Modern Kitchen with White Kitchen Tile Backsplash

Subtly stunning, these white kitchen tiles create an interlocking pattern to create a beautifully understate backsplash. Shop more white patterned kitchen tiles in 40+ shapes at fireclaytile.com. TILE SHOWN Chaine Home Tile Pattern in White Gloss DESIGN Mark Davis Design PHOTOS Luis Costadone

Beverly Place - Kitchen Cutting Board Detail

Studio Sarah Willmer Architecture

Detail at Kitchen Counter. Photography by Sharon Risedorph; In Collaboration with designer and client Stacy Eisenmann. For questions on this project please contact Stacy at Eisenmann Architecture. (www.eisenmannarchitecture.com)

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 punctuate 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.

Mill Valley Traditional

SINGLEPOINT DESIGN BUILD INC.

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with black cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, panelled appliances, with island, an undermount sink, open cabinets, stone slab splashback, medium hardwood floors and beige floor.

Kitchen Design Ideas

Allen Construction

Photo by: Jim Bartsch
Photo of a mid-sized beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Santa Barbara with an undermount sink, light wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, open cabinets and beige floor.

Harvey Jones - Linear Kitchens

Harvey Jones Kitchens

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen in London with an undermount sink, open cabinets, black appliances and with island.

kitchen with bamboo cabinets and resin countertops

Erdreich Architecture, P.C.

Photo of a traditional kitchen in Birmingham with an undermount sink, open cabinets, light wood cabinets and stainless steel appliances.

Divine Kitchens LLC

Divine Design Center

Photo of an expansive contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Boston with open cabinets, dark wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Lewiston ADU

HDR Remodeling Inc.

Design ideas for a small transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, open cabinets, wood benchtops, coloured appliances, no island, grey floor, brown benchtop and vaulted.

Kitchen View 2 - After

Blue Spruce Construction Services

Kitchen/Stair After
Design ideas for a large contemporary kitchen in Denver with an undermount sink, open cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Rollingwood Slide House

Oliver Custom Homes

Architect: Tim Brown Architecture. Photographer: Casey Fry
Photo of a large country galley open plan kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, open cabinets, blue cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, concrete floors, grey floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen Island with Custom Wine Storage

General Assembly

Open plan kitchen and living room with custom kitchen island that includes wine storage. Open shelving mounted on steel brackets support dishes and provide for light from above.

Provincial Kitchen With Mouthwatering Butler's Pantry

Smith & Smith Kitchens

Did we say mouthwatering? We all wish we could have a butler's pantry this well organised. Open shelving in a butler's pantry keeps everything readily accessible, a combination of deep and shallow shelving ensures there is a place for everything. Adjustable shelving allows for changes in what you want to store. Tim Turner Photography

West 81st Street, NYC

Lilian H. Weinreich, Architects

©2014 Francis Dzikowski/Otto
This is an example of a small transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, open cabinets, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, light wood cabinets and solid surface benchtops.

Fairfax Station Kitchen - Base Shelves

Synergy Design & Construction

Mimicking a commercial kitchen, open base cabinetry both along the wall and in the island makes accessing items a snap for the chef. Metal cabinetry is more durable for throwing around pots and pans.

Commercial sink and range setup at our upper Manhattan townhouse renovation

Rauch Architecture D.P.C.

Stainless steel kitchen with a view to the garden
Photo of a mid-sized modern kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, open cabinets, stainless steel cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Retro Chef's Kitchen, Bathroom and Yoga Studio

Canyon Design Build

Treve Johnson Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized eclectic galley separate kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, open cabinets, light wood cabinets, wood benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Middleton Square - Oxford White Kitchen

The Masonry Center, Inc.

As a wholesale importer and distributor of tile, brick, and stone, we maintain a significant inventory to supply dealers, designers, architects, and tile setters. Although we only sell to the trade, our showroom is open to the public for product selection. We have five showrooms in the Northwest and are the premier tile distributor for Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Eastern Washington. Our corporate branch is located in Boise, Idaho.

Micro-apartment

Allen+Killcoyne Architects

Inspiration for a small scandinavian l-shaped open plan kitchen in New York with open cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, light hardwood floors, no island and brown floor.

Kitchen and Breakfast Room

Marina Rubina, Architect

photo by Todd Mason, Halkin Photography
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, open cabinets, medium wood cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Kitchen with an Undermount Sink and Open 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!