Builder: Great Neighborhood Homes Artisan Home Tour 2016
This is an example of a transitional open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, black splashback, light hardwood floors and with island.

Kitchen Remodels

USI Design & Remodeling

Photo of a kitchen renovation feature cabinets finished in Black Licorice and Pure White lacquer. The cabinets are oversized and conceal the appliances with finished wood panels. Unique features include a wall of natural leuders veneer stone with a custom floating ventilation system as a main focal point. Complementing the cabinets are countertops of Satin Cambrian black granite and Honed Calcatta Colorado Marble. Custom hewn wood beams and hand scraped flooring warm the rooms feel against the cool gray walls. Designed and constructed by USI in Southlake Tx.

Evanston Project

Jane Kelly, Kitchen and Bath Designer

Inspiration for a traditional kitchen in Other with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multiple islands and black benchtop.

Luxury in-frame kitchen

First Impressions Kitchens

Constructed from Ash and painted in a satin finish, this Baystone shaker in-frame is a range full of character and charm. The use of ‘Calico’ and ‘Mineral’ units make this kitchen feel light and airy. Bespoke colours used in images: Calico & Mineral. See this kitchen on our website http://firstimpressionskitchens.co.uk/bespoke/baystone/

The Queens Park Kitchen by deVOL

deVOL Kitchens

deVOL Kitchens
Photo of a transitional kitchen in London with glass-front cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Residence in California

Taylor Lombardo Architects

Adrian Gregorutti
This is an example of a traditional u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with stainless steel appliances, wood benchtops, white cabinets, shaker cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback, an undermount sink, with island and dark hardwood floors.

Miller Kitchen

Turan Designs, Inc.

Transitional White Kitchen
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Atlanta with stainless steel appliances, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, a farmhouse sink, multi-coloured splashback, glass tile splashback, porcelain floors, beige floor, with island and green benchtop.

Royal Circus

Stange Kraft

Square foot media
This is an example of a large transitional galley eat-in kitchen in Edinburgh with an integrated sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop, grey splashback and marble splashback.

Blue Sky Thinking

Mowlem & Co

This bespoke ‘Heritage’ hand-painted oak kitchen by Mowlem & Co pays homage to classical English design principles, reinterpreted for a contemporary lifestyle. Created for a period family home in a former rectory in Sussex, the design features a distinctive free-standing island unit in an unframed style, painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Railings’ shade and fitted with Belgian Fossil marble worktops. At one end of the island a reclaimed butchers block has been fitted (with exposed bolts as an accent feature) to serve as both a chopping block and preparation area and an impromptu breakfast bar when needed. Distressed wicker bar stools add to the charming ambience of this warm and welcoming scheme. The framed fitted cabinetry, full height along one wall, are painted in Farrow & Ball ‘Purbeck Stone’ and feature solid oak drawer boxes with dovetail joints to their beautifully finished interiors, which house ample, carefully customised storage. Full of character, from the elegant proportions to the finest details, the scheme includes distinctive latch style handles and a touch of glamour on the form of a sliver leaf glass splashback, and industrial style pendant lamps with copper interiors for a warm, golden glow. Appliances for family that loves to cook include a powerful Westye range cooker, a generous built-in Gaggenau fridge freezer and dishwasher, a bespoke Westin extractor, a Quooker boiling water tap and a KWC Inox spray tap over a Sterling stainless steel sink. Designer Jane Stewart says, “The beautiful old rectory building itself was a key inspiration for the design, which needed to have full contemporary functionality while honouring the architecture and personality of the property. We wanted to pay homage to influences such as the Arts & Crafts movement and Lutyens while making this a unique scheme tailored carefully to the needs and tastes of a busy modern family.”

QuailWood Manor

AKG Design Studio LLC

Large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, beige splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, quartz benchtops and porcelain splashback.

Classic Coastal

Oakley Home Builders

Luxury kitchen
This is an example of a large transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and granite benchtops.

Traditional Kitchen

Expansive traditional eat-in kitchen in Portland with glass-front cabinets, stainless steel appliances, granite benchtops, a single-bowl sink, white cabinets, white splashback, ceramic splashback, dark hardwood floors and multiple islands.

Palmetto Bluff - Private Residence

Linda McDougald Design | Postcard from Paris Home

This lovely home sits in one of the most pristine and preserved places in the country - Palmetto Bluff, in Bluffton, SC. The natural beauty and richness of this area create an exceptional place to call home or to visit. The house lies along the river and fits in perfectly with its surroundings. 4,000 square feet - four bedrooms, four and one-half baths All photos taken by Rachael Boling Photography

French Normandy Kitchen

J. Stephens Interiors

A warm and welcoming kitchen awaits these homeowners every morning. The kitchen was specifically designed to coordinate beautifully with the clients older home which had a very European flavor to it. The warmth and and elegance of the mustard cabinets contrasts with the use the slate and wood floor. New wrought iron fixtures were custom designed to bring in a feeling of old world elegance. Hand done plaster walls received further aging through a combination of a multi layer glaze .

Kitchen

RLH Studio

This is an example of a large traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, marble benchtops and subway tile splashback.

Whitaker Street Condo

Ellsworth Design Build

The kitchen area was originally two spaces. The area in the foreground was a butlers pantry/ breakfast room that had been converted to a laundry room. The Kitchen was the area by the window, roughly 8' x 8' and completely cut off from the rest of the house. The island sits on what had been the dividing line between the kitchen and the dining room. We discovered some salvageable hardwood flooring under the linoleum, we brought in salvaged hardwood to match. All the floors were then stained English Chestnut. All the woodwork was removed for construction, then carefully re installed and stripped once the work was complete. The kitchen has a mix of 6" recessed cans, under cabinet lighting, and island pendants. The soffit over the cabinets conceals the HVAC ducting as well as the hood ducting.

Kitchens

Rosewood Carpentry and Building Ltd

Jason Fry
Inspiration for a large traditional single-wall eat-in kitchen in Kent with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, white appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Miami Valley NARI CotY Awards for 2016

Miami Valley NARI

Photo of a country l-shaped kitchen in Other with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Beckenham Extension

Berry Construction

Chris Snook
This is an example of a transitional galley kitchen in Surrey with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances and with island.

Photo Gallery

Fitzgerald Stone & More

Inspiration for a transitional kitchen in Boston with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, glass-front cabinets and brown floor.

All Islands 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!