This is an example of a traditional eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, slate splashback, stainless steel appliances, multiple islands, brown floor and black benchtop.

Zilker Park MCM

Ashby Collective

Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Austin with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, green splashback, stainless steel appliances, terrazzo floors, no island, white floor and black benchtop.

Kale Mills

Chelsea Building Group

Bold kitchen and dining area in Kale Mills. Chelsea Building Group's latest homes in Charlotte, NC
This is an example of a contemporary kitchen in Charlotte with flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, with island and black benchtop.

Modern-Industrial Kitchen

Next Stage Design + Build

Inspiration for a large industrial l-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, granite benchtops, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, laminate floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Bromley,BR1

AIB Contractors Ltd

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen in London with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, black splashback, subway tile splashback, black appliances, with island, grey floor and black benchtop.

Modern Farmhouse-Upstate

Crisp Architects

Kitchen with concrete countertop island and pendant lighting.
Design ideas for a large country u-shaped kitchen in New York with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Eastside Bungalow

Jameson Design Group

The kitchen is in the portion of the home that was part of an addition by the previous homeowners, which was enclosed and had a very low ceiling. We removed and reframed the roof of the addition portion to vault the ceiling. The new kitchen layout is open to the family room, and has a large square shaped island. Other improvements include natural soapstone countertops, built-in stainless steel appliances and two tone cabinets with brass hardware.

Englewood Road SW12

User

Matt Clayton Photography
Design ideas for a transitional galley eat-in kitchen in London with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, white splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and black benchtop.

Hawthorne Hills Residence

Tammara Stroud Design

In 1949, one of mid-century modern’s most famous NW architects, Paul Hayden Kirk, built this early “glass house” in Hawthorne Hills. Rather than flattening the rolling hills of the Northwest to accommodate his structures, Kirk sought to make the least impact possible on the building site by making use of it natural landscape. When we started this project, our goal was to pay attention to the original architecture--as well as designing the home around the client’s eclectic art collection and African artifacts. The home was completely gutted, since most of the home is glass, hardly any exterior walls remained. We kept the basic footprint of the home the same—opening the space between the kitchen and living room. The horizontal grain matched walnut cabinets creates a natural continuous movement. The sleek lines of the Fleetwood windows surrounding the home allow for the landscape and interior to seamlessly intertwine. In our effort to preserve as much of the design as possible, the original fireplace remains in the home and we made sure to work with the natural lines originally designed by Kirk.

Appleton Way

Peters Architecture

Large contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and black benchtop.

Marin Custom Home

Kelly Hohla Interiors

Photography by John Merkl
This is an example of a large transitional galley open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, shaker cabinets, beige floor, solid surface benchtops and black benchtop.

The Woodshop of Avon

Matt Schmitt Photography
Mid-sized traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with stainless steel appliances, a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, light hardwood floors, with island and black benchtop.

Tea Fire Residence

Neumann Mendro Andrulaitis Architects LLP

Jim Bartsch
Photo of a large traditional l-shaped kitchen in Santa Barbara with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white splashback, panelled appliances, with island, light hardwood floors and black benchtop.

Classic Transformation

Knight Architects LLC

Kitchen, backsplash is a solid piece of marble. Island is made of leather finish absolute black granite. Built-in range hood. Photography by Pete Weigley

Glastonbury Residence_Kitchen

FACET Design

Transitional u-shaped kitchen in Nashville with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, beige splashback, mosaic tile splashback, white appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Modern Kitchen Chislehurst

piqu

A modern stylish kitchen designed by piqu and supplied by our German manufacturer Ballerina. The crisp white handleless cabinets are paired with a dark beautifully patterned Caesarstone called Vanilla Noir. A black Quooker tap and appliances from Siemen's Studioline range reinforce the luxurious and sleek design.

NUOVA ZONA GIORNO AD ALBIGNASEGO

Francesca Endrizzi architetto interior designer

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a single-bowl sink, beaded inset cabinets, light wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, black splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, no island, grey floor and black benchtop.

Sierra Madre Renovation

SoCal Canyon Builders

Updated kitchen with custom green cabinetry, black countertops, custom hood vent for 36" Wolf range with designer tile and stained wood tongue and groove backsplash.

Golden Valley Kitchen

Edit Design Build Studio, LLC

Small midcentury galley kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, linoleum floors, beige floor and black benchtop.

93rd Street Kitchen Addition

Schloegel Design Remodel

The homeowner's wide range of tastes coalesces in this lovely kitchen and mudroom. Vintage, modern, English, and mid-century styles form one eclectic and alluring space. Rift-sawn white oak cabinets in warm almond, textured white subway tile, white island top, and a custom white range hood lend lots of brightness while black perimeter countertops and a Laurel Woods deep green finish on the island and beverage bar balance the palette with a unique twist on farmhouse style.

Kitchen with Black Benchtop and Orange 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!