This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in Bordeaux with a farmhouse sink, stainless steel cabinets, black splashback, coloured appliances and medium hardwood floors.

Montecito Guest House

DD Ford Construction

Photography: Lepere Studio
This is an example of a contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Santa Barbara with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, dark hardwood floors, no island, an undermount sink, solid surface benchtops, white splashback and coloured appliances.

Modern Cabinets with Barn Wood

Wall to Wall Kitchen and Bath

A modern kitchen that blends natural finishes with white painted cabinets. 100 year old barn wood on the back of the island and the front of the dinning hutch. Reclaimed fir floating shelves. Concrete counters to both the island and perimeter wall.

Tiffany Blue Kitchen Renovation

Henrietta Heisler Interiors Inc

The objective of this luxury kitchen renovation was to transform a 30-year-old, closed off kitchen into a brighter, more contemporary working triangle with excellent storage space. We worked closely with our clients to create a plan for better flow and a more sophisticated ambiance for entertaining. For this renovation we added an island to an open floor plan, utilized luxury appliance, and added direct access to the outdoor patio space resulting in a stunning transformation that exceeded or clients’ expectations.

Les authentiques revisités

MAT INTER

This is an example of a contemporary kitchen in Paris with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback, coloured appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Photography for Nic Antony Architects - House Extension, East London

Adelina Iliev Photography

Inspiration for a contemporary galley open plan kitchen in London with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, coloured appliances and with island.

Heathmont House

Wolf Architects

Large contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with grey cabinets, window splashback, coloured appliances, terrazzo floors, with island and beige benchtop.

Kitchen Storage Ideas

William Standen Co.

The ultimate custom kitchen pantry cabinet. Spice apothecary drawers, holders for utensils, plastic wrap, aluminum wrap, wicker baskets for produce, drawers for table linens, shelving, with retractable cabinet doors. Designer: Cassandra Nordell-MacLean

Pacific Heights

PHILLIP SILVER

Matthew Millman, Scavullo Design
This is an example of a contemporary kitchen in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, green splashback, glass tile splashback and coloured appliances.

Lowell Ave. Park City Utah

Todd Arenson Construction

Contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Salt Lake City with subway tile splashback, a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback and coloured appliances.

Madison - Bedford Ave

Star Renovations NY

Full custom kitchen with 10' Island and waterfall counter top
This is an example of an expansive contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in New York with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, coloured appliances, marble floors, with island, white floor and black benchtop.

Contemporary Grey Kitchen

Tom Howley

The Hartford collection is an inspired modern update on the classic Shaker style kitchen. Designed with simplicity in mind, the kitchens in this range have a universal appeal that never fails to delight. Each kitchen is beautifully proportioned, with an unerring focus on scale that ensures the final result is flawless. TThe Hartford collection is an inspired modern update on the classic Shaker style kitchen. Designed with simplicity in mind, the kitchens in this range have a universal appeal that never fails to delight. Each kitchen is beautifully proportioned, with an unerring focus on scale that ensures the final result is flawless. The L shaped kitchen has a main run of cabinets along the back wall with an abundance of practical storage and integrated appliances on the other. Floor-to-ceiling cabinets utilise every inch of space, making the kitchen feel grand. With busy lives it’s often hard to control everyday clutter, keeping all belongings well organised. Cleverly concealed pantry style storage creates much-needed space for essential food items and utensils, whilst an adjoining utility room provides a separate space for cleaning goods, dirty boots and washing.

Cotswold Chapel Kitchen

Sustainable Kitchens

A double Belfast farmhouse sink with four bibcock taps sit within oak shaker cabinets painted with Farrow & Ball Down Pipe. Rustic metal door knobs match the darkness of the slate tiles which sit perfectly above the oak worktop.

A Country Style Galley Kitchen By Burlanes

burlanes interiors

As part of a renovation of their 1930's town house, the homeowners commissioned Burlanes to design, create and install a country style galley kitchen, for contemporary living.

Bevel Edged Shaker-Style Kitchen painted Porcelain and Cashmere.

Oliver Green Kitchens Ltd

Compact and well-organised bevel-edged Dawson shaker-style kitchen in Porcelain and Cashmere featuring open shelves and walk-in pantry with wicker baskets. The surfaces are a combination of solid oak and 25mm Minerva. The majority of the kitchen units are painted matte porcelain, leaving a small number painted matte cashmere. The pull handles on the drawers and knobs on the cupboards are black nickel.

McAdams - Encino - Black & Brass Kitchen Remodeling

Pearl Remodeling

Open space floor plan kitchen overseeing the living space. Vaulted ceiling. A large amount of natural light flowing in the room. Amazing black and brass combo with chandelier type pendant lighting above the gorgeous kitchen island. Herringbone Tile pattern making the area appear more spacious.

Bluff Additions and Remodel

Ginkgo House Architecture

Shanna Wolf Photography
Inspiration for a small contemporary kitchen pantry in Other with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances, porcelain floors, with island and white floor.

Villa campagne

Didier Van Hau Photographe & Graphiste

Didier Van Hau
Large contemporary kitchen in Lille with flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, coloured appliances, with island and wood benchtops.

Ultimate Contemporary

DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen

WoodMode Cabinets, Birds Eye Maple Drawer Fronts, Maple Slab Cabinets, Maple Natural Finish, Cherry Cabinets, Cherry Island, Spice Drawers, Glass Doors, Wine and Beverage Refrigerator, Quartz Countertops, Pull Out Drawers, Glass Electric Cooktop, Modern Stainless Steel Hood, Black Appliances, Large Island, Abundant Countertops, Undermount Sink, Structural Changes, Open Plan, Engineered, Pull Out Spice Drawers

Un restaurant transformé en loft

LHENRY COTE DECO

Mathieu BAŸ
Photo of a contemporary eat-in kitchen in Montpellier with a single-bowl sink, wood benchtops, coloured appliances, ceramic floors, multi-coloured floor, black cabinets and brick splashback.

Contemporary Kitchen with Coloured Appliances 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 Contemporary 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!