Photo of a mid-sized modern l-shaped kitchen pantry in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, blue splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and blue benchtop.

Historical Fremont Remodel

TreHus Architects+Interior Designers+Builders

This is an example of an expansive transitional single-wall eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, blue cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, blue benchtop and shaker cabinets.

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.

Atlanta BLUE kitchen

Rosa Moreno Kitchens

Design ideas for a small eclectic l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and blue benchtop.

Blue and White Kitchen in Yardley

Lang's Kitchen & Bath

This spacious kitchen design in Yardley is a bright, open plan space bathed in natural light from the large windows, doors, and skylights. The white perimeter cabinets from Koch and Company are complemented by handmade subway tile and MSI Surfaces Calcatta Venice quartz countertop. The white color scheme is beautifully contrasted by blue island cabinetry with a bi-level countertop and barstool seating. The island also includes a Task Lighting angled power strip, a narrow wine refrigerator, and a white Blanco Siligranit apron front sink with a Riobel Edge faucet and chrome soap dispenser. The kitchen cabinets are accented by Top Knobs Lydia style pulls in chrome. Bosch stainless appliances feature throughout the kitchen, including a microwave drawer and a Bosch stainless chimney hood. Dark hardwood flooring from Meridian brings depth to the style. The natural lighting is complemented by pendant lights from Wage Lighting, undercabinet lighting, and upper glass front cabinets with in cabinet lighting.

Mesa Contemporary

Allen Construction

This whole house remodel updated and expanded a 1950’s contemporary. In addition to making the home more comfortable and energy efficient, the remodel added fabulous finishes. The owners were interested in creating multiple outdoor spaces for entertaining. Architect: Harrison Design; Landscape Design/Construction: Grace Design Associates; Photography: Jake Cryan Photography

San Diego Contemporary

Luxury Ranch Interior Design

In the foreground you can see the LED lit glass counter edge. The lights are easily adjustable to reflect a single color or a full color range. Disco in concept, the edge lighting is actually a sophisticated and subtle detail. The white leather chairs will swivel, allowing interaction from all angles in this open floor plan. Down lighting under the glass bar accentuates the beautiful rosewood panels. Ed Golich Photography

Mid-Century Modern Revival Kitchen by Shasta Smith

Shasta Smith - CID #6478

Renovation Design by Shasta Smith Photography by Dave Adams
This is an example of a midcentury kitchen in Sacramento with concrete benchtops, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, blue splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and blue benchtop.

Fossil Creek Kitchen

Haven Design and Construction

The focal point of this beautiful kitchen is the stunning stainless range hood accented with antique gold strapping. The marble backsplash was the inspiration for the gray and white cabinets and the two islands add drama and function to the space. Quartzite countertops provide durability and compliment the marble backsplash. This transitional kitchen features a coffee center, two sinks, a potfiller, 48" Wolf gas range, 36" Subzero refrigerator column, 24" Subzero freezer column, dishwasher drawers, a warming drawer, convection microwave and a wine refrigerator. It's truly a chef's dream kitchen.

Les Hogues

CP Design Interieur

Les niches ouvertes apportent la couleur chaleureuse du chêne cognac et allègent visuellement le bloc de colonnes qui aurait été trop massif si entièrement fermé!

Park Circle

Kitchen Cove Design Studio

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Portland Maine with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and blue benchtop.

Casa M+L

Mayer e Bertok architetti associati

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped separate kitchen in Other with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, blue splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, marble floors, no island, beige floor and blue benchtop.

Fresh Modern Coastal Style New Home

Spaces By Juliana Linssen, Inc.

Design ideas for a large beach style u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and blue benchtop.

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.

Contempo

AM Kitchen & Bath

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Denver with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and blue benchtop.

Rhapsody in Blue

Sycamore Kitchens & More

"We would LOVE a FUNCTIONAL Blue and White kitchen please!" stated the clients who longed for a kitchen that the whole family can cook in. Kristin, our Senior Designer was only too happy to oblige. Using an inset cabinetry selected by the client, Kristin worked her magic. She created an expansive Blue island complete with a prep sink so "no more waiting in line to use the sink!" In addition, the cooktop was relocated from the island to provide additional prep and entertaining space. Plus, an intimate seating area was created. Of course, a beautiful shade of blue was selected for the island. On the perimeter of the kitchen, the refrigeration was separated to provide easy, quick access to the abundance of fresh vegetables needed for each meal, and were paneled to be pleasing to the eye. A speed oven and a convection oven are perfect for the wonderful baked breads, cakes, cookies and casseroles created by this family. A wine area took the place of a desk creating a drink station while entertaining. A beautiful quartzite with rich blue veins was painstakingly selected to tie in the entire space and a textured subway tile completed the look. Rhapsody in Blue= Family Harmony!

Dallas Suburb Classic Kitchen- before and after

Carrie Johnson

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Dallas with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, blue benchtop and recessed-panel cabinets.

Modern Nautical Kitchen & Bar

J&J Carpet One Floor & Home

Cabinets: Norcraft, Copenhagen door style in Maple Pure White. Hardware: Top Knobs, Barrington Channing Cup Pulls, Pulls and Knobs in Ash Gray. Backsplash: Bedrosians, Cloe 2.5x8 Blue. Countertops: Cambria quartz in Mayfair with an eased edge. Flooring: Tesoro, Oakmont 6x36 Miele wood look porcelain tile. Flooring Grout: Mapei, Navajo Brown.

All Backsplash Materials 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!