Inspiration for a small modern galley kitchen pantry in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, black splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and dark hardwood floors.

世田谷の家

Roovice

This is an example of an asian l-shaped kitchen in Yokohama with an integrated sink, louvered cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, black splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, brown floor, grey benchtop, dark wood cabinets and dark hardwood floors.

Otterly Farmhouse

User

Lucy Walters Photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized country l-shaped kitchen in Oxfordshire with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, black splashback, subway tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Moonee Ponds_01

Vos Architecture + Design

John Vos
Design ideas for a mid-sized modern galley eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, black splashback, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Contemporary Multi Family Project in San Francisco (Vallejo)

Jeanne Liem Architecture + Design

Built and Photographed by Master Builders SF.
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Mayflower Renovation

Carlton Edwards

Photo by David Dietrich. Carolina Home & Garden Magazine, Summer 2017
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Charlotte with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, solid surface benchtops, black splashback and brown floor.

Evanston Single Family

LOMA Studios

John Firak / LOMA Studios, lomastudios.com
This is an example of an eclectic kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, black splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Attic Transformer

Michael K Chen Architecture

The kitchen and bath are housed in a black Corian and charcoal lacquered volume at one end of the space.
Design ideas for a small modern single-wall eat-in kitchen in New York with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, solid surface benchtops, black splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors and no island.

Greenwich Modern

Voce Di ID

Costas Picadas
Design ideas for a large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, ceramic splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, an undermount sink and stainless steel appliances.

Westwind 2019

Maric Homes & Renovations

This is an example of a contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, black splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, grey floor and black benchtop.

Modern dark, black, wood kitchen with gold accents and Sub-Zero wine storage

Clarke - New England’s Sub-Zero & Wolf Showroom

Design ideas for a mid-sized modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Boston with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, black splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Curva House

LSA Architects

John Wheatley - UA Creative
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional kitchen in Melbourne with flat-panel cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback and dark hardwood floors.

Bluffview

Smith & Ragsdale Interior Design

While this new home had an architecturally striking exterior, the home’s interior fell short in terms of true functionality and overall style. The most critical element in this renovation was the kitchen and dining area, which needed careful attention to bring it to the level that suited the home and the homeowners. As a graduate of Culinary Institute of America, our client wanted a kitchen that “feels like a restaurant, with the warmth of a home kitchen,” where guests can gather over great food, great wine, and truly feel comfortable in the open concept home. Although it follows a typical chef’s galley layout, the unique design solutions and unusual materials set it apart from the typical kitchen design. Polished countertops, laminated and stainless cabinets fronts, and professional appliances are complemented by the introduction of wood, glass, and blackened metal – materials introduced in the overall design of the house. Unique features include a wall clad in walnut for dangling heavy pots and utensils; a floating, sculptural walnut countertop piece housing an herb garden; an open pantry that serves as a coffee bar and wine station; and a hanging chalkboard that hides a water heater closet and features different coffee offerings available to guests. The dining area addition, enclosed by windows, continues to vivify the organic elements and brings in ample natural light, enhancing the darker finishes and creating additional warmth. Photos by Ira Montgomery

Remuera Entertainer

Du Bois Design Ltd

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Auckland with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, black splashback, porcelain splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Appartamento a Milano

Arch. Claudia Baldi - MatStudio

Design ideas for a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Milan with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, black splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Hunt Valley 2

Scotland Kitchen & Bath Designs, Inc

Ric Guy
Design ideas for a mid-sized arts and crafts u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Baltimore with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, black splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, solid surface benchtops and dark hardwood floors.

Theodore Wirth Ranch

Strand Design

This is an example of a midcentury kitchen in Minneapolis with open cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, panelled appliances and dark hardwood floors.

Remuera Entertainer

Du Bois Design Ltd

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Auckland with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, black splashback, porcelain splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

5831 Residence

FORWARD Design | Architecture

Photos by Bob Greenspan Photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped separate kitchen in Kansas City with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and dark hardwood floors.

Before and After

Trans-Pacific Design

This island is actually a green stain, not grey as pictured. An otherwise dark kitchen was brightened by removing the old blue tile, adding a skylight, and both recessed and pendant lighting. The flamed upatuba countertops give it a rustic feeling. Photo by Karen Anderson

Kitchen with Black Splashback and Dark Hardwood Floors 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!