Our client approached Matter in late 2019 for a new kitchen. While the existing kitchen had a reasonable layout and some great features, the cupboards weren’t optimising the space to its full potential, particularly for storage. Noting that the old kitchen aged very quickly, our client wanted the new kitchen to be constructed entirely from plywood—liking the appearance and strength of the material. They also loved vibrant use of colour and suggested we look at the kitchens featured in films by the Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar for inspiration. The result was a playful mix of hand painted navy, light blue and retro orange in combination with a ‘raw’ effect from the birch plywood. To save on cost and waste, we decided to keep certain components of the kitchen that have remained in very good condition. Some of these included the stainless steel bench tops and oven/range hood stack, as well as a polished concrete island bench top. We replaced most of the cupboards with drawer units specifically tailored to fit our client's extensive collection of cookware and appliances with adjustable partitions. An integrated Hideaway rubbish bin free’s up circulation space and a Kesseböhmer pull-out pantry will ensure no bottle of spice is ever lost to the back of a cupboard again.

Lido House Hotel Harbor Cottage

Matt White Custom Home

Photo of a beach style u-shaped kitchen in Orange County with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, beige floor and white benchtop.

Pantry... well stocked

KuDa Photography

Photo by KuDa Photography
This is an example of a country u-shaped kitchen pantry in Portland with recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, light hardwood floors, grey floor and brown benchtop.

Avant/après un appartement familial

QUALIRENOVATION

Photo of a scandinavian kitchen in Paris with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, a peninsula and grey floor.

This Old House 2017 Idea House

Sweenor Builders Incorporated

Photo of a beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Providence with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, blue splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

An Arts and Crafts Kitchen in Kent by deVOL

deVOL Kitchens

Design ideas for a transitional kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Кухни Interierno

Орехов Андрей

Кухня от компании Interierno Фотограф Андрей Орехов
This is an example of a contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with blue cabinets, white splashback, a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, brown floor, white benchtop and medium hardwood floors.

El Segundo Farmhouse

StyleQ Construction Inc.

Inspiration for a beach style kitchen in Los Angeles with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

NYC Kitchen Remodel

Palette Pro Painting & Renovation

Inspiration for a small contemporary kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, blue cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, white benchtop, flat-panel cabinets, quartzite benchtops, subway tile splashback and no island.

Extension & loft conversion - Palmerston Road

MAC Building Solutions Ltd

Nathalie Priem
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in London with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, black appliances, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Victorian Carriage House, Dorset

Laura Butler-Madden

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen in Dorset with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Fort Greene New Construction

New York Woodwork, Inc.

These modern kitchens and built in closets were built for a two family home
Inspiration for a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, no island and beige floor.

Rehoboth Beach Custom Home

Echelon Interiors

This is an example of a small beach style u-shaped separate kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

CASK house

Atmosphere Design Build

Kat Alves Photography
Design ideas for a country kitchen in Sacramento with blue cabinets, concrete benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances and with island.

Victorian House S. East London

Alison Hammond Photography

Photo of an eclectic l-shaped kitchen in London with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Three Oaks Vacation Home

SPACE Architects + Planners

Photo of a mid-sized traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Chicago with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, with island, marble benchtops, stainless steel appliances and vinyl floors.

Kitchen

Murphy & Co. Design

Photos by Susan Gilmore
Traditional kitchen in Minneapolis with open cabinets, blue cabinets and black benchtop.

Tangley @

Sally Wheat Interiors

This is an example of a transitional kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback and subway tile splashback.

Modern Farmhouse

Michael McKinley and Associates, LLC

Light blue/gray shaker cabinets combine with blue Grove Brickworks subway tile by Waterworks to create a serene kitchen. The refrigerator and freezer columns are divided by a small counter top and storage area. The pantry is tucked around the corner from the glass front china cabinet.

Beachside Village

Seaside Construction - Custom Home Builder

This is an example of a beach style l-shaped kitchen in Houston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Kitchen with Blue Cabinets 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!