Photo of a mid-sized arts and crafts l-shaped open plan kitchen in Denver with black splashback, a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors and no island.

Woodbine Project

Colleen Buker Design . Living Beautiful

Jo-Ann Richards Works Photography Inc.
Design ideas for a small transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Calgary with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, a double-bowl sink, grey splashback and a peninsula.

2016 Rainy Homes Parade Of Home

Kyle Aiken

Kyle Aiken
Inspiration for a transitional u-shaped kitchen in Salt Lake City with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and with island.

Singhko Kitchen Renovations

Singhko Inc.

After Picture
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Ottawa with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, a peninsula and beige floor.

Montgomery Kitchen and Master Bath Remodel

Jenni Leasia Interior Design

The dark wood floors of the kitchen are balanced with white inset shaker cabinets with a light brown polished countertop. The wall cabinets feature glass doors and are topped with tall crown molding. Brass hardware has been used for all the cabinets. For the backsplash, we have used a soft beige. The countertop features a double bowl undermount sink with a gooseneck faucet. The windows feature roman shades in a floral print. A white BlueStar range is topped with a custom hood. Project by Portland interior design studio Jenni Leasia Interior Design. Also serving Lake Oswego, West Linn, Vancouver, Sherwood, Camas, Oregon City, Beaverton, and the whole of Greater Portland. For more about Jenni Leasia Interior Design, click here: https://www.jennileasiadesign.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://www.jennileasiadesign.com/montgomery

Sagle Mountain Hideaway

Selle Valley Construction, Inc.

View of the kitchen from the living room. You can also see the front entrance to the right, along with the Master Suite on the left. Kitchen cabinets are wood in a shaker style, stained dark brown. Backsplash is a honed natural stone mosaic, kitchen counters are 3cm of Crema Bordeaux granite. Photography by Marie-Dominique Verdier.

The Tara

Perkinson Homes, Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Richmond with shaker cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and a double-bowl sink.

2014 Utah County Parade of Homes

Sweetwater Homes

Design ideas for a large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Salt Lake City with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, grey splashback, matchstick tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors and with island.

2014 Utah County Parade of Homes

Sweetwater Homes

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Salt Lake City with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, blue splashback, matchstick tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors and with island.

Remodeled Craftsman Kitchen Champaign

Darcy Bean Custom Construction Inc.

Recessed litghting, calculated placement of electrical outlets, multiple ovens, flat cook top and an abundance of counter space make this kitchen ideal for any cook. Buras Photography

Modern DC Kitchen

Haus Interior Design

These terrific clients turned a boring 80's kitchen into a modern, Asian-inspired chef's dream kitchen, with two tone cabinetry and professional grade appliances. An over-sized island provides comfortable seating for four. Custom Half-wall bookcases divide the kitchen from the family room without impeding sight lines into the inviting space. Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg

Emser Tile Kitchens

Emser Tile - Minneapolis MN

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, matchstick tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, marble floors, with island and white floor.

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.

Villa Cortile - Oakland County, MI

Gorman's

James Haefner
Large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Detroit with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, light hardwood floors, with island, quartzite benchtops and beige floor.

Family friendly kitchen on the Hudson

Summit Street Design

Large country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, linoleum floors and with island.

Natural elements are brought into this contemporary kitchen

Kitchen & Bath Design + Construction

Maple cabinets with a caramel stain and backsplash tile of honed slate were some of their material choices. A large space, we kept the generous center island and flipped the appliance layout, moving the double ovens to the opposite wall closer to the refrigerator. Photography by Chrissy Racho

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.

Dark Shaker Kitchen

Strobel Design Build

This open plan kitchen design features an asymmetrical bar height island, dark wood shaker style cabinets, a mosaic glass tile backsplash, and undercabinet lighting with a plug mold.

Rustic Kitchen

This is an example of a country galley kitchen in Denver with granite benchtops, a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Ocean View Penthouse

Sarah Barnard Design LLC

Natural wood, rattan and stone accessories make this modern kitchen lively and fun. Photo by: Brad Nicol
Design ideas for a small contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, no island and black splashback.

Kitchen with a Double-bowl Sink and Shaker 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!