This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Montreal with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and timber.

New Recycled Brick House

Baker Drofenik Architects Pty Ltd

Contemporary home for young family in inner city
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor, white benchtop and timber.

Outdoor Kitchen with Muros Schist Cladding

Atkinson's Innovative Interiors

Outdoor kitchen by the pool with barbecue and pizza oven, Caeserstone and stainless steel benchtops, laminated black ply fronts and Muros schist cladding

Bright and Airy Kitchen with Wooden Accent | Seattle, WA

United Signature Tacoma

The ultimate design goal was to create a functional open, contemporary kitchen. The design features included the addition of under-cabinet lights, multiple switches for the lights, and all on dimmers, t least one switch for recessed lights, one for under cabinet lights, one for pendant light above the island, etc. It features a farm-style kitchen sink, a sensor faucet that you touch to turn on and off, and a button next to the sink with a smart garbage disposal function. Eternal Statuario Polished Quartz was utilized for the kitchen countertop, while Subway tile was chosen for the kitchen backsplash. As for the floating shelf, a stylish butcher block was added.

North Coast Beach House - Kitchen, Living

Rev Design Studio

Photo of a large contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Gold Coast - Tweed with a double-bowl sink, black cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and timber.

Gamma Beta

Josh Wynne Construction

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Tampa with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor, white benchtop and timber.

Contemporary Red Black & White Kitchen Design

MS3DSTUDIO

Hi everyone: My contemporary kitchen design ready to work as B2B with interior designers www.mscreationandmore.com/services
Design ideas for a large contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in Cleveland with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances, plywood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and timber.

Telluride Retreat

Jensen Design

White painted kitchen with dark blue island. Paneled appliances and plentiful storage. Built-in kegerator in the hallway pantry.
Inspiration for a large contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and timber.

Colourful Yet Calm Family Home - Kitchen

Studio Fabbri

Contemporary kitchen in London with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, pink cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, linoleum floors, with island, green floor, grey benchtop and timber.

Open Shut House

WALA

A central courtyard sits opposite a long and narrow Kitchen island bench to bring light and borrowed greenery into the space. Photo by Dave Kulesza.
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Melbourne with medium hardwood floors, timber, an undermount sink, grey cabinets, marble benchtops, marble splashback, black appliances, with island and white benchtop.

Aqua Verde Residence

Clark Richardson Architects

The breakfast room, with expansive views beyond, features a sitting nook for relaxation.
Inspiration for a large contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and timber.

RENOVATION CUISINE

Atelier de l'aménagement intérieur

Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Bordeaux with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, laminate benchtops, beige splashback, timber splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, beige benchtop and timber.

Vannier Project

LSDesign

Located in the hills of Belmont with beautiful views, we took advantage of the opportunity to make the window the focal point when redesigning this space. Simple changes like removing interior walls helped open up the overall kitchen beyond our clients original expectations.

Contemporary Intracoastal

John McDonald Company

Clean lines and strong contrast accents a contemporary and functional kitchen. Builtin concealed refrigerator, freezer and steam oven Dark wood veneer backsplash and pull out bar table is bold against the white vertical surfaces. The blue water view is quite the bonus

Flinders Flair

Let's Talk Kitchens & Interiors

A contemporary holiday home located on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula featuring rammed earth walls, timber lined ceilings and flagstone floors. This home incorporates strong, natural elements and the joinery throughout features custom, stained oak timber cabinetry and natural limestone benchtops. With a nod to the mid century modern era and a balance of natural, warm elements this home displays a uniquely Australian design style. This home is a cocoon like sanctuary for rejuvenation and relaxation with all the modern conveniences one could wish for thoughtfully integrated.

Buffalo Terrace

Creative Cabinetry Corp

Manufacturer: Bridgewood Wood Species: Island and Perimeter: Knotty Alder Finish: Island-Aged, Perimeter-Onyx Door Style: Deep Shaker Drawer Style: Slab Photos: Joe Kusumoto

Contemporary White & Neutral Cottage Kitchen

Chervin Kitchen & Bath Inc.

A contemporary light kitchen with white painted cabinetry, and natural rift white oak and maple cabinets and drawers.
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Toronto with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, shiplap splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and timber.

New Recycled Brick House

Baker Drofenik Architects Pty Ltd

Contemporary home for young family in inner city
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor, white benchtop and timber.

Rancho da Flórida

Sweet Sparkman Architects

Inspiration for a contemporary galley kitchen in Tampa with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and timber.

Kitchen

Sophie Piesse Architect, PA

Mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Raleigh with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, brown splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor, black benchtop and timber.

Contemporary Kitchen with Timber 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!