This is an example of a mid-sized modern galley open plan kitchen in Gold Coast - Tweed with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, black appliances, porcelain floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Craftsman Condo in the City

Liz Murphy Design LLC

Tom Little Photography
This is an example of a small transitional l-shaped separate kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, a peninsula, brown floor and white benchtop.

Amherst

User

This is an example of an expansive mediterranean l-shaped kitchen in Dallas with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, grey cabinets, granite benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, travertine floors, with island, beige floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Eclectic Kitchen Remodel

TreHus Architects+Interior Designers+Builders

Photo of a large contemporary single-wall separate kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

RESIDENTIAL PARKLAND

XTONE- PORCELANOSA GRUPO

La esencia del mármol es única. Su presencia denota encanto, refinamiento y lujo, y en forma de porcelánico se añade durabilidad y resistencia Atemporal y luminoso refuerza la sofisticación en todo tipo de ambientes, desde una cocina gourmet a un amplio baño con unas vistas espectaculares. En el proyecto, se combinan las colecciones XLIGHT KALA White y XLIGHT LUSH White en acabado brillo espejo para potenciar aún más su fuerza.

Contemporary Kitchen

Design ideas for a small contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Phoenix with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island and beige floor.

Ceramic Tile

Floorcraft

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, metallic splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Waterfront Getaway

Arnold Lumber Company

Candlelight Cabinetry, white painted shaker doors, full overlay. Wall cabinets with frosted glass insert.
Inspiration for a large beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Providence with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, light hardwood floors, with island, an undermount sink, granite benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Perham

Spinnaker Development

Will Edwards
Contemporary kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and quartzite benchtops.

Nantucket Shingle Style Beachside Home Kitchen

Bluewater Home Builders

The formal dining room with paneling and tray ceiling is serviced by a custom fitted double-sided butler’s pantry with hammered polished nickel sink and beverage center.

colorado vacation home

Jessica McIntyre Interiors

photography by james ray spahn
Photo of a mid-sized country separate kitchen in Denver with an undermount sink, soapstone benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, a peninsula, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets and blue benchtop.

Redwood Shores Executive Home Transformation

Design Matters

John Valenti Photography This transitional kitchen with custom caviar colored base cabinets and a creamy white upper cabinets was transformed. Using Caesarstone counters in Frosty Carina, a mosaic back splash of stone, glass tile, and metal, and then accented with DuVerre Pomegranite hardware in three different shapes ~ pull, knob and button.... For the final WOW... I added Jaye Design Flutterbye cabinetry knobs floating across the upper glass cabinetry.

Chicago Modern Penthouse

STUDIO Villanueva Architecture, LLC

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances, mosaic tile splashback, granite benchtops, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and green benchtop.

Park Lane Kitchen

L. Lumpkins Architect, Inc.

Kitchen and Breakfast Area.
Inspiration for a large mediterranean u-shaped open plan kitchen in Dallas with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, metallic splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, multiple islands, brown floor, granite benchtops, ceramic splashback, black benchtop and exposed beam.

moss tree, landfall

PBC Design + Build

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional single-wall open plan kitchen in Wilmington with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

T Eatons Kitchen

Atmosphere Interior Design Inc.

D&M Images
This is an example of a contemporary galley kitchen in Other with stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, metallic splashback and metal splashback.

RSF Kitchen

Marrokal Design & Remodeling

Design ideas for a mid-sized eclectic u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Diego with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, metallic splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, beige floor and green benchtop.

Cole

Kelly Tivey Interior Design

Photography by Brian Pettigrew
Design ideas for a large modern u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Greenwich Village

Pamela Dailey Design

This 400 s.f. studio apartment in NYC’s Greenwich Village serves as a pied-a-terre for clients whose primary residence is on the West Coast. Although the clients do not reside here full-time, this tiny space accommodates all the creature comforts of home. Bleached hardwood floors, crisp white walls, and high ceilings are the backdrop to a custom blackened steel and glass partition, layered with raw silk sheer draperies, to create a private sleeping area, replete with custom built-in closets. Simple headboard and crisp linens are balanced with a lightly-metallic glazed duvet and a vintage textile pillow. The living space boasts a custom Belgian linen sectional sofa that pulls out into a full-size bed for the couple’s young children who sometimes accompany them. Efficient and inexpensive dining furniture sits comfortably in the main living space and lends clean, Scandinavian functionality for sharing meals. The sculptural handrafted metal ceiling mobile offsets the architecture’s clean lines, defining the space while accentuating the tall ceilings. The kitchenette combines custom cool grey lacquered cabinets with brass fittings, white beveled subway tile, and a warm brushed brass backsplash; an antique Boucherouite runner and textural woven stools that pull up to the kitchen’s coffee counter puntuate the clean palette with warmth and the human scale. The under-counter freezer and refrigerator, along with the 18” dishwasher, are all panelled to match the cabinets, and open shelving to the ceiling maximizes the feeling of the space’s volume. The entry closet doubles as home for a combination washer/dryer unit. The custom bathroom vanity, with open brass legs sitting against floor-to-ceiling marble subway tile, boasts a honed gray marble countertop, with an undermount sink offset to maximize precious counter space and highlight a pendant light. A tall narrow cabinet combines closed and open storage, and a recessed mirrored medicine cabinet conceals additional necessaries. The stand-up shower is kept minimal, with simple white beveled subway tile and frameless glass doors, and is large enough to host a teak and stainless bench for comfort; black sink and bath fittings ground the otherwise light palette. What had been a generic studio apartment became a rich landscape for living.

Pine Street Renovation

Space Craft, LLC

The owners bought this 1970s 'Colorado Lodge Style' student rental in central Boulder to turn it into a home for their family of four. The existing interior layout was awkward and inefficient. Thus, the first floor was reorganized to create more usable, family-friendly spaces and to create a relationship with the well-used backyard. The barn lumber and wood floor were salvaged from the existing house to create a softened contrast for the light-filled, full-height spaces. The kitchen and two bathrooms were completely renovated using modern finishes to tie the house together. The result is a modern home that functions effortlessly for a family of four. Chris Nyce, Nyceone Photography

Kitchen with an Undermount Sink and Metallic Splashback 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!