Photo of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Geelong with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, white benchtop, wood and grey floor.

Minimalist White and Timber Contemporary Kitchen

Transform-A-Space

A light and bright minimalist design featuring two-pack painted cabinetry to match the clients freshly painted walls, subway tile stack-style, and feature timber components bring warmth into the space. 20mm Caesarstone 'Ocean Foam' benchtops in a polished finish help to reflect overhead light. A small kitchen packed with functionality.

Paddington Terrace

Sonya Vidic Interiors & Styling

Inspiration for a contemporary single-wall kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, grey floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Keon House

Demardi.

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped kitchen pantry in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and vaulted.

Mt Macedon

Lume Architecture

Inspiration for a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Melbourne with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Glengall Rd, Queen's Park, NW6

Huntsmore

Design ideas for a contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in London with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

An Industrial Shaker Kitchen

Sustainable Kitchens

Oak shaker style kitchen painted with Farrow & Ball Down Pipe. The worktop is premium black honed granite. White metro tiles with stainless steel Smeg oven and hood add a perfect industrial touch. The high ceilings have made it possible to have narrower and taller units for extra storage in this small apartment kitchen.

Wedgewood

MMI Design

Photo of a large contemporary open plan kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, travertine floors, multiple islands, beige floor and white benchtop.

Kirkland, Kitchen

TBH Sterling Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen Back Splash

Southern Carpet & Interiors Of Fayetteville, Inc.

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen in Raleigh with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Extension & loft conversion - Palmerston Road

MAC Building Solutions Ltd

Nathalie Priem
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in London with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, black appliances, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Sussex Street Apartment

GRO Architects

Ryan Dausch
This is an example of a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen in New York with flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, a peninsula, an undermount sink, green splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, grey floor, soapstone benchtops and porcelain floors.

Hill Country Modern

Vanguard Studio Inc.

Brian Mihealsick
Photo of a contemporary open plan kitchen in Austin with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and beige floor.

Hammersmith

User

Marc Wilson Photography
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary eat-in kitchen in London with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, blue cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback and with island.

Contemporary Kitchen cabinets with a classic bent

Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry

White Cabinetry - Lakeview door style with Dove White finish on Maple. Gray Cabinetry - Transition 3˝ door style with Carbon finish on Maple.
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped kitchen pantry in Other with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, blue splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Family kitchen

Roundhouse

Roundhouse Urbo handless bespoke matt lacquer kitchen in Farrow & Ball Downpipe. Worksurface and splashback in Corian, Glacier White and on the island in stainless steel. Siemens appliances and Barazza flush / built-in gas hob. Westins ceiling extractor, Franke tap pull out nozzle in stainless steel and Quooker Boiling Water Tap. Evoline Power port pop up socket.

Open Plan Kitchen

Daruma Design Studio

Rei Moon
Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen in London with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, black splashback, subway tile splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Glen Park Residence

Barker Wagoner Architects

Photo by Daren Wagoner
Contemporary kitchen in San Francisco with subway tile splashback, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, white splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Жизнь в цвете

Kutenkovs project

Mid-sized contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in Novosibirsk with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, pink cabinets, laminate benchtops, pink splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, no island and brown benchtop.

Inner city north facing house

Baker Drofenik Architects Pty Ltd

Open kitchen with island bench and feature blackboard wall
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Melbourne with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Contemporary Kitchen with Subway 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!