Photo of a large traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Nashville with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Taylor Residence

John Bynum Custom Homes, Inc.

Inspiration for a large traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Atlanta with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, with island, an undermount sink, granite benchtops and limestone floors.

Kitchen Island and Breakfast Nook

Lauren Shadid Architecture + Interiors

Island color was custom. Countertops are Princess White Quartzite. Light fixtures over island are from Rejuvenation (exact type has been discontinued) Photos by Holly Lepere

Watersound

Design and Dwell Homes LLC

Photo of a mid-sized beach style eat-in kitchen in Miami with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, quartzite benchtops, stone tile splashback and light hardwood floors.

Coffee bar

Lisa Robazza Design

The space under the stairs was made useful as a coffee bar and for overflow storage. Ample lighting and a sink make it useful for entertaining as well. Photos: Dave Remple

New County Road

Signature Interior Designs

White kitchen with stacked wall cabinets, custom range hood, and large island with plenty of seating.
Design ideas for an expansive transitional kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and metallic splashback.

Bails

Annabode Interior Design

Photo of a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Denver with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, grey splashback, mosaic tile splashback and vaulted.

Kitchen Renovations

Revision LLC

This is an example of a large transitional u-shaped kitchen in Minneapolis with grey cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, raised-panel cabinets, a farmhouse sink, solid surface benchtops, brown floor, white benchtop and ceramic splashback.

Edgemont Village New Build 2018/9

McCabe Design & Interiors

Photography by Tracey Ayton
Large contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Vancouver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, white benchtop, white cabinets and beige floor.

Mid century Modern kitchen

Kelly Ann Photography

Beautiful kitchen remodel in a 1950's mis century modern home in Yellow Springs Ohio The Teal accent tile really sets off the bright orange range hood and stove. Photo Credit, Kelly Settle Kelly Ann Photography

Kitchen Project

Santa I Contracting Corp

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and granite benchtops.

Brackenfield Court

BJF Joinery

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary kitchen in Gold Coast - Tweed.

South Bodin Street, Hinsdale

Plain & Posh

This home’s kitchen isn’t large and needed to somehow hold a mudroom area as the detached garage enters into the space. I carefully planned out all storage needs and we were able to add a wide, double door cabinet closet by the back door. The upper area holds coats and clutter. The lower doors have hooks and boot trays for backpacks and shoes. Paneling the Subzero fridge helps with softening the weight of the large appliance, as does the panel on the dishwasher. Little details like the skirt on the toe area and the beautiful hood and island posts make this smaller work space truly special!

A Modern Kitchen for a Retreat in the Woods

Amazing Spaces

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

Oak Hill Addition

The Kingston Group - Remodeling Specialists

Design ideas for a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in Nashville with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and medium hardwood floors.

Cedar Shores Lake Cottage

Jethany Lee, CKD

Open floor plan with kitchen and dining in this lake cottage
Photo of a mid-sized beach style l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Grand Rapids with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Contemporary Kitchen Design Ideas

Everingham Design

Design ideas for a large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Columbus with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Beach Ave

Schulberg Demkiw Architects

Derek Swalwell
Design ideas for a small modern galley kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, medium wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, grey splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island and stainless steel appliances.

Black and White Transitional Kitchen

Studio M Kitchen & Bath

Super sleek statement in white. Sophisticated condo with gorgeous views are reflected in this modern apartment accented in ocean blues. Modern furniture , custom artwork and contemporary cabinetry make this home an exceptional winter escape destination. Lori Hamilton Photography Learn more about our showroom and kitchen and bath design: http://www.mingleteam.com

Seattle Contemporary Waterfront

H2 View

Open format kitchen includes gorgeous custom cabinets, a large underlit island with an induction cooktop and waterfall countertops. Full height slab backsplash and paneled appliances complete the sophisticated design.

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!