Inspiration for a contemporary u-shaped separate kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Cambridge Kitchen and Breakfast Nook

Leah Ward Interiors

Traditional white marble New England kitchen with walnut wood island and bronze fixtures for added warmth. Photo: Michael J Lee Photography
Inspiration for a traditional kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, marble splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and wood benchtops.

Farmhouse Inspiration

Pamko Construction

Inspiration for a country l-shaped kitchen in Boston with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Transitional Gem in Willow Glen

Spaces By Juliana Linssen, Inc.

Small transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in San Francisco with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Greenwich Renovation

William D. Earls AIA Architect

Pantry with fully tiled wall.
Design ideas for a traditional l-shaped kitchen pantry in New York with recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, dark hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Oakland Ave

EuroCraft Interiors Custom Cabinetry

This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen pantry in Detroit with open cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Квартира 37 кв. м Дубнинская ул., Москва

Анна Малютина

Small contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Moscow with a drop-in sink, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, porcelain splashback, black appliances, laminate floors, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Industrial Kitchen Design Ideas

Everingham Design

This is an example of a small industrial l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Columbus with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Chez moi, Fontagard

Adrien Granchere

Design ideas for a large eclectic galley kitchen in Other with black cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, with island, brown floor, brown benchtop, flat-panel cabinets and medium hardwood floors.

HGTV Modern Farmhouse Marine Blue Kitchen

SH interiors

We completely renovated this space for an episode of HGTV House Hunters Renovation. The kitchen was originally a galley kitchen. We removed a wall between the DR and the kitchen to open up the space. We used a combination of countertops in this kitchen. To give a buffer to the wood counters, we used slabs of marble each side of the sink. This adds interest visually and helps to keep the water away from the wood counters. We used blue and cream for the cabinetry which is a lovely, soft mix and wood shelving to match the wood counter tops. To complete the eclectic finishes we mixed gold light fixtures and cabinet hardware with black plumbing fixtures and shelf brackets.

Rosslyn Cabin

Studio Miel

Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Photo of a small contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, porcelain floors, with island, brown floor, white appliances and brown benchtop.

c. 1720 Residence | Kennett Square, PA

Period Architecture Ltd.

Angle Eye Photography
Large country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, wood benchtops, brown floor, black benchtop and beaded inset cabinets.

Briarwood Lane

J Wilson Fuqua & Associates Architects

Design ideas for a traditional eat-in kitchen in Dallas with recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback, a farmhouse sink, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Cuisine Marly le Roi

Olivia Martin / Architecte d'Intérieur

Cuisine style campagne chic un peu British
Mid-sized country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Two Story Takeover

TreHus Architects+Interior Designers+Builders

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, green cabinets, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, wood benchtops and brown benchtop.

Rustic Walnut Edge Grain Butcher Block Countertop

Hardwood Lumber Company

"Excellent products, we love our new rustic walnut countertops. Everyone that sees our countertops loves them." Jerry
Photo of a mid-sized country l-shaped separate kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, brown benchtop and no island.

Frenchs Forest

User

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Sydney with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown benchtop, mosaic tile splashback, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

The Woodland Farmhouse Kitchen

Sardone | McLain Construction

Custom built cabinets and island table, hardwood floor, stainless steel appliances
This is an example of a transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in Dallas with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, brick splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Southlake New Build

Le Belle Maison Interiors Inc.

Inspiration for a transitional u-shaped kitchen in Dallas with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, brown benchtop and exposed beam.

DEG apt | 70 MQ

kkarchitecture

Photo of an expansive contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Turin with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Kitchen with Wood Benchtops and Brown Floor 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!