THE SETUP Once these empty nest homeowners decided to stay put, they knew a new kitchen was in order. Passionate about cooking, entertaining, and hosting holiday gatherings, they found their existing kitchen inadequate. The space, with its traditional style and outdated layout, was far from ideal. They longed for an elegant, timeless kitchen that was not only show-stopping but also functional, seamlessly catering to both their daily routines and special occasions with friends and family. Another key factor was its future appeal to potential buyers, as they’re ready to enjoy their new kitchen while also considering downsizing in the future. Design Objectives: Create a more streamlined, open space Eliminate traditional elements Improve flow for entertaining and everyday use Omit dated posts and soffits Include storage for small appliances to keep counters clutter-free Address mail organization and phone charging concerns THE REMODEL Design Challenges: Compensate for lost storage from omitted wall cabinets Revise floorplan to feature a single, spacious island Enhance island seating proximity for a more engaging atmosphere Address awkward space above existing built-ins Improve natural light blocked by wall cabinet near the window Create a highly functional space tailored for entertaining Design Solutions: Tall cabinetry and pull-outs maximize storage efficiency A generous single island promotes seamless flow and ample prep space Strategic island seating arrangement fosters easy conversation New built-ins fill arched openings, ensuring a custom, clutter-free look Replace wall cabinet with lighted open shelves for an airy feel Galley Dresser and Workstation offer impeccable organization and versatility, creating the perfect setup for entertaining with everything easily accessible. THE RENEWED SPACE The new kitchen exceeded every expectation, thrilling the clients with its revitalized, expansive design and thoughtful functionality. The transformation brought to life an open space adorned with marble accents, a state-of-the-art steam oven, and the seamless integration of the Galley Dresser, crafting a kitchen not just to be used, but to be cherished. This is more than a culinary space; it’s a new heart of their home, ready to host countless memories and culinary adventures.

Kitchen remoeling Wheatherstone

YB Interiors, LLC

pantry
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen pantry in Atlanta with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback, panelled appliances, a peninsula and grey benchtop.

Riverbend Guest House - Green With Character

Jarrett Design

Photo of a small country l-shaped separate kitchen in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, soapstone benchtops, black splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, laminate floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Campbell Kitchen

Stumpff HomeWorks, LLC

Design ideas for a mid-sized arts and crafts galley eat-in kitchen in Kansas City with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Bernese Farmhouse

Colossus Mfg.

Kitchen with large island, grey veiny countertops, leather bar stools, under mount grey sink with black matte faucet, oversized white fabric and iron pendants, white cabinetry with black matte hardware, cream subway tile backsplash, and custom made iron hood.

Striking Beauty

Pink Door Designs

Rich, warm yet strikingly beautiful! This kitchen got a major overhaul with its oversized island housing a pre-sing, wine fridge, and tons of storage. Relocation of the refractor to make way for the gourmet range alongside the existing window framed sink. This kitchen is "L" shaped and has a hidden pantry built-in behind the fridge.

2022 NARI CotY Award-Winning Residential Kitchens $100,001 to $150,000

National Association of the Remodeling Industry

Magnolia Waco Properties, LLC dba Magnolia Homes, Waco, Texas, 2022 Regional CotY Award Winner, Residential Kitchen $100,001 to $150,000
Small country l-shaped separate kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, shiplap splashback, white appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured benchtop and timber.

Cliffside Farmhouse // Modern Farmhouse

Younger Homes

Photo of a mid-sized country u-shaped kitchen pantry in Austin with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and timber.

Tualatin Light & Airy

Northland Design & Build

Traditional kitchen in Portland with shaker cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and white benchtop.

Modern Farmhouse Kitchen

Kowalske Kitchen & Bath

Creating a space to entertain was the top priority in this Mukwonago kitchen remodel. The homeowners wanted seating and counter space for hosting parties and watching sports. By opening the dining room wall, we extended the kitchen area. We added an island and custom designed furniture-style bar cabinet with retractable pocket doors. A new awning window overlooks the backyard and brings in natural light. Many in-cabinet storage features keep this kitchen neat and organized. Bar Cabinet The furniture-style bar cabinet has retractable pocket doors and a drop-in quartz counter. The homeowners can entertain in style, leaving the doors open during parties. Guests can grab a glass of wine or make a cocktail right in the cabinet. Outlet Strips Outlet strips on the island and peninsula keeps the end panels of the island and peninsula clean. The outlet strips also gives them options for plugging in appliances during parties. Modern Farmhouse Design The design of this kitchen is modern farmhouse. The materials, patterns, color and texture define this space. We used shades of golds and grays in the cabinetry, backsplash and hardware. The chevron backsplash and shiplap island adds visual interest. Custom Cabinetry This kitchen features frameless custom cabinets with light rail molding. It’s designed to hide the under cabinet lighting and angled plug molding. Putting the outlets under the cabinets keeps the backsplash uninterrupted. Storage Features Efficient storage and organization was important to these homeowners. We opted for deep drawers to allow for easy access to stacks of dishes and bowls. Under the cooktop, we used custom drawer heights to meet the homeowners’ storage needs. A third drawer was added next to the spice drawer rollout. Narrow pullout cabinets on either side of the cooktop for spices and oils. The pantry rollout by the double oven rotates 90 degrees. Other Updates Staircase – We updated the staircase with a barn wood newel post and matte black balusters Fireplace – We whitewashed the fireplace and added a barn wood mantel and pilasters.

Modern Kitchen

Inspiration for a large modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain floors, with island, grey floor, white benchtop and engineered quartz splashback.

Cindy Blair - Kitchen & Master Bathroom Remodel

Anderson & Rodgers Construction

Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury u-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Mercer Island Kitchen Remodel

Mount Baker Remodeling

A contemporary kitchen remodel with custom Shaker cabinets, quarts countertops, farmhouse sink, island stove-top with flush-mounted range hood, large globe pendant lighting, manufactured hardwood flooring, and large bays windows providing lots of natural light and full view of the back yard.

Fairlight 03

Watershed Architects

Photo of a large contemporary galley kitchen pantry in Sydney with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Blue and White Two-Toned Kitchen

Paper Moon Painting

Blue and white kitchen cabinets in this updated, sophisticated modern farmhouse kitchen. We painted the lower cabinets in Sherwin Williams "Anchors Aweigh" and the upper cabinets in Sherwin Williams "Pure White".

Dark Grey & Bronze handleless kitchen Milton Keynes

Lima Kitchens

This 4m x 1.4m section of Dekton worktop is just beautiful whilst being very low maintenance and hard wearing.
Inspiration for a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Buckinghamshire with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, panelled appliances, with island, grey floor and grey benchtop.

White Cabinets

Everingham Design

Mid-sized traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Columbus with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, coloured appliances and white benchtop.

Templeton Ave Kitchen Remodel

ReVision Design/Remodeling

A counter height peninsula provides more workable surface area and opens the kitchen to the breakfast room. The back wall of counter to ceiling cabinetry provides ample storage reducing clutter. © Lassiter Photography.

Modern Santiago

Chelsea Lauren Interiors

Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartzite benchtops, black splashback, stone tile splashback, panelled appliances, cement tiles, multiple islands, grey floor, black cabinets and grey benchtop.

A Naturally Modern Kitchen Remodel

Bobbi Alderfer/Lifestyle Design

Adding lighting above the sink is always a must but finding a unique and stylish way to do it can be a challenge. These 3 wall sconces fill the space with the perfect amount of light and balance the windows well. Mixing metal finishes was something this client was on board with and they all work together here.

All Cabinet Styles 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!