ASID award for Whole House Design. They say the kitchen is the heart of the home, and this kitchen sure has heart: complete with top of the line appliances, glass mosaic backsplash, a generous statement island, and enough space for the whole family to comfortably connect. The space was designed around the family's art collection, and the pendants are family heirlooms that were repurposed to meet the aesthetic of the space. Photo by Alise O'Brien

Doncaster East Home - Kitchen

smarterBATHROOMS+

Photography by Shannon McGrath
Design ideas for a large country l-shaped kitchen pantry in Melbourne with white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, light hardwood floors, a drop-in sink, beaded inset cabinets, solid surface benchtops, stainless steel appliances and with island.

Vintage Stove Hidden Hood

Kelly and Abramson Architecture

antique wavy glass, cool stove., farm sink, oversize island, paneled refrigerator, some color on the cabinets. The farm style sink is in the foreground. This is another project where the homeowners love the design process and really understand and trust my lead in keeping all the details in line with the story. The story is farmhouse cottage. We are not creating a movie set, we are trying to go back in time to a place when we were not herds of cattle shopping at costco and living in tract homes and driving all the same cars. I want to go back to a time when grandma is showing the kids how to make apple pie.

Kitchen with TV area beyond

Ernesto Santalla PLLC

Excerpted from Washington Home & Design Magazine, Jan/Feb 2012 Full Potential Once ridiculed as “antipasto on the Potomac,” the Watergate complex designed by Italian architect Luigi Moretti has become one of Washington’s most respectable addresses. But its curvaceous 1960s architecture still poses design challenges for residents seeking to transform their outdated apartments for contemporary living. Inside, the living area now extends from the terrace door to the kitchen and an adjoining nook for watching TV. The rear wall of the kitchen isn’t tiled or painted, but covered in boards made of recycled wood fiber, fly ash and cement. A row of fir cabinets stands out against the gray panels and white-lacquered drawers under the Corian countertops add more contrast. “I now enjoy cooking so much more,” says the homeowner. “The previous kitchen had very little counter space and storage, and very little connection to the rest of the apartment.” “A neutral color scheme allows sculptural objects, in this case iconic furniture, and artwork to stand out,” says Santalla. “An element of contrast, such as a tone or a texture, adds richness to the palette.” In the master bedroom, Santalla designed the bed frame with attached nightstands and upholstered the adjacent wall to create an oversized headboard. He created a television stand on the adjacent wall that allows the screen to swivel so it can be viewed from the bed or terrace. Of all the renovation challenges facing the couple, one of the most problematic was deciding what to do with the original parquet floors in the living space. Santalla came up with the idea of staining the existing wood and extending the same dark tone to the terrace floor. “Now the indoor and outdoor parts of the apartment are integrated to create an almost seamless space,” says the homeowner. “The design succeeds in realizing the promise of what the Watergate can be.” Project completed in collaboration with Treacy & Eagleburger. Photography by Alan Karchmer

City House

SHKS Architects

This is an example of a contemporary kitchen in Seattle with stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor and blue benchtop.

Kitchen Karma

2fORM Architecture

Kitchen/bar area Photographer: Jeff Amram Photography
This is an example of a modern kitchen in Portland with stainless steel appliances.

Kitchen, bath, office

Ventana Construction LLC

Photo by Sheila Addleman Photography
Design ideas for a contemporary kitchen in Seattle with multi-coloured splashback and mosaic tile splashback.

Brookridge Home - Fall 2012

Key Residential

LAIR Architectural + Interior Photography
Expansive contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Dallas with metallic splashback, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, subway tile splashback, flat-panel cabinets, panelled appliances and concrete floors.

Ковка в интерьере кухни

Кузнечное Ателье №1

Автор проекта - Анастасия Муравьева, дизайнер-декоратор
Photo of a country kitchen in Moscow.

Blue Kitchen Design Ideas

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to planning your kitchen design. Where do you even start? Gathering some inspiration in a photo gallery is always a good starting point, as looking at different kitchen designs often brings up ideas you haven’t even thought of yet.

Browse Photos of Kitchen Designs for Inspiration and Collect Your Ideas

You can browse through photos of all kinds of kitchen styles, layouts and sizes on Houzz to get started before jumping into any design software or contacting a local professional for help. Here’s a few considerations to keep in mind when planning your kitchen.

1. What Makes a Good Kitchen Design, and Why is it Important?

For starters, you want to find a balance between aesthetics and function. You may have heard of the ‘kitchen work triangle’, which refers to the space between your fridge, sink and stove. You want everything within easy reach when you’re working in the kitchen and look beautiful at the same time. It’s a good idea to take note of both when browsing our photo gallery.

2. Consider Your Space to Determine Your Kitchen Layout

Firstly, consider the space you have, and the limitations that come with it. Do you have a small kitchen and need to maximise your workspace and storage? Can you allow yourself some more space and a big island with seating? Are you designing your kitchen from scratch or renovating an existing design? Which appliances do you already own and what are their measurements? Are there windows you need to take into consideration when planning cabinets? How do kitchen, living and dining areas connect? Depending on your space and needs, you want to use a shape that suits you. U, G, or L-shaped kitchen, with or without island or peninsula? Know your dimensions, plan cabinetry carefully and consider the placement of your appliances. You don’t want to end up with a finished design, only for your significant other to question where the fridge is supposed to go. Consider from the start where your fridge, oven, microwave and sink goes to save yourself from starting again from scratch - remember the kitchen work triangle! You also want to plan the layout of your cabinets. Maybe you’re planning for a pantry and can do with less storage space in your kitchen, so that your design can be one without upper or lower cabinets for a different look. A corner cabinet can be a smart storage solution if you want to keep the look clean and simple.

3. Decide on a Kitchen Style, But Don’t Forget Practicality

You want the style of your kitchen to reflect your personality and taste. We have curated a large array of kitchen styles here at Houzz, from traditional to contemporary to transitional and everything in between. Consider what your cooking style is for a start - Italy is known for its cuisine, so italian kitchen designs are generally popular. Also consider ergonomics - depending on how much time you spend in your kitchen, the height of your counters can make a big difference to your overall health. You also want to consider colour and finishes of cabinets, countertops and splashbacks. Which colour do you want your cupboards to be? Simple, timeless white or rather making a statement in black? Maybe rather a rustic wood? Also consider the colour of your floor - if you have dark floors, you may want to keep cabinets lighter. You could also go for an all-white look and choose black appliances for contrast. Once you know which style you fancy, don’t forget how you will be using the space. You want to keep cooking in mind, as well as how easy to clean and maintain the space will be. How many cooks do you need to accommodate? Do you have kids around? How much storage do you need? Maybe you want to go for open shelves rather than cabinets and allow for easy reach of key items you use when cooking. Again - remember the triangle! Lastly, choose lighting that both enhances the look of your kitchen as well as your cooking performance, providing light in all the right places.

4. Be Conscious of Your Budget

No matter what you plan for your kitchen design, cost is always a big factor. Be sure to plan with your budget in mind. It may make more sense to go for a modular kitchen design rather than custom build. You can save a lot of money if you get at least 3 estimates from professionals before locking in the job. And don’t forget to allow a 20% buffer for emergencies. Once you are ready to hire a pro, our directory will help you find one, no matter where you are. So whether you're looking for an Interior Designer in Melbourne or an Architect in Sydney, you can be sure to find a qualified expert for the job!