangement a smart and cohesive look…
…We’re loving the fireplace at the end of the benchtop in the same kitchen – a dramatic feature and a great way to warm up the adjoining spaces.
22. Location: Boston, USA
Features: This chic kitchen conceals a range of appealing extras that boost its functionality…
Features: This chic kitchen conceals a range of appealing extras that boost its functionality…
…Such as a pull-out recycling station…
…And space-savvy, double-layer drawers.
23. Location: Boston, USA
Features: The owners of this family kitchen have made every bit of space count. A narrow wall makes the perfect spot to hold paperwork and post – all labelled for easy access…
Features: The owners of this family kitchen have made every bit of space count. A narrow wall makes the perfect spot to hold paperwork and post – all labelled for easy access…
…And they’ve made use of the awkward, little spots on either side of the fridge by adding in a pair of narrow, pull-out pantries. Utterly brilliant.
24. Location: Dublin, Ireland
Features: A half-height, pull-out pantry right beneath the prep area is the perfect spot for oils and spices.
Features: A half-height, pull-out pantry right beneath the prep area is the perfect spot for oils and spices.
25. Location: Orange County, USA
Features: One minute it’s a kitchen and the next it’s a bedroom. A slatted screen that slides across to hide the ‘working’ parts of this compact kitchen is a genius addition.
Features: One minute it’s a kitchen and the next it’s a bedroom. A slatted screen that slides across to hide the ‘working’ parts of this compact kitchen is a genius addition.
26. Location: Toronto, Canada
Features: You don’t need a huge amount of space to create an eat-in kitchen, as this design demonstrates.
Features: You don’t need a huge amount of space to create an eat-in kitchen, as this design demonstrates.
27. Location: London, UK
Features: This flip-down table is another inspired dining solution for a tiny kitchen. Flip it up when you want to enjoy casual meals and fold it flat against the wall when you need floor space.
Your turn
Which of these kitchens impresses you the most? Tell us in the Comments and don’t forget to save your favourite photos, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Did you miss last week’s Best of the Week? Catch up here with Best of the Week: 29 Coastal-Home Style Crushes
Features: This flip-down table is another inspired dining solution for a tiny kitchen. Flip it up when you want to enjoy casual meals and fold it flat against the wall when you need floor space.
Your turn
Which of these kitchens impresses you the most? Tell us in the Comments and don’t forget to save your favourite photos, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Did you miss last week’s Best of the Week? Catch up here with Best of the Week: 29 Coastal-Home Style Crushes
Related Stories
Renovating Advice
How Do I Find, Assess & Hire the Right People for My Renovation?
Do you need a kitchen designer or a joiner? An architect or an interior designer? Find out with our essential reno guide
Full Story
Renovation Guides
What Key Measurements & Room Dimensions Should I Know for a Reno?
Read practical information about key room measurements and minimum clearances for fittings and fixtures in every room
Full Story
Bedrooms
12 Decorating Tips to Make Any Bedroom Look Better
By Anne Ellard
Want to know how to make your bedroom look better? Here are 12 great tricks
Full Story
Renovation Guides
Room by Room: Experts on Ways to Avoid Common Renovation Blunders
From the kitchen to the garden, and all areas in between, experts identify common mistakes and share priceless insights
Full Story
Bathroom Expert Advice
5 Reasons Your Bathroom Smells Funky (and How to Fix the Problem)
A plumber reveals five reasons your bathroom might smell like sewage or emanate a musty odour
Full Story
Kitchen Renovations
From Planning to Pendants: Kitchen Lighting Essentials
By Joanna Tovia
This valuable guide will give you all you need to know about choosing kitchen lighting for fabulous form and function
Full Story
Living Rooms
The Full Picture: How High Should Your TV Be?
By Matt Clawson
We look at an important question to consider when locating your television: how high should you set it?
Full Story
Bathrooms
All the Dimensions You Need to Know for Your Bathroom Makeover
Fit everything comfortably in a small or medium-size bathroom by knowing standard dimensions for fixtures and clearances
Full Story
Renovation Guides
How to Control the Cost of Your Renovation, Room by Room
Where to save, where to spend (and all the tricks in between) for keeping the cost of your renovation on track
Full Story
Architecture
Renovation Insight: How to Choose an Architect
A great architect can turn your dream home into reality – three industry experts reveal where to look for the right one
Full Story
S A - depends on what material the cupboard fronts are made from, more than the colour itself
there are many anti finger print cabinetry finish options available now
FireplFireplace in 21 may be ethanol or electric, hence no flue