Photo of a large country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, timber splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, blue benchtop and wood.

Hillcrest Kitchen Remodel

G. Christianson Construction, Inc.

Small country galley eat-in kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, slate splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, no island, blue benchtop and wood.

From Pandora's Box to Jewel Box - Kitchen/Dining Room

McCabe By Design LLC

A Sapele buffet with wine storage provides a physcial separation between the kitchen and the dining area while maintaining access to the beautiful view beyond the dining room. A Kitchen That Works LLC

Coastal Cottage Kitchen

Francie Milano Kitchens inc.

"Maron Cohiba" Leathered Granite countertops. Photo by John Martinelli. Tile by Serenity Design.
Design ideas for a large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, blue splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, blue benchtop and coffered.

Transitional Elegance

Tobias Design LLC

Inspiration for a large transitional galley kitchen pantry in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, blue benchtop and timber.

Cosy and Modern Barn

Cat Dal Interiors

Inspiration for a country kitchen in Other with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, green splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, limestone floors, with island and blue benchtop.

Mac-a-vista lake home

ShoreStone Custom Builders, Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized beach style l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured floor, blue benchtop and timber.

Rays of Light

Aspen Leaf Interiors

For this ski-in, ski-out mountainside property, the intent was to create an architectural masterpiece that was simple, sophisticated, timeless and unique all at the same time. The clients wanted to express their love for Japanese-American craftsmanship, so we incorporated some hints of that motif into the designs. This kitchen design was all about function. The warmth of the walnut cabinetry and flooring and the simplicity of the contemporary cabinet style and open shelving leave room for the gorgeous blue polished quartzite slab focal point used for the oversized island and backsplash. The perimeter countertops are contrasting black textured granite. The high cedar wood ceiling and exposed curved steel beams are dramatic and reveal a roofline nodding to a traditional pagoda design. Striking bronze hanging lights span the space. Vertically grain-matched large drawers provide plenty of storage and the compact pantry’s strategic design fits a coffee maker and Mila appliances.

Farmhouse Sink

Christine Lakas, The Designer, LLC

Custom cabinetry with two tone countertops. The island is oversized with a 3" mitered edge. The custom range hood has warm brass accents layered on the navy geometric tile for contrast.

Modern Aspen ave. House

RG Cowan Design Build

This house was designed to maintain clean sustainability and durability. Minimal, simple, modern design techniques were implemented to create an open floor plan with natural light. The entry of the home, clad in wood, was created as a transitional space between the exterior and the living spaces by creating a feeling of compression before entering into the voluminous, light filled, living area. The large volume, tall windows and natural light of the living area allows for light and views to the exterior in all directions. This project also considered our clients' need for storage and love for travel by creating storage space for an Airstream camper in the oversized 2 car garage at the back of the property. As in all of our homes, we designed and built this project with increased energy efficiency standards in mind. Our standards begin below grade by designing our foundations with insulated concrete forms (ICF) for all of our exterior foundation walls, providing the below grade walls with an R value of 23. As a standard, we also install a passive radon system and a heat recovery ventilator to efficiently mitigate the indoor air quality within all of the homes we build.

Open Living Spaces in a Palo Alto Bungalow

EASA Architecture

Open kitchen with small island
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, blue splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, blue benchtop and recessed.

Ocean View Residence

Paul Brant Williger Architect

Kitchen with Vaulted Truss and Bean Ceiling open to Dinning Room
Photo of a mid-sized mediterranean u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with beaded inset cabinets, beige cabinets, marble benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, blue benchtop, exposed beam and an undermount sink.

Chester Country, PA Modern Farmhouse Kitchen

Umoja Homes

Photo of a large country l-shaped kitchen in Philadelphia with a single-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, blue benchtop and timber.

Maucabus Fantasy Granite Island

Cromwell Granite & Tile

Beautiful Maucabus Fantasy Granite Island and kitchen countertop. The blue, grey and off white hues match well with the farmhouse style decor of the home.

Kitchen Remodel- GrayStone

May Construction, Inc.

While the all-white kitchens will probably never go out of style, these San Jose natives wanted natural elements with some pops of color and took the opportunity to really make their home their own. A vaulted ceiling accentuates the spacious design and opens the space for a grand island topped with an exotic Lemurian Blue countertop provides an abundant work surface and offers seating around two sides. Shades of blue dance of the exquisite custom made hanging blue light pendent that brings in that wow factor.

Tequesta: Coastal Transitional

PB Built

This is an example of a large beach style u-shaped kitchen pantry in Miami with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, blue splashback, marble splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, blue benchtop, quartzite benchtops and exposed beam.

Hillcrest Kitchen Remodel

G. Christianson Construction, Inc.

Design ideas for a small country galley eat-in kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, slate splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, no island, blue benchtop and wood.

Сталинка в Челябинске.

Марина Кутепова

This is an example of a mid-sized l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, beige splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, laminate floors, beige floor, blue benchtop and exposed beam.

Rockport Cottage Conversion

WORKS by Jesse DeBenedictis, LLC

We moved the kitchen in this Rockport Cottage Conversion form a central to a corner location within the home. This provided ample light form windows and lovely views of the manicured yard.

Pumpkin Hill Kitchen

3W design, inc.

Country eat-in kitchen in Boston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, blue benchtop and exposed beam.

All Ceiling Designs Kitchen with Blue 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!