While this is a beach house kitchen, it would sit just as comfortably in an exclusive home on the European Alps. There is a lot of timber in this kitchen, yet there is no feeling of timber overload a la 1970's scandi-mania! So, what keeps this timber chic? High impact black engineered stone bench tops take the eye from the wood giving a feeling of warmth and a laid back air. Hard wearing terracotta ground the timber without going overboard on the brown tones. There is a definite luxurious cinnamon flavour happening here and it is pulled off expertly by the designer.

Eclectic Remodel

Dettaglio Interior Design

Inckx Photography
Photo of a large traditional u-shaped separate kitchen in Phoenix with stainless steel appliances, a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback, terra-cotta floors and with island.

Classy Kitchen!

Kitchen Concepts, Inc.

Design ideas for a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Other with quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets and stone tile splashback.

merrimac

PBC Design + Build

Photo of a large traditional single-wall open plan kitchen in Other with stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Lilyfield House

Danny Broe Architect

the kitchen The kitchen is on the threshold between the inside and outside, the most exciting part of the house. The folding doors and windows were carefully detailed to fold back and dissolve the barrier between inside and outside.

Modern Kitchen

RIKB Design Build

Modern Kitchen by Rhode Island Kitchen & Bath of Providence, RI
Mid-sized modern u-shaped kitchen in Providence with terra-cotta floors, an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, matchstick tile splashback and a peninsula.

Santa Monica Kitchen and Workspace

LA Dwelling Inc

Walls were removed and a pass through created transforming a cramped kitchen/dining area into a bright open space. It now has ample storage, an island with seating, a desk area and is open to the newly repurposed dining/family room.

Transitional Kitchen

Photo of a transitional kitchen in Portland with stainless steel appliances and quartz benchtops.

Los Gatos - Home Remodeling

SOD Home Group

Photo of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, an undermount sink, light hardwood floors, quartz benchtops, beige floor and white benchtop.

Bellevue Hill

Zugai Strudwick Architects

White stone benchtops with modern bay window looks out over park. Banquette seating and bookshelves.
Mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Sydney with flat-panel cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, glass sheet splashback, light hardwood floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Niagara Residence

Croma Design Inc.

A warm, contemporary kitchen designed for entertaining, described by Erin McLaughlin, the Editor-in-Chief of Style at Home magazine, as the "new minimal" on CBC's Steven & Chris show. The travertine backsplash adds a dramatic focal point. Photo by Michael Graydon Photography http://www.michaelgraydon.ca/

Breeze of freshness

Nouvelle Cuisine Design

This family kitchen, warm and functional, has everything to please. The white glossy kitchen cabinets bring brightness and freshness to the room and the light colored wood brings a nice warmth. Full height cabinets maximize the space, while creating an open and practical room. Everything is modernized through the stainless steel appliances and the quartz kitchen countertop. Finally, the island serves as a workspace, but also as a dining area for the whole family.

Contemporary Kitchen Remodel

SweisKloss

This highly customized kitchen was designed in such a way to make use of as much space as possible in an elegant and modern way. The combination of walnut veneer cabinets and buttermilk caesarstone countertops creates contrast in a subtle and eye catching way. The angled island adds dimension and intrigue to the design, as well as creates a solution for seating at the island.

Capital Hill Residence

Enviable Designs Inc.

A serene kitchen with white traditional custom millwork and granite countertops. An accent window of tile behind the stove creates an interesting focal point. photography by Vicky Tan

Palmerston Kitchen

HB Design

Large contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Vancouver with stainless steel appliances, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, an undermount sink, medium hardwood floors, beige splashback, glass tile splashback, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

kitchen

Mark English Architects, AIA

This is an example of a contemporary kitchen in San Francisco with stainless steel appliances, flat-panel cabinets, orange cabinets, quartz benchtops and bamboo floors.

Retro Minneapolis Kitchen

Fiddlehead Design Group, LLC

Design ideas for a traditional kitchen in Minneapolis with stainless steel appliances, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback and multi-coloured floor.

Fox Island Remodel

Brett Marlo Design Build

We bumped out the kitchen and put in a wall of windows to the expansive view. We designed a wall to both create an entry nook, and house the refrigerator and upper cabinets. A drywall enclosure was designed to give the range balance and become the focal point of the kitchen. The island was custom-wrapped in stainless steel and a cantilevered oval high eating bar was installed to again take advantage of views. We specified layers of fun lighting.

Kitchen

ODS Architecture

Zodiaq countertops finish off walnut cabinets in the kitchen with stainless steel accents in the appliances, sinks, faucets, and appliance garage doors - more Green technology in the form of on-demand flash hot water heaters were used, along with electrical converters to convert the solar cell generated electricity into house current. Photo Credit: John Sutton Photography

Transitional Kitchen

Photo of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped separate kitchen in Austin with subway tile splashback, a farmhouse sink, stainless steel appliances, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island, quartz benchtops and brown floor.

Kitchen with Quartz Benchtops 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!