Inspiration for a small contemporary open plan kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, medium wood cabinets, terrazzo benchtops, pink splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and pink benchtop.

Summer Hill Complete Renovation & Restoration

Denby Dowling Interiors

The brief was to restore the home to its former glory whilst accommodating existing cherished furnishings, to include the Chesterfield sofa, coffee table, dining table & chairs, Persian rug & hall runners. To make the quirky furnishings work with the Victorian restoration I balanced bold colours & textures with more traditional flooring & timber veneer colours throughout the home. The kitchen pendant light is a custom designed piece in collaboration with Magins Lighting. The orange splash back tiles (hand made through DeLorenzo Tiles) compliment the dining & lounge floor rugs & balance the room. The blue grout - the icing on the eclectic cake!

Hemp Home

Samuel Architecture

Open plan kitchen design with highlight windows above and stunning reclaimed timber used for the kitchen joinery of our Hemp House project
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary open plan kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, green cabinets, white splashback, porcelain splashback, black appliances, with island and vaulted.

Auntie's Hut

4305design

Design ideas for a contemporary open plan kitchen in Brisbane.

Periscope House

Mihaly Slocombe

Periscope House draws light into a young family’s home, adding thoughtful solutions and flexible spaces to 1950s Art Deco foundations. Our clients engaged us to undertake a considered extension to their character-rich home in Malvern East. They wanted to celebrate their home’s history while adapting it to the needs of their family, and future-proofing it for decades to come. The extension’s form meets with and continues the existing roofline, politely emerging at the rear of the house. The tones of the original white render and red brick are reflected in the extension, informing its white Colorbond exterior and selective pops of red throughout. Inside, the original home’s layout has been reimagined to better suit a growing family. Once closed-in formal dining and lounge rooms were converted into children’s bedrooms, supplementing the main bedroom and a versatile fourth room. Grouping these rooms together has created a subtle definition of zones: private spaces are nestled to the front, while the rear extension opens up to shared living areas. A tailored response to the site, the extension’s ground floor addresses the western back garden, and first floor (AKA the periscope) faces the northern sun. Sitting above the open plan living areas, the periscope is a mezzanine that nimbly sidesteps the harsh afternoon light synonymous with a western facing back yard. It features a solid wall to the west and a glass wall to the north, emulating the rotation of a periscope to draw gentle light into the extension. Beneath the mezzanine, the kitchen, dining, living and outdoor spaces effortlessly overlap. Also accessible via an informal back door for friends and family, this generous communal area provides our clients with the functionality, spatial cohesion and connection to the outdoors they were missing. Melding modern and heritage elements, Periscope House honours the history of our clients’ home while creating light-filled shared spaces – all through a periscopic lens that opens the home to the garden.

Eltham South

User

Inspiration for an expansive contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with beige splashback, with island, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, beige floor and beige benchtop.

Curl Curl 04

Watershed Architects

Contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Sydney with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor, grey benchtop and exposed beam.

Blue Kitchen with Terrazzo Benchtops

Improva

A kitchen that combines sleek modern design with natural warmth. This beautifully crafted space features a curved island as its centrepiece, creating a dynamic flow that enhances both functionality and aesthetics. The island is clad with elegant terrazzo stone adding a touch of contemporary charm. The combination of the Dulux Albeit-coloured joinery and the Milano oak wall cabinets creates a captivating interplay of colours and textures, elevating the visual impact of the kitchen.

Pi_Pad

Mcmahon and Nerlich

Light filled kitchen and dining space, with bespoke dining table and featuring Australian artists.
Mid-sized contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, green splashback, glass sheet splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Hindley & Co - Kitchen

Hindley & Co Architecture & Interior Design

Blue-green and white kitchen with timber details. recessed pull handles and kickers in contrasting colours.
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, solid surface benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Central Residence

Dylan Barber Building Design

Design ideas for a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Geelong with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, engineered quartz splashback, concrete floors, with island and grey floor.

Kitchen | Project Coolum

desculpto

This kitchen design effortlessly marries reimagined traditional elements with a touch of postmodern flair, crafting a truly one-of-a-kind and personalized space. One cannot help but be drawn to the unique brushed brass rangehood, a true hero piece in this design. It not only adds a powerful stroke of creativity but also serves as a sturdy anchor, grounding the entire space with its commanding presence.

Kitchen with Bronzed Mirror Splashbacks

Nouvelle Kitchens & Bathrooms

This is an example of a small contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Sydney with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula and beige benchtop.

Warriewood Kitchen + Laundry

Northern Beaches Kitchens and Bathrooms

Small contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Sydney with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and beige splashback.

Well Tempered House

Green Sheep Collective

Tempering light, heat, privacy and security by way of a dynamic facade, this Well Tempered House offers an energy efficient response to a narrow inner-Melbourne site. The renovation and extension has created a healthy, thermally comfortable home that takes advantage of its position on a north-facing laneway to enhance the lifestyles of our clients, a couple of young professionals. With the thoughtful combination of a naturally heated thermal mass slab, a high level of insulation, adjustable shading, natural light and cross-ventilation, this beautiful home will maintain a comfortable temperature with minimal energy consumption year in, year out.

The Bromley

& Dalecki

Design ideas for a contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Perth with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, white appliances, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Scandinavian White Kitchen with Fluted Paneling

Western Cabinets

Large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Perth with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, porcelain splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Full House Renovation - Mermaid Waters

Verto Kitchens

Contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Gold Coast - Tweed with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, exposed beam, timber and vaulted.

Wicklow Project

Sell In Style

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary open plan kitchen in Brisbane with with island.

Camberwell Basement and Extension

5D Builders Pty Ltd

Photo of a contemporary galley open plan kitchen with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, panelled appliances, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Contemporary Open Plan 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 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!