Our client approached Matter in late 2019 for a new kitchen. While the existing kitchen had a reasonable layout and some great features, the cupboards weren’t optimising the space to its full potential, particularly for storage. Noting that the old kitchen aged very quickly, our client wanted the new kitchen to be constructed entirely from plywood—liking the appearance and strength of the material. They also loved vibrant use of colour and suggested we look at the kitchens featured in films by the Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar for inspiration. The result was a playful mix of hand painted navy, light blue and retro orange in combination with a ‘raw’ effect from the birch plywood. To save on cost and waste, we decided to keep certain components of the kitchen that have remained in very good condition. Some of these included the stainless steel bench tops and oven/range hood stack, as well as a polished concrete island bench top. We replaced most of the cupboards with drawer units specifically tailored to fit our client's extensive collection of cookware and appliances with adjustable partitions. An integrated Hideaway rubbish bin free’s up circulation space and a Kesseböhmer pull-out pantry will ensure no bottle of spice is ever lost to the back of a cupboard again.

Customer Focus: Cameron Project

Kitchen Craftsmen

CAMERON PROJECT: Warm natural walnut tones offset by crisp white gives this project a welcoming and homely feel. Including products from Polytec and Caesarstone.

Kitchen

Skyring Architects

Large open plan kitchen and view up hallway towards the entry. www.laramasselos.com
Photo of a contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Brisbane with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, metallic splashback and metal splashback.

Modern English Farmhouse | Hillsboro, Oregon

Westlake Development Group, LLC

Justin Krug Photography
Inspiration for an expansive country u-shaped kitchen in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, quartz benchtops and medium hardwood floors.

Crane Residence

Spore Design

Inspiration for a modern open plan kitchen in Seattle with a single-bowl sink, open cabinets, light wood cabinets, black splashback, stone slab splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Tribeca Loft

nC2 architecture llc

Renovation and reconfiguration of a 4500 sf loft in Tribeca. The main goal of the project was to better adapt the apartment to the needs of a growing family, including adding a bedroom to the children's wing and reconfiguring the kitchen to function as the center of family life. One of the main challenges was to keep the project on a very tight budget without compromising the high-end quality of the apartment. Project team: Richard Goodstein, Emil Harasim, Angie Hunsaker, Michael Hanson Contractor: Moulin & Associates, New York Photos: Tom Sibley

Two-Toned Warm Kitchen Remodel

Karr Bick Kitchen and Bath

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in St Louis with an undermount sink, light wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop, shaker cabinets and dark hardwood floors.

Modern Kitchen

Photo of a mid-sized modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, grey floor, white benchtop, a drop-in sink, light wood cabinets and cement tiles.

Lawrenceville Remodel by Katy Popple Design

Erin Kelly Photography

Inspiration for a mid-sized eclectic l-shaped kitchen in Other with with island, an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

SB Home

Mrigank Sharma Photography

Design ideas for a small industrial galley eat-in kitchen in Mumbai with ceramic splashback, with island, a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, stainless steel appliances, white splashback and multi-coloured floor.

Modern Farmhouse

CarsonSpeer Builders

The heart of the home, this kitchen is bright and full of natural light. Floating shelves hold dishes while a large island provides work space and storage. Cambria quartz countertops. Inspiro 8

Architectural Designs House Plan 14637RK Client-Built in Virginia

Architectural Designs

Inspiration for a country l-shaped kitchen in Other with marble benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop, shaker cabinets, white cabinets and subway tile splashback.

Modern DC Kitchen

Haus Interior Design

These terrific clients turned a boring 80's kitchen into a modern, Asian-inspired chef's dream kitchen, with two tone cabinetry and professional grade appliances. An over-sized island provides comfortable seating for four. Custom Half-wall bookcases divide the kitchen from the family room without impeding sight lines into the inviting space. Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg

Oyster Pond Estate

User

Country single-wall eat-in kitchen in Boston with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, cement tiles, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Tangley @

Sally Wheat Interiors

This is an example of a transitional kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback and subway tile splashback.

Amanda Teal Designs

Michelle Drewes

Michelle Drewes 2012
Photo of a contemporary kitchen in San Francisco with mosaic tile splashback, open cabinets and white cabinets.

Contemporary. clean, warm kitchen

Kristin Lam Interiors

Clean, contemporary white oak slab cabinets with a white Chroma Crystal White countertop. Cabinets are set off with sleek stainless steel handles. The appliances are also stainless steel. The diswasher is Bosch, the refridgerator is a Kenmore professional built-in, stainless steel. The hood is stainless and glass from Futuro, Venice model. The double oven is stainless steel from LG. The stainless wine cooler is Uline. the stainless steel built-in microwave is form GE. The irridescent glass back splash that sets off the floating bar cabinet and surrounds window is Vihara Irridescent 1 x 4 glass in Puka. Perfect for entertaining. The floors are Italian ceramic planks that look like hardwood in a driftwood color. Simply gorgeous. Lighting is recessed and kept to a minimum to maintain the crisp clean look the client was striving for. I added a pop of orange and turquoise (not seen in the photos) for pillows on a bench as well as on the accessories. Cabinet fabricator, Mark Klindt ~ www.creativewoodworks.info

Minecraft House

Board & Vellum

Photo by Tina Witherspoon.
Photo of a large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and brown floor.

Schweigen - Rustic Industrial by SpaceCraft Joinery

Schweigen Silent Rangehoods

Schweigen Rangehood: UM-9S
Inspiration for a transitional galley kitchen in Adelaide with stainless steel appliances, with island, a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, grey floor and black benchtop.

Marylebone Mews House

dRAW Architecture

Design ideas for a transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in London with shaker cabinets, green cabinets, marble splashback, black appliances, green floor and white benchtop.

All Backsplash Materials Kitchen 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!