Retreat at Mt Cathedral - The Colours of Nature

Black impact. The beauty of timber grain.
This is an example of a large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor, grey benchtop and timber.

LB House

Shane Marsh Architects

This is an example of a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Brisbane with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, black benchtop and timber.

Homecrest Kitchens

Bernard Building Center Inc.

This is the finished project! This completely revamped kitchen has new cupboards, appliances, backsplash, countertops, flooring, ceiling and lighting. What a huge difference! We love what the Homeowner has done with this new kitchen! Photos courtesy of the Homeowner. Designer: Mindy from our Hale, MI store.

Flinders Flair

Let's Talk Kitchens & Interiors

A contemporary holiday home located on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula featuring rammed earth walls, timber lined ceilings and flagstone floors. This home incorporates strong, natural elements and the joinery throughout features custom, stained oak timber cabinetry and natural limestone benchtops. With a nod to the mid century modern era and a balance of natural, warm elements this home displays a uniquely Australian design style. This home is a cocoon like sanctuary for rejuvenation and relaxation with all the modern conveniences one could wish for thoughtfully integrated.

Bushland House

Arcke Pty Ltd

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Brisbane with a double-bowl sink, open cabinets, medium wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, grey benchtop and timber.

Japandi Home

SDA Architects

After the second fallout of the Delta Variant amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic in mid 2021, our team working from home, and our client in quarantine, SDA Architects conceived Japandi Home. The initial brief for the renovation of this pool house was for its interior to have an "immediate sense of serenity" that roused the feeling of being peaceful. Influenced by loneliness and angst during quarantine, SDA Architects explored themes of escapism and empathy which led to a “Japandi” style concept design – the nexus between “Scandinavian functionality” and “Japanese rustic minimalism” to invoke feelings of “art, nature and simplicity.” This merging of styles forms the perfect amalgamation of both function and form, centred on clean lines, bright spaces and light colours. Grounded by its emotional weight, poetic lyricism, and relaxed atmosphere; Japandi Home aesthetics focus on simplicity, natural elements, and comfort; minimalism that is both aesthetically pleasing yet highly functional. Japandi Home places special emphasis on sustainability through use of raw furnishings and a rejection of the one-time-use culture we have embraced for numerous decades. A plethora of natural materials, muted colours, clean lines and minimal, yet-well-curated furnishings have been employed to showcase beautiful craftsmanship – quality handmade pieces over quantitative throwaway items. A neutral colour palette compliments the soft and hard furnishings within, allowing the timeless pieces to breath and speak for themselves. These calming, tranquil and peaceful colours have been chosen so when accent colours are incorporated, they are done so in a meaningful yet subtle way. Japandi home isn’t sparse – it’s intentional. The integrated storage throughout – from the kitchen, to dining buffet, linen cupboard, window seat, entertainment unit, bed ensemble and walk-in wardrobe are key to reducing clutter and maintaining the zen-like sense of calm created by these clean lines and open spaces. The Scandinavian concept of “hygge” refers to the idea that ones home is your cosy sanctuary. Similarly, this ideology has been fused with the Japanese notion of “wabi-sabi”; the idea that there is beauty in imperfection. Hence, the marriage of these design styles is both founded on minimalism and comfort; easy-going yet sophisticated. Conversely, whilst Japanese styles can be considered “sleek” and Scandinavian, “rustic”, the richness of the Japanese neutral colour palette aids in preventing the stark, crisp palette of Scandinavian styles from feeling cold and clinical. Japandi Home’s introspective essence can ultimately be considered quite timely for the pandemic and was the quintessential lockdown project our team needed.

Contemporary Family - Kitchen

Paxton Place Design

This galley kitchen is a perfect mix of colors, metals, and materials. The walls are tiled in a white subway tile, while the floor is covered in a dark brown rug. The base cabinets are painted a dark forest green color to contrast the upper wall cabinets that are painted white to match the floor-to-ceiling wall tiles. Mixing metals is a great way to add interest and depth - gold pulls on the cabinet doors and stainless steel on the appliances. The ship-lapped ceiling is another great way to add visual and textural interest.

Kitchen Design by KMD Kitchens Auckland

KMD Kitchens

new kitchen by the team a KMD Kitchens Auckland.
Design ideas for a mid-sized modern single-wall eat-in kitchen in Auckland with a double-bowl sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, laminate floors, with island and timber.

Farmhouse Kitchen

Home Idea Center

Country u-shaped kitchen pantry in Other with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, laminate benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone tile splashback, black appliances, vinyl floors, with island, multi-coloured floor, white benchtop and timber.

Cozy upscale farm house by the lake

Black Rock Design | Build

Wonderful modern home overlooking Lake Glenville. Open plan with adjacent butler bar/laundry
Photo of a mid-sized transitional single-wall eat-in kitchen in Other with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, granite splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and timber.

Private Waterfront Residence on the Chester River

Purple Cherry Architects

Extensive custom millwork, two islands, and an abundance of natural light combine to create a feeling of casual sophistication in the main kitchen. A screen porch is connected, offering nearby space for gracious waterfront dining. ⁠⁠

New Recycled Brick House

Baker Drofenik Architects Pty Ltd

Contemporary home for young family in inner city
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor, white benchtop and timber.

LB House

Shane Marsh Architects

Private Waterfront Residence on the Chester River

Purple Cherry Architects

Flinders Flair

Let's Talk Kitchens & Interiors

David Reid Homes Wanaka Feature Home

David Reid Homes

Designed to be the perfect Alpine Escape, this home has room for friends and family arriving from out of town to enjoy all that the Wanaka and Central Otago region has to offer. Features include natural timber cladding, designer kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, separate laundry and even a drying room. This home is the perfect escape, with all you need to easily deal with the clean from a long day on the slopes or the lake, and then its time to relax!

Wheelers Hill home

Jasmine McClelland Design

This large kitchen was designed as a part of the renovation for this Wheelers Hill home. The clients had a large family and wanted something with plenty of storage, pantry space, bench space and that reflected their contemporary style.

Historic Contemporary Cottage

Lisa Stewart Design

The Kitchen wall color is Restoration Hardware Slate. This darling Downtown Raleigh Cottage is over 100 years old. The current owners wanted to have some fun in their historic home! Sherwin Williams and Restoration Hardware paint colors inside add a contemporary feel.

Farmhouse Kitchen In Modern Mountain HOme

Germania Construction

Mountain home kitchens do not need to be wood or rustic in order to maintain the vibes of a cabin. This kitchen shows that a mountain home can balance a modern farmhouse aesthetic with a cabin aesthetic beautifully.

Peterborough Kitchen Renovation

Lakeshore Designs

This is an example of a large contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with a double-bowl sink, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and timber.

Kitchen with a Double-bowl Sink and Timber 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!