Inspiration for a contemporary galley kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, blue splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Cambridge Kitchen and Breakfast Nook

Leah Ward Interiors

Traditional white marble New England kitchen with walnut wood island and bronze fixtures for added warmth. Photo: Michael J Lee Photography
Inspiration for a traditional kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, marble splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and wood benchtops.

A Designer's Dream Home

RLH Studio

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, light hardwood floors, with island, marble benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Palisades

Anne Rae Design

Small modern kitchen in San Diego with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, cement tiles, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Modern DC Kitchen

Haus Interior Design

These terrific clients turned a boring 80's kitchen into a modern, Asian-inspired chef's dream kitchen, with two tone cabinetry and professional grade appliances. An over-sized island provides comfortable seating for four. Custom Half-wall bookcases divide the kitchen from the family room without impeding sight lines into the inviting space. Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg

White Subway Tiles and Hexagon Tiles Kitchen

Fireclay Tile

White square subway tile and Antique hexagon floor, this craftsmen kitchen spotlights the perfect balance of shape and pattern. Tile Shown: 4x4 in Calcite; 8" Hexagon in Antique

Organic Modern Mountain Home

Living Stone Design + Build

Inspiration for a large country open plan kitchen in Other with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, window splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Contemporary Rolling Hills Kitchen

In the Deets

Light and bright contemporary kitchen featuring white custom cabinetry, large island, dual-tone gray subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, and a matching laundry room.

Classic Kitchen

Modern Nest

This home was a sweet 30's bungalow in the West Hollywood area. We flipped the kitchen and the dining room to allow access to the ample backyard. The design of the space was inspired by Manhattan's pre war apartments, refined and elegant.

Oaklyn Homestead

SG23 Design

View of range and open shelving.
Photo of a mid-sized eclectic l-shaped separate kitchen in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, no island, beige floor and black benchtop.

Cooktop & Hood with Glossy Sage Green Backsplash Tile

Cynthia J. Hoffman Interior Design, Inc.

Island with sage green subway tile full height backsplash, offers a dramatic backdrop for the stainless steel cooktop and hood. Large, deep drawers provide storage for pots and pans.

Farmhouse

ARDIN interior design

Photo of a country galley kitchen in Charleston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, black splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Kitchen

Arch Studio, Inc.

California Ranch Farmhouse Style Design 2020
This is an example of a large country open plan kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Coastal Bungalow - Jackon's Grant on Williams Creek

Old Town Design Group

Mid-sized transitional single-wall kitchen in Indianapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, white appliances, vinyl floors, with island, multi-coloured floor and white benchtop.

Wynnewood Garden Kitchen

Airy Kitchens

Photo of a mid-sized eclectic l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, green floor and black benchtop.

White Kitchen with Reclaimed Wood Accents and Dash of Blue

Normandy Remodeling

This white painted kitchen features a splash of color in the blue backsplash tile and reclaimed wood beams that add more character and a focal point to the entire kitchen.

Modern Farmhouse Kitchen

Julie Coppa Designs, Inc.

photography by Jennifer Hughes
Inspiration for a large country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and shaker cabinets.

Long Beach Condo

Soko Design

This is an example of a small transitional galley kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances and white benchtop.

Kitchen Before and After in New City, NY

Luxury Kitchen & Bath

Inspiration for a small transitional u-shaped kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, a peninsula, grey floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

1902 Historic Kitchen & Pantry Alamo Heights Remodel

Haven Design and Construction

This 1902 San Antonio home was beautiful both inside and out, except for the kitchen, which was dark and dated. The original kitchen layout consisted of a breakfast room and a small kitchen separated by a wall. There was also a very small screened in porch off of the kitchen. The homeowners dreamed of a light and bright new kitchen and that would accommodate a 48" gas range, built in refrigerator, an island and a walk in pantry. At first, it seemed almost impossible, but with a little imagination, we were able to give them every item on their wish list. We took down the wall separating the breakfast and kitchen areas, recessed the new Subzero refrigerator under the stairs, and turned the tiny screened porch into a walk in pantry with a gorgeous blue and white tile floor. The french doors in the breakfast area were replaced with a single transom door to mirror the door to the pantry. The new transoms make quite a statement on either side of the 48" Wolf range set against a marble tile wall. A lovely banquette area was created where the old breakfast table once was and is now graced by a lovely beaded chandelier. Pillows in shades of blue and white and a custom walnut table complete the cozy nook. The soapstone island with a walnut butcher block seating area adds warmth and character to the space. The navy barstools with chrome nailhead trim echo the design of the transoms and repeat the navy and chrome detailing on the custom range hood. A 42" Shaws farmhouse sink completes the kitchen work triangle. Off of the kitchen, the small hallway to the dining room got a facelift, as well. We added a decorative china cabinet and mirrored doors to the homeowner's storage closet to provide light and character to the passageway. After the project was completed, the homeowners told us that "this kitchen was the one that our historic house was always meant to have." There is no greater reward for what we do than that.

Green Kitchen with Shaker Cabinets 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!