Kitchen Design Ideas
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!
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- Glass Tile (76389)
- Stone Slab (48000)
- Mosaic Tile (46407)
- Porcelain Tile (45393)
- Glass Sheet (38360)
- Marble (24881)
- Matchstick Tile (13883)
- Metal Tile (8239)
- Cement Tile (7697)
- Mirror (6368)
- Wood (5589)
- Brick (5549)
- Travertine (4220)
- Terracotta Tile (2998)
- Window (2524)
- Limestone (1739)
- Slate (1268)
- Medium Hardwood (245612)
- Light Hardwood (141051)
- Dark Hardwood (137173)
- Porcelain Tile (84787)
- Ceramic Tile (77772)
- Concrete (17407)
- Vinyl (17041)
- Travertine (16765)
- Laminate (10809)
- Marble (9170)
- Limestone (8990)
- Slate (8394)
- Terracotta Tile (6334)
- Linoleum (5372)
- Cement Tile (4410)
- Bamboo (4266)
- Cork (3280)
- Painted Wood (2929)
- Brick (1521)
- Plywood (1112)
- Terrazzo (502)
- Carpet (299)
Tom Ferguson
Photo of a modern galley kitchen in Sydney with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, an island and grey benchtop.
White kitchen with colourful objects - tamsinlouise
Photo: Maegan Brown
Photo of a contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Melbourne with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, an island and grey benchtop.
white cupboards
grey bench - sharon_robinson38
Scott Burrow Photography
Design ideas for a contemporary open plan kitchen in Sunshine Coast with flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, window splashback, panelled appliances, an island, beige floor and white benchtop.
Ian Colley Photography
This is an example of a contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Brisbane with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, window splashback, dark hardwood floors, an island, brown floor and beige benchtop.
Photographer: Fenella Calelli
This is an example of a large beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sydney with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, subway tile splashback, brown benchtop, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, multiple islands and brown floor.
island bench with above storage - kristof_kennedy
Popular Filters to Try:
Clever re-configuration was integral in the transformation of this generic apartment kitchen into a generous, ‘house-sized’ entertaining area. The lightbulb moment was to ‘waste’ space in order to create more – by pulling the kitchen joinery forward, a previously blank wall and awkwardly sized cupboards became an expanse of sleek, maximised storage, with deep drawers and built-in elements. The new kitchen system allowed us to treat the whole 5.3m wide apartment as ‘kitchen’, giving the clients – serious cooks and entertainers – a 2.5m island bench, that simultaneously works as a partition between the kitchen and dining/living areas. The cooktop was liberated from the back wall, finding a new position that allows the cook to interact with guests without turning around. Bathed in Corian, the rangehood merges seamlessly into the splashback, bench tops and sides, creating a visual and tactile flow from one area to another.
From this island bench ‘cockpit’, a beautiful expanse of new oak, engineered-timber floors stretches out into the dining and living areas, continuing up and around the re-configured ‘snug’ that houses the study. The rich warmth of this private space offsets the sleek whiteness of the kitchen and living areas, and allows for privacy while retaining visual connection to the other spaces.
Small spaces can be fantastic, and maximizing the functionality of every component in this home was a satisfying challenge.
Photography: Nexus Designs
Pendant - christopher_johnston40
Jarrad Duffy Photography
Photo of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen in Sydney with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and an island.
Use this pattern as splashback rather than under bench - sumi4759
D-Max Photography
Photo of a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Perth with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors and an island.
dark melamine around cupboards and drawers with light benchtop - leanne_holland51
Tatjana Pllitt
This is an example of a contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, an island, white benchtop, grey cabinets and brown floor.
wood shelf inline with rangehood and match it with island - tannemaree
Contemporary kitchen in Sydney.
Table in kitchen instead of island - kaitlinstoddard
Photo of a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Brisbane with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, an island, an undermount sink, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors and grey floor.
Keep coming back to warmth of timber with neutral colour palette - lelljp1959
The interior design aesthetic for this kitchen was sleek and modern. A strong palette of black, charcoal and white. Sleek concrete Caesarstone bench tops, recycled timber island bar back. VJ cladding and a porcelain sheet splash back. Black sink and tap wear. Built by Robert Paragalli, R.E.P Building. Joinery by Impact Joinery. Wall cladding by Joe Whitfield. Photography by Hcreations.
Wood and gray - webuser_139976047
Katherine Lu
Design ideas for a contemporary galley separate kitchen in Sydney with a drop-in sink, open cabinets, red cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, an island, brown floor and brown benchtop.
Microwave under bench next to oven - webuser_82951915
This is an example of a contemporary galley kitchen in Canberra - Queanbeyan with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, window splashback, an island, grey floor and grey benchtop.
Inspiration for a contemporary galley kitchen in Melbourne with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances and an island.
Wooden cupboards... updo/paint later?? Need to not have too much timber though... - cheryl_ross46
D-max
This is an example of a large traditional l-shaped kitchen in Perth with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, an island, white benchtop, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, an undermount sink and panelled appliances.
floor and chairs- blue cushions standout - annie_banbury
Live by the Sea Photography
Interior Design - House to Home Design
Design ideas for a contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, black cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and an island.
Fireplace and TV ... integration with Kitchen cabinets - webuser_714048358
Tom Ferguson
Contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island, grey floor and grey benchtop.
grey cabinets combined with floating shelf - webuser_358350540