Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback and stone tile splashback.

The Green Kitchen

CustomMade.com

A complete painted poplar kitchen. The owners like drawers and this kitchen has fifteen of them, dovetailed construction with heavy duty soft-closing undermount drawer slides. The range is built into the slate-topped island, the back of which cantilevers over twin bookcases to form a comfortable breakfast bar. Against the wall, more large drawer sections and a sink cabinet are topped by a reclaimed spruce countertop with breadboard end. Open shelving above allows for colorful display of tableware.

Old world elegance meets today's today's contemporary space requirements

Marlene Wangenheim AKBD, CAPS, Allied Member ASID

Traditional separate kitchen in Newark with panelled appliances, an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, green cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone tile splashback and travertine floors.

Find the right local pro for your project

Find top design and renovation professionals on Houzz

San Francisco Kitchen Redux

Justrich Design

Photos by James Hall Photography http://jameshallphotography.zenfolio.com/

Traditional Kitchen

Design ideas for a traditional l-shaped kitchen in Cincinnati with beaded inset cabinets, stainless steel appliances, a drop-in sink, white cabinets, laminate benchtops, white splashback and subway tile splashback.

Battersea House

Brian O'Tuama Architects

Ed Park
Contemporary kitchen in London.

Moody Blues

Sealy Design Inc.

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen in Toronto with mosaic tile splashback, blue splashback, shaker cabinets, white cabinets and quartz benchtops.

French Country Kitchen

UB Kitchens - Kitchen Design and Cabinets

Photo of a separate kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, white cabinets and white splashback.

Orinda Modern

Canyon Design Build

Architect: Jarvis Architects Photography: Indivar Sivanathan
Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink.

Jill

Whitney Lyons

Whitney Lyons © 2012 Houzz
Photo of a contemporary kitchen in Portland with stainless steel appliances.

mango design co

mango design co provided interior design services to rize.ca for a multi-unit residential project at broadway & quebec street in vancouver. this display suite shows a sample interior and eclectic interior styling to reflect the artistic bent of the mount pleasant neighbourhood. while we wanted to keep things fresh & modern, shaker style cabinets were chosen to show some heritage roots. furnishings from a number of local sources including design house, mint, fullhouse, bombast and attic treasures. photography by eric saczuk of spacehoggraphics.com

Unfolding Apartment

Michael K Chen Architecture

Photo of a modern open plan kitchen in New York with stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets and blue cabinets.

Whole Home Remodel, Chevy Chase, MD

CARNEMARK design + build

AN OPEN HEART. The kitchen area grew to become the hub of the home, easily accessed from all areas of the house. Classic cherry cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, a honed limestone countertop and a lively tile backsplash of recycled glass are showpieces in this new family center. The backsplash, like the cork floor, makes a sustainable statement. Photography by Morgan Howarth

Barrington Kitchen

User

Traditional kitchen in Chicago with glass-front cabinets and brown benchtop.

New Look for An Exclusive Coastal Residence

GDC Construction

The Mediterranean-style kitchen features custom cabinets by Inplace studio, marble countertops and reclaimed French stone.
This is an example of a large mediterranean u-shaped separate kitchen in San Diego with panelled appliances, beige cabinets, an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, marble benchtops, beige splashback, stone tile splashback, marble floors, with island and brown floor.

Painted Kitchen

Kenzer Furniture

Inspiration for a traditional kitchen in New York with stainless steel appliances, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback and subway tile splashback.

Contemporary Kitchen

Contemporary kitchen in Cincinnati with a drop-in sink, stainless steel appliances, black cabinets and laminate benchtops.

This new home is a study in eclectic contrasts. The client loves modern design yet still wanted to blend a bit of her southern traditional heritage into the overall feel of her new home. The goal and challenge was to combine functionality in a large space with unique details that spoke to the client’s love of artisitic creativity and rich materials. With 14 foot ceilings the challenge was to not let the kitchen space “underwhelm” the rest of the open floor plan as the kitchen, dining and great room all are part of the larger footprint. To this end, we designed a modern enclosure that allowed additional height and heft to help balance the “weight” of the kitchen with the other areas. The long island designed for entertaining features a custom designed iron “table” housing the microwave drawer and topped with a checkboard endgrain cherry and walnut wood top. This second “island” is part of the rich details that define the kitchen. The upper cabinets have unusual triple ring iron inserts, again, designed for the unexpected use of material richness..along with the antique mirror rather than glass as the background. The platter rack on the end of the left side elevation also replicates the iron using it for the dowels. The panels on the Subzero refrigerator are crafted from burled walnut veneer chosen to echo the browns and blacks throughout much of the furnishings. The client did not want or need a large range as we planned a second ancillary oven for the pantry/laundry space around the corner. When I pointed out the capacity of the Wolf 36 inch range was actually larger than a 30 inch oven, it sealed the deal for only one oven in the main cooking center. We did not want the cooking area to be dwarfed however, so used a custom black cold rolled steel hood that is 60 inches long. The panels on the Sub Zero refrigerator are another blend of eclectic materials. Along the left side cabinetry where the cabinets die into the wall, we chose to run the calcutta gold marble 4x16 stone up the wall and utilize thick glass shelves for some visual interest in this corner. Also, this corner would be tough to access with doors. I liked the prep sink area to feel open and airy as well. This beautiful kitchen is quite unique that combines functionality in a large space with one of a kind details!

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 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!

Homerton Warehouse

Paul Craig Photography

Paul Craig ©Paul Craig 2014 All Rights Reserved. Interior Design - Trunk Creative
Photo of a small industrial u-shaped kitchen in London with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, stainless steel cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and no island.