Referencing the art deco period in which the apartment was build, a curved range hood finished in linear kit kat Japanese tiles forms the focal point of the kitchen. Light timber laminate for full height joinery with dark grey / charcoal ultra matte laminate for below bench cupboards and drawers. Quartzite bench tops in a leathered finish.

Kitchens

Universal Marble & Granite, LLC

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary separate kitchen in Charleston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, matchstick tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Contemporary Kitchen

Design ideas for a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, grey splashback, matchstick tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Culcatta Quartz Countertop

Gomez Granite Countertops

Small contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Grand Rapids with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, matchstick tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, a peninsula and brown floor.

Kitchen Accessories

Mr. D Cabinet Repairs & Woodworking

Photo of a contemporary kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, metallic splashback, matchstick tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Contemporary Kitchen Remodel - South San Jose, CA

CAGE Design Build

Contemporary Kitchen Remodel featuring DeWils cabinetry in Maple with Just White finish and Kennewick door style, sleek concrete quartz countertop at the main counter and jet black quartz countertop at the island, stainless steel and glass pendant lighting, recessed ceiling detail | Photo: CAGE Design Build

The Madison

Suma Design and Construction

Large island, Sea Pearl Quartzite, walnut cabinet, floor to ceiling alder cabinets with matte glass backsplash. Ceiling is walnut inlay with LED lighting.

Morrison's Kitchen

Done Renovations

Isaac Brown
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Houston with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, matchstick tile splashback, with island and white floor.

Modern Galley Kitchen Design

Normandy Remodeling

These high gloss white cabinets are the perfect compliment to the single bowl sink. The black porcelain tile floor is low maintenance and a great touch to the minimalist look of the space. For more on Normandy Designer Chris Ebert, click here: http://www.normandyremodeling.com/designers/christopher-ebert/

Lennon-Kitchen

RemodelWest

Scott Dubose
This is an example of a contemporary u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, brown splashback, matchstick tile splashback and panelled appliances.

ranch home with spunky style

Sustainable Home

The kitchen area is open to the living room. The star lights are a romantic touch, they are similar to the ones at the mansion where this young couple was married. Ken Gutmaker

Open Dining/Kitchen to LR

Key Residential

Edmondson Remodel Dining/Kitchen - After Photography: Vaughan Creative Media
This is an example of a contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Dallas with stainless steel appliances, matchstick tile splashback, beige splashback, medium wood cabinets, flat-panel cabinets, an integrated sink and quartzite benchtops.

Sleek Kitchen

Fredman Design Group

With warm tones, rift-cut oak cabinetry and custom-paneled Thermador appliances, this contemporary kitchen is an open and gracious galley-style format that enables multiple cooks to comfortably share the space.

Making a Splash Kitchen

Spaces Into Places LLC

Making great use of a tall ceiling height with stacked cabinets, the clean lines and colorful glass tile, along with linoleum flooring and stainless accents make a small kitchen feel extra special. Slide-out hood keeps the profile sleek and modern.

Mesa Residence

Jessica Risko Smith Interior Design

Photos by Emily Hagopian
Inspiration for a large contemporary eat-in kitchen in Santa Barbara with stainless steel appliances, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, matchstick tile splashback, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Cloud Residence

Ana Williamson Architect

David Wakely Photography While we appreciate your love for our work, and interest in our projects, we are unable to answer every question about details in our photos. Please send us a private message if you are interested in our architectural services on your next project.

Warren Drive 2

Rossington Architecture

Open Homes Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with glass-front cabinets, a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, matchstick tile splashback, panelled appliances and multi-coloured splashback.

Warren Drive 2

Rossington Architecture

Open Homes Photography
Design ideas for a contemporary u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with glass-front cabinets, panelled appliances, a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, matchstick tile splashback and multi-coloured splashback.

Chatham Hills - Modern Prairie

Old Town Design Group

With a more modern styled kitchen and plenty of counter space, the pale cabinets finish this kitchen with a sophisticated flair. Photo Credit: Tom Graham

Anastasia

Maximus Development Inc.

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sacramento with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, matchstick tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Contemporary Kitchen with Matchstick Tile Splashback 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!