Photo of an expansive contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Organic Mill Valley

Ann Lowengart Interiors

The three-level Mediterranean revival home started as a 1930s summer cottage that expanded downward and upward over time. We used a clean, crisp white wall plaster with bronze hardware throughout the interiors to give the house continuity. A neutral color palette and minimalist furnishings create a sense of calm restraint. Subtle and nuanced textures and variations in tints add visual interest. The stair risers from the living room to the primary suite are hand-painted terra cotta tile in gray and off-white. We used the same tile resource in the kitchen for the island's toe kick.

Raised Panel, White Cabinet Kitchen with Oversize Island, Hand Hewn Ceiling Beam

Orren Pickell Building Group

Linda Oyama Bryan, photographer Raised panel, white cabinet kitchen with oversize island, hand hewn ceiling beams, apron front farmhouse sink and calcutta gold countertops. Dark, distressed hardwood floors. Two pendant lights.

Secluded in the City | West Linn Custom Home

Mountainwood Homes

The custom shaker kitchen cabinets are Cherry with a Light Gray stain.
Inspiration for an expansive transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Celadon Green Transitional

Kitchen Magic

Celadon Green and Walnut kitchen combination. Quartz countertop and farmhouse sink complete the Transitional style.
Expansive transitional galley kitchen in Boston with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Marietta "Modern Farmhouse" Kitchen

INTERIORS BY ABRAHAM

We created a Grand space for entertaining and giving more storage space and hanging out space by creating an Open Kitchen & Breakfast Area. We made it all cohesive to Design by bringing in Modern Farmhouse details such as the wood work and Decorative ShipLap & "X" Desigins on Island and Table enough for 8 people. White Cabinetry with Gold Accent Hardware and Industrial Wall Sconces & Hanging Table Pendants gives this Kitchen the Bling it needs. We added a Wetbar Space for the Husband to entertain guests and never sacrificed Design.

Tonal Harmony Kitchen

Drewett Works

With adjacent neighbors within a fairly dense section of Paradise Valley, Arizona, C.P. Drewett sought to provide a tranquil retreat for a new-to-the-Valley surgeon and his family who were seeking the modernism they loved though had never lived in. With a goal of consuming all possible site lines and views while maintaining autonomy, a portion of the house — including the entry, office, and master bedroom wing — is subterranean. This subterranean nature of the home provides interior grandeur for guests but offers a welcoming and humble approach, fully satisfying the clients requests. While the lot has an east-west orientation, the home was designed to capture mainly north and south light which is more desirable and soothing. The architecture’s interior loftiness is created with overlapping, undulating planes of plaster, glass, and steel. The woven nature of horizontal planes throughout the living spaces provides an uplifting sense, inviting a symphony of light to enter the space. The more voluminous public spaces are comprised of stone-clad massing elements which convert into a desert pavilion embracing the outdoor spaces. Every room opens to exterior spaces providing a dramatic embrace of home to natural environment. Grand Award winner for Best Interior Design of a Custom Home The material palette began with a rich, tonal, large-format Quartzite stone cladding. The stone’s tones gaveforth the rest of the material palette including a champagne-colored metal fascia, a tonal stucco system, and ceilings clad with hemlock, a tight-grained but softer wood that was tonally perfect with the rest of the materials. The interior case goods and wood-wrapped openings further contribute to the tonal harmony of architecture and materials. Grand Award Winner for Best Indoor Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home This award-winning project was recognized at the 2020 Gold Nugget Awards with two Grand Awards, one for Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home, and another for Best Interior Design of a One of a Kind or Custom Home. At the 2020 Design Excellence Awards and Gala presented by ASID AZ North, Ownby Design received five awards for Tonal Harmony. The project was recognized for 1st place – Bathroom; 3rd place – Furniture; 1st place – Kitchen; 1st place – Outdoor Living; and 2nd place – Residence over 6,000 square ft. Congratulations to Claire Ownby, Kalysha Manzo, and the entire Ownby Design team. Tonal Harmony was also featured on the cover of the July/August 2020 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design and received a 14-page editorial feature entitled “A Place in the Sun” within the magazine.

Point Loma Addition Remodel

Lars Remodeling & Design

The goal for this Point Loma home was to transform it from the adorable beach bungalow it already was by expanding its footprint and giving it distinctive Craftsman characteristics while achieving a comfortable, modern aesthetic inside that perfectly caters to the active young family who lives here. By extending and reconfiguring the front portion of the home, we were able to not only add significant square footage, but create much needed usable space for a home office and comfortable family living room that flows directly into a large, open plan kitchen and dining area. A custom built-in entertainment center accented with shiplap is the focal point for the living room and the light color of the walls are perfect with the natural light that floods the space, courtesy of strategically placed windows and skylights. The kitchen was redone to feel modern and accommodate the homeowners busy lifestyle and love of entertaining. Beautiful white kitchen cabinetry sets the stage for a large island that packs a pop of color in a gorgeous teal hue. A Sub-Zero classic side by side refrigerator and Jenn-Air cooktop, steam oven, and wall oven provide the power in this kitchen while a white subway tile backsplash in a sophisticated herringbone pattern, gold pulls and stunning pendant lighting add the perfect design details. Another great addition to this project is the use of space to create separate wine and coffee bars on either side of the doorway. A large wine refrigerator is offset by beautiful natural wood floating shelves to store wine glasses and house a healthy Bourbon collection. The coffee bar is the perfect first top in the morning with a coffee maker and floating shelves to store coffee and cups. Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring was selected for use throughout the home, offering the warm feel of hardwood, with the benefits of being waterproof and nearly indestructible - two key factors with young kids! For the exterior of the home, it was important to capture classic Craftsman elements including the post and rock detail, wood siding, eves, and trimming around windows and doors. We think the porch is one of the cutest in San Diego and the custom wood door truly ties the look and feel of this beautiful home together.

Historical Fremont Remodel

TreHus Architects+Interior Designers+Builders

This is an example of an expansive transitional single-wall eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, blue cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, blue benchtop and shaker cabinets.

Transitional Kitchen

Inspiration for an expansive transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Villandry Circle

Hills & Grant

Photo: Lisa Petrole
This is an example of an expansive contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, porcelain floors, with island, grey floor, medium wood cabinets, panelled appliances and white benchtop.

Kings Point Residence: Traditional Custom Kitchen & Millwork

Teoria Interiors

Custom two-tone traditional kitchen designed and fabricated by Teoria Interiors for a beautiful Kings Point residence. Photography by Chris Veith
Design ideas for an expansive traditional u-shaped open plan kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, ceramic floors, multiple islands and beige floor.

Kitchen Remodels

USI Design & Remodeling

This is an example of an expansive traditional kitchen in Dallas with ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, with island and dark hardwood floors.

Powers Lake Retreat

Thelen Total Construction

The cabinets are maple with a pewter glaze. The expansive serving bar island is great place to start the cocktail party! The other side of it includes an ice maker, wine chiller fridge, refrigerator drawer for cold snacks and a warming drawer to keep the hot hor d' ouevres warm.

Federal Home Restoration

Arnold Lumber Company

This historic home in Westerly, RI, features Boulevard Doors in Maple with a designer white finish Counter top: LG La Viatera, Minuet Designer Credit: Lauren Burnap

Sylvan-Highlands, kitchen

Smithcraft Fine Construction

Mid-mod kitchen renovation featuring Clayhaus Ceramic's assorted circles.
This is an example of an expansive midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in Portland with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Traditional Kitchen

Expansive traditional eat-in kitchen in Portland with glass-front cabinets, stainless steel appliances, granite benchtops, a single-bowl sink, white cabinets, white splashback, ceramic splashback, dark hardwood floors and multiple islands.

Kitchen

Martin Bros. Contracting, Inc.

Expansive custom kitchen includes a large main kitchen, breakfast room, separate chef's kitchen, and a large walk-in pantry. Vaulted ceiling with exposed beams shows the craftsmanship of the timber framing. Custom cabinetry and metal range hoods by Ayr Cabinet Company, Nappanee. Design by InDesign, Charlevoix. General Contracting by Martin Bros. Contracting, Inc.; Architectural Drawings by James S. Bates, Architect; Design by InDesign; Photography by Marie Martin Kinney.

Parker House

Monika Ross

Inspiration for an expansive scandinavian l-shaped open plan kitchen in Dallas with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Tweed Berwick

Hello Kitchen

Inspiration for an expansive transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Expansive Kitchen with Ceramic 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 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!