Inspiration for a traditional u-shaped kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula, multi-coloured floor, white benchtop and shaker cabinets.

Oakland Hills Home Remodel

Workroom C

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, blue splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and quartz benchtops.

Tranquil White Galley Kitchen

Model Remodel

© Cindy Apple Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional galley separate kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, linoleum floors, no island, blue floor and white benchtop.

Borden

South Park Design Build

Valerie Wilcox & Charlie Coull
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional single-wall separate kitchen in Toronto with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, marble benchtops, brown floor and white benchtop.

Open Floor Kitchen in Ellington, CT

Irene Designs

Design ideas for a small traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, yellow cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, a peninsula and multi-coloured floor.

Colonial Beauty for Young Family in Rye

Studio Dearborn

This charming soft gray kitchen with soaring 9 foot ceilings was a quick redo for a growing family moving from the city with a baby on the way! The kitchen flow was helped by the addition of an island, with hardworking Caesarstone countertops in Pebble give the warm feel of concrete. All sources are available on our website, www.studiodearborn.com. Photos, Timothy Lenz.

Industrial Dark Green Kitchen with a Vintage Twist

Sustainable Kitchens

View of an L-shaped kitchen with a central island in a side return extension in a Victoria house which has a sloping glazed roof. The shaker style cabinets with beaded frames are painted in Little Greene Obsidian Green. The handles a brass d-bar style. The worktop on the perimeter units is Iroko wood and the island worktop is honed, pencil veined Carrara marble. A single bowel sink sits in the island with a polished brass tap with a rinse spout. Vintage Holophane pendant lights sit above the island. The black painted sash windows are surrounded by non-bevelled white metro tiles with a dark grey grout. A Wolf gas hob sits above double Neff ovens with a black, Falcon extractor hood over the hob. The flooring is hexagon shaped, cement encaustic tiles. Black Anglepoise wall lights give directional lighting. Charlie O'Beirne - Lukonic Photography

Greenwich Village

Megan Grehl

Inspiration for a small contemporary galley kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, open cabinets, stainless steel cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback and black floor.

Stuart Kitchen Remodel--Medfield, Massachusetts

Masters Touch Design Build

Photo of a transitional kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, brown cabinets, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Bainbridge Island Town House

Tom Kuniholm Architects, AIA

A palette of Maple cabinets and shelves, Quartz counter tops, stainless steel, Subway tiles
This is an example of a small contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Seattle with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, an undermount sink, white splashback, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Henderson Kitchen

Cabinets by Design

The client wanted her grout to compliment the countertop, so we suggested going darker to tie it together. Her countertop is quartz in Iron Bark.
Photo of a mid-sized traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula, ceramic floors and beige floor.

Denver Wash Park 1900's Bungalow Pop Top

Beautiful Habitat: Design & Decoration

The existing kitchen was completely remodeled to create a compact chef's kitchen. The client is a true chef, who teaches cooking classes, and we were able to get a professional grade kitchen in an 11x7 footprint! The new island creates adequate prep space. The bookcases on the front add a ton of storage and interesting display in an otherwise useless walkway. The South wall is the exposed brick original to the 1900's home. To compliment the brick, we chose a warm nutmeg stain in cherry cabinets. The countertops are a durable quartz that look like marble but are sturdy enough for this work horse kitchen. The retro pendants are oversized to add a lot of interest in this small space. Complete Kitchen remodel to create a Chef's kitchen Open shelving for storage and display Gray subway tile Pendant lights

Fabulous Industrial Inspired Home

Esq Design

Cabinetry by: Esq Design. Interior design by District 309 Photography: Tracey Ayton
This is an example of an expansive country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Vancouver with an undermount sink, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, quartz benchtops, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback and subway tile splashback.

Newton Kitchen and Family Room Renovation

Sarah Cole Interiors

Photo by Jared Kuzia
Large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor and medium hardwood floors.

Windows over Kitchen Sink

EKA Build

Wall of windows over kitchen sink. Casement windows allow easy opening. Photo by David Berlekamp
Large traditional l-shaped kitchen in Cleveland with shaker cabinets, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, an undermount sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops and white benchtop.

Copper Ridge Project

User

Mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen pantry in Austin with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and beige floor.

Custom Log & Timber Frame Home

StoneMill Log & Timber Homes

The kitchen is in the timber frame section of the home. Shaker style cabins and large island make this a delight for cooking. Photo credit: James Ray Spahn

Blue Lake Galley Kitchen

Arcata Cabinet & Design Company

Narrow kitchens have no fear! With a great designer, great product and motivated homeowners, you can achieve dream kitchen status. Moving the sink to the corner and the big refrigerator towards the end of the kitchen created lots of continuous counter space and storage. Lots of drawers and roll-outs created a space for everything - even a super lazy susan in the corner. The result is a compact kitchen with a big personality. Nicolette Patton, CKD

Stainless Steel Appliances

CUSTOM CRAFT - Design Build Remodel

The stainless steel appliances embedded in the cabinetry contribute to the neutral palette and contemporary style.
Design ideas for a contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and a peninsula.

Open Concept Kitchen with Traditional Cabinetry and Island Seating

Classic Cupboards, Inc

This traditional kitchen design maximizes entertaining and storage potential. The open floor provided ample space for a massive island complete with storage and seating. The Quartzite countertop and chosen light fixtures complete the elegance of this space.

Kitchen with an Undermount Sink and Subway Tile 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!