Our design process is set up to tease out what is unique about a project and a client so that we can create something peculiar to them. When we first went to see this client, we noticed that they used their fridge as a kind of notice board to put up pictures by the kids, reminders, lists, cards etc… with magnets onto the metal face of the old fridge. In their new kitchen they wanted integrated appliances and for things to be neat, but we felt these drawings and cards needed a place to be celebrated and we proposed a cork panel integrated into the cabinet fronts… the idea developed into a full band of cork, stained black to match the black front of the oven, to bind design together. It also acts as a bit of a sound absorber (important when you have 3yr old twins!) and sits over the splash back so that there is a lot of space to curate an evolving backdrop of things you might pin to it. In this design, we wanted to design the island as big table in the middle of the room. The thing about thinking of an island like a piece of furniture in this way is that it allows light and views through and around; it all helps the island feel more delicate and elegant… and the room less taken up by island. The frame is made from solid oak and we stained it black to balance the composition with the stained cork. The sink run is a set of floating drawers that project from the wall and the flooring continues under them - this is important because again, it makes the room feel more spacious. The full height cabinets are purposefully a calm, matt off white. We used Farrow and Ball ’School house white’… because its our favourite ‘white’ of course! All of the whitegoods are integrated into this full height run: oven, microwave, fridge, freezer, dishwasher and a gigantic pantry cupboard. A sweet detail is the hand turned cabinet door knobs - The clients are music lovers and the knobs are enlarged versions of the volume knob from a 1970s record player.

First Time Remodel in Lancaster

Lenton Company, Inc.

Flipping the laundry room space with the walk-in pantry was designed to remove the laundry area from a heavily trafficked hall. In the new pantry area, a coffee bar was envisioned. Black stainless-steel appliances were selected to contrast with white cabinetry. Granite would be ‘honed’ to not be shiny smooth; a white arabesque backsplash tile complemented the cabinetry. No seating was planned on the back side of the island, making cabinets easier to access.

Les Hogues

CP Design Interieur

L'espace repas se veut offrir une vue agréable sur le jardin. La couleur chaude du bois vient contraster avec le bleu ciel des façades et le sol, également de teintes froides

Stunning Private Eclectic Home, Southwell

Belvoir Interiors

Pullman In-Frame Shaker Style Kitchen 20mm Silestone Lagoon Work Surfaces Burnished Brass Armac Martin Handles Designed, Supplied & Installed Bespoke Colour - Farrow & Ball's Railings No.31 Oak Dovetailed Drawer Boxes Seating For Up To 4 On Island

Navy Blue

Ola Jachymiak Studio

The idea was to create functional space with a bit of attitude, to reflect the owner's character. The apartment balances minimalism, industrial furniture (lamps and Bertoia chairs), white brick and kitchen in the style of a "French boulangerie". Open kitchen and living room, painted in white and blue, are separated by the island, which serves as both kitchen table and dining space. Bespoke furniture play an important storage role in the apartment, some of them having double functionalities, like the bench, which can be converted to a bed. The richness of the navy color fills up the apartment, with the contrasting white and touches of mustard color giving that edgy look. Ola Jachymiak Studio

Appartement hausmannien 170m² 6 piècesca

Caméléon | Architecte d'intérieur

Cuisine cottage sur mesure réalisé par Péreire Décoration plan de travail en granit white Macaubas; zellige marocain en crédence
Photo of a large transitional l-shaped separate kitchen in Paris with marble benchtops, an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, blue splashback, terra-cotta splashback, black appliances, ceramic floors, no island and blue floor.

Diseño interior adosado familiar

Sube Interiorismo

Mid-sized transitional u-shaped kitchen in Bilbao with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, brown splashback, engineered quartz splashback, black appliances, ceramic floors, no island, blue floor and brown benchtop.

Wansworth Traditional Kitchen

The Wood Works

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional galley eat-in kitchen in London with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, black appliances, porcelain floors, with island, blue floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Colour Pop House

MOOi Architecture

Contemporary kitchen
Design ideas for a contemporary kitchen in Cambridgeshire with flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, black appliances, cement tiles, with island and blue floor.

Randolph

John McCartney CKBD

Kitchen Remodel
This is an example of a large traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, granite benchtops, blue splashback, glass sheet splashback, black appliances, ceramic floors, with island, blue floor and blue benchtop.

Les Hogues

CP Design Interieur

Les finitions en laiton apportent un côté chaleureux et viennent rappeler naturellement le côté doré du bois.
Large country l-shaped separate kitchen in Le Havre with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, blue splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, terrazzo floors, with island, blue floor and blue benchtop.

Stunning Private Eclectic Home, Southwell

Belvoir Interiors

Integrierte Türe zur Speisekammer

Neue Räume - Die Küchen Schreiner

Das besondere Highlight dieser Küche ist die deckenhoch integrierte Türe zur Speisekammer in Frontmaterial. So öffnet sich hinter der Küche viel Platz für alle großen und kleinen Vorräte.

Rénovation Meulière 95

Triptyque Design d'intérieur

This is an example of a large midcentury u-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with a drop-in sink, white cabinets, laminate benchtops, metallic splashback, black appliances, cement tiles, no island, blue floor and white benchtop.

Rénovation d'un appartement qui chante le sud - Projet Phillipe

Mon Concept Habitation

Le charme du Sud à Paris. Un projet de rénovation assez atypique...car il a été mené par des étudiants architectes ! Notre cliente, qui travaille dans la mode, avait beaucoup de goût et s’est fortement impliquée dans le projet. Un résultat chiadé au charme méditerranéen.

Parfact Pair: Blue & Gold!

Point 5 Kitchens Ltd

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in London with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, black appliances, porcelain floors, a peninsula, blue floor and white benchtop.

Transformation d'un petit appartement parisien

Studio Mariekke

Studio Mariekke
Photo of a small transitional galley eat-in kitchen in Paris with a drop-in sink, beaded inset cabinets, blue cabinets, tile benchtops, black splashback, ceramic splashback, black appliances, cement tiles, no island and blue floor.

Seaside kitchen

H. Miller Bros

SOKOL A9

Totaste.studio | Виктор Штефан

Авторы проекта: Макс Жуков Виктор Штефан Стиль: Даша Соболева Фото: Сергей Красюк
Photo of a mid-sized industrial l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Moscow with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, wood benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, black appliances, ceramic floors, no island, blue floor and brown benchtop.

SOKOL A9

Totaste.studio | Виктор Штефан

Kitchen with Black Appliances and Blue Floor 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!