Stunning white kitchen with blue center island, inset construction with white bronze hardware and a custom metal hood.
Inspiration for an expansive beach style open plan kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Oyster Creek

Fairmont Homes

L-shaped kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop, exposed beam and timber.

Charleston | Cottage Style | Kitchen Design

Southeast Kitchens

Inspiration for a mid-sized beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Charleston with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, with island, white benchtop, shaker cabinets, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, medium hardwood floors, exposed beam and vaulted.

Contemporary Farmhouse

Domain Interiors

Photo of a country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Denver with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, beige floor, beige benchtop and exposed beam.

Calistoga Vacation Home

Wit Interiors

The black paint on the kitchen island creates a contrast to the white walls and benefits from the warmth of the wooden countertop and wall shelving. The fan over the stove is recessed in a drywall or a clean modern look. Photo Credit: Meghan Caudill

Hinsdale

Signature Innovations LLC

Step into this West Suburban home to instantly be whisked to a romantic villa tucked away in the Italian countryside. Thoughtful details like the quarry stone features, heavy beams and wrought iron harmoniously work with distressed wide-plank wood flooring to create a relaxed feeling of abondanza. Floor: 6-3/4” wide-plank Vintage French Oak Rustic Character Victorian Collection Tuscany edge medium distressed color Bronze. For more information please email us at: sales@signaturehardwoods.com

Lone Pine Project

Studio H Designs, Inc.

Crystal Cabinets, White Kitchen, Rustic Kitchen
Large single-wall eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Project Post and Beam Kitchen

McGuire + Co. Kitchen & Bath

Kitchen design and full gut remodel in post and beam kitchen. New layout to improve functionality and flow, with center kitchen island, tall pantry storage cabinet, soft gray-beige shaker-style cabinets (Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter), quartz countertop, stacked subway tile backsplash, metal mesh cabinet fronts, Thermador range and hood vent, paneled refrigerator, Shaw's fireclay apron-front sink, matte black fixtures and hardware, cable lighting, and hardwood flooring.

Spacious Barn Conversion Classic In-Frame Kitchen

Handmade Kitchen Co

A beautiful barn conversion that underwent a major renovation to be completed with a bespoke handmade kitchen. What we have here is our Classic In-Frame Shaker filling up one wall where the exposed beams are in prime position. This is where the storage is mainly and the sink area with some cooking appliances. The island is very large in size, an L-shape with plenty of storage, worktop space, a seating area, open shelves and a drinks area. A very multi-functional hub of the home perfect for all the family. We hand-painted the cabinets in F&B Down Pipe & F&B Shaded White for a stunning two-tone combination.

Kingston extension

VORBILD Architecture

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in London with shaker cabinets, green cabinets, marble benchtops, marble splashback, with island, beige floor, exposed beam, a farmhouse sink, multi-coloured splashback, panelled appliances, porcelain floors and multi-coloured benchtop.

Boho Minimalist Home

Veronica Sanders, Allied ASID

This 3,569-square foot, 3-story new build was part of Dallas's Green Build Program. This minimalist rocker pad boasts beautiful energy efficiency, painted brick, wood beams and serves as the perfect backdrop to Dallas' favorite landmarks near popular attractions, like White Rock Lake and Deep Ellum; a melting pot of art, music, and nature. Walk into this home and you're greeted with industrial accents and minimal Mid-Century Modern flair. Expansive windows flood the open-floor plan living room/dining area in light. The homeowner wanted a pristine space that reflects his love of alternative rock bands. To bring this into his new digs, all the walls were painted white and we added pops of bold colors through custom-framed band posters, paired with velvet accents, vintage-inspired patterns, and jute fabrics. A modern take on hippie style with masculine appeal. A gleaming example of how eclectic-chic living can have a place in your modern abode, showcased by nature, music memorabilia and bluesy hues. The bedroom is a masterpiece of contrast. The dark hued walls contrast with the room's luxurious velvet cognac bed. Fluted mid-century furniture is found alongside metal and wood accents with greenery, which help to create an opulent, welcoming atmosphere for this home. “When people come to my home, the first thing they say is that it looks like a magazine! As nice as it looks, it is inviting and comfortable and we use it. I enjoyed the entire process working with Veronica and her team. I am 100% sure that I will use them again and highly recommend them to anyone." Tucker M., Client Designer: @designwithronnie Architect: @mparkerdesign Photography: @mattigreshaminteriors

Saddle Hill English Inspired Renovation

Walczak Design And Build

Our clients came to us with their vision and an ask to create a timeless family space grounded in their English roots. What resulted was just that: an open and bright English-inspired kitchen featuring custom inset-cabinetry in three painted finishes, aged brass hardware, a large range alcove with built-in shelving, oversized island with plenty of prep space with oversized brass bell pendants and a 12' floor to ceiling pantry. While carefully designed and expertly crafted, the kitchen is "no -fuss" in personality and quite livable for the family which were two must-haves characteristics for the homeowners. To achieve the look and flow, the former posts in the kitchen were removed and two 24' steel beams were installed to support the second floor. All beams, new and old, were sanded down and refinished with a custom stain. We created an opening into the dining room, letting light stream through throughout the day and creating sight lines from room-to-room for this busy family. Modifications were made to the framing of adjacent rooms to allow for the floor-to-ceiling pantry to be installed. New paint, refinished floors, new appliances, and windows were also a part of the overall scope.

Dripping Springs Farmhouse

Olson Defendorf Custom Homes

Design ideas for an expansive country open plan kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, multiple islands, brown floor, grey benchtop and exposed beam.

Vilano Beach Coastal Casual

Donna Mancini Interiors & Flooring

This is an example of an expansive beach style single-wall eat-in kitchen in Jacksonville with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, black splashback, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, with island, multi-coloured floor, multi-coloured benchtop and exposed beam.

CLASSIC MODERN KITCHEN

Home Dot Designs

The only thing that stayed was the sink placement and the dining room location. Clarissa and her team took out the wall opposite the sink to allow for an open floorplan leading into the adjacent living room. She got rid of the breakfast nook and capitalized on the space to allow for more pantry area.

ASC Margaritaville

Amy Storm & Company

This is an example of a large transitional open plan kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, white splashback, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, multi-coloured benchtop and exposed beam.

Project Post and Beam Kitchen

McGuire + Co. Kitchen & Bath

Sustainable Wonder in Wilmette

Kitchen Design Partners, Inc.

Photo of a large transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, multi-coloured benchtop and exposed beam.

Overland Pass

Q Construction Solutions

Handcrafted tile back splash, Tray Ceiling with exposed faux wooden beams, shaker cabinets,
This is an example of a mid-sized country u-shaped kitchen pantry in Austin with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, black benchtop and exposed beam.

San Juan Spanish Cottage

Nate Fischer Interiors

Kitchen in Orange County with a farmhouse sink, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and exposed beam.

Kitchen with a Farmhouse Sink and Exposed Beam 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!