Transforming this home from a very bad attempt at an arts and crafts look to this naturally modern design style. All cabinetry was removed and replaced with a beautiful walnut cabinet with a delightfully simplistic door style. The island was previously an awkward shape with many angles making it difficult to walk around. We squared it up but kept one angle to play into the angles in the rest of the house. We added a seating area at table height to accommodate all who visit.

Los Altos Colonial

Henrybuilt Seattle

Inspiration for a large modern u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, wood benchtops, stone tile splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Paneled Jenn-Air Refrigerator

Kitchen Intuitions

Paneled dishwasher and refrigerator give a clean and seamless look throughout the kitchen.
Large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, panelled appliances, with island and white benchtop.

Encino Mid Century

Pamela Leone Design, Inc.

Mid Century Kitchen
Photo of a mid-sized midcentury u-shaped separate kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, white benchtop, no island and grey floor.

#TheRambler

Ember & Brune

What started solely as a master bath project soon spiraled into working with the homeowners to redefine and remodel most of this split level home. Opening things up in the kitchen not only helped with the flow of things, but you get a wonderful view of each room when you walk in the front door. These cabinets are made of book matched walnut, meaning the grain of the tree lines up from door to door. Photography by LOMA Studios, lomastudios.com

After, Swallowfield Road, London SE7

Titman Design

Warren King Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary single-wall separate kitchen in London with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Victoria Full Home Remodel

The TomKat Studio + TomKat Real Estate

Remodeled Kitchen with White Cabinetry, White Quartz Countertops, Black Modern Lighting, Black and White Marble Backsplash, Engineered Hardwood Flooring, Double Islands

25th Avenue Multi-Space Renovation

TVL Creative Ltd.

Our clients had just recently closed on their new house in Stapleton and were excited to transform it into their perfect forever home. They wanted to remodel the entire first floor to create a more open floor plan and develop a smoother flow through the house that better fit the needs of their family. The original layout consisted of several small rooms that just weren’t very functional, so we decided to remove the walls that were breaking up the space and restructure the first floor to create a wonderfully open feel. After removing the existing walls, we rearranged their spaces to give them an office at the front of the house, a large living room, and a large dining room that connects seamlessly with the kitchen. We also wanted to center the foyer in the home and allow more light to travel through the first floor, so we replaced their existing doors with beautiful custom sliding doors to the back yard and a gorgeous walnut door with side lights to greet guests at the front of their home. Living Room Our clients wanted a living room that could accommodate an inviting sectional, a baby grand piano, and plenty of space for family game nights. So, we transformed what had been a small office and sitting room into a large open living room with custom wood columns. We wanted to avoid making the home feel too vast and monumental, so we designed custom beams and columns to define spaces and to make the house feel like a home. Aesthetically we wanted their home to be soft and inviting, so we utilized a neutral color palette with occasional accents of muted blues and greens. Dining Room Our clients were also looking for a large dining room that was open to the rest of the home and perfect for big family gatherings. So, we removed what had been a small family room and eat-in dining area to create a spacious dining room with a fireplace and bar. We added custom cabinetry to the bar area with open shelving for displaying and designed a custom surround for their fireplace that ties in with the wood work we designed for their living room. We brought in the tones and materiality from the kitchen to unite the spaces and added a mixed metal light fixture to bring the space together Kitchen We wanted the kitchen to be a real show stopper and carry through the calm muted tones we were utilizing throughout their home. We reoriented the kitchen to allow for a big beautiful custom island and to give us the opportunity for a focal wall with cooktop and range hood. Their custom island was perfectly complimented with a dramatic quartz counter top and oversized pendants making it the real center of their home. Since they enter the kitchen first when coming from their detached garage, we included a small mud-room area right by the back door to catch everyone’s coats and shoes as they come in. We also created a new walk-in pantry with plenty of open storage and a fun chalkboard door for writing notes, recipes, and grocery lists. Office We transformed the original dining room into a handsome office at the front of the house. We designed custom walnut built-ins to house all of their books, and added glass french doors to give them a bit of privacy without making the space too closed off. We painted the room a deep muted blue to create a glimpse of rich color through the french doors Powder Room The powder room is a wonderful play on textures. We used a neutral palette with contrasting tones to create dramatic moments in this little space with accents of brushed gold. Master Bathroom The existing master bathroom had an awkward layout and outdated finishes, so we redesigned the space to create a clean layout with a dream worthy shower. We continued to use neutral tones that tie in with the rest of the home, but had fun playing with tile textures and patterns to create an eye-catching vanity. The wood-look tile planks along the floor provide a soft backdrop for their new free-standing bathtub and contrast beautifully with the deep ash finish on the cabinetry.

Saussaye

ARCHIPELLES

Crédits photo: Alexis Paoli
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Paris with white cabinets, green splashback, white appliances, porcelain floors, white benchtop, an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets and multi-coloured floor.

Black and White Kitchen

Triple Heart Design

Inspiration for a traditional u-shaped kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, red floor and white benchtop.

Spinnaker Bay

Kennedy Cole Interior Design

Contemporary Coastal Kitchen Design: Three Salt Design Co. Build: UC Custom Homes Photo: Chad Mellon
Photo of a large beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, white benchtop, brown floor, white cabinets and dark hardwood floors.

Sunset Blvd

Alpine Lumber

Builder | Thin Air Construction | Photography | Jon Kohlwey Designer | Tara Bender Starmark Cabinetry
Inspiration for a large country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Denver with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop, quartz benchtops, beige floor, beige splashback and subway tile splashback.

Modern Apartment Upgrade in Cobble Hill

Crown Woodworking Corp

Small modern galley eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, white splashback, subway tile splashback, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Magnificent Transition Kitchen

CairnsCraft Design & Remodel

Large transitional kitchen in San Diego with an undermount sink, white cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop, quartz benchtops, glass tile splashback and shaker cabinets.

Fisher & Paykel Products & Projects

JD Kitchens

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary single-wall kitchen in Atlanta with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Eunice Street

Eisenmann Architecture

Mark Compton
Mid-sized midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, with island, white benchtop, an undermount sink, white splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Homestead

6degree Millwork

This is an example of a large modern kitchen in Phoenix with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Mid-Century Marvelous Home

Monica Milewski

Monica Milewski
Photo of a large midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in Phoenix with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, grey floor, white benchtop and light wood cabinets.

Bob-O-Link | 2018

Coats Homes

Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped separate kitchen in Dallas with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and solid surface benchtops.

French Country House

HOBBS INC

Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA Warren Jagger Photography
Photo of a l-shaped kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen with an Undermount Sink and White Benchtop 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!