Photography by Tre Dunham
Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, stainless steel appliances and black benchtop.

sweet english cottage makeover

Daniela Levesque ID

this cottage kitchen makeover included painting thermafoil cabinets in a blue and white combination, new faux marble counters, white subway tile with grey grout, grey glass tile insert

Lehigh

Sardone | McLain Construction

Updated modern kitchen, Custom built cabinets, Island countertops- Stonemark Granite Black Soapstone, Backsplash-Imperial Bianco Frame Gloss White Tile, Island Lighting-Sculptural Glass Geo Pendant, new appliances and Vent Hood

French Country ASID Showcase - Notre Belle Maison

Wyrick Residential Design

Miro Dvorscak Peterson Homebuilders, Inc. Cindy Aplanalp-Yates & Chairma Design Group
This is an example of a large l-shaped open plan kitchen in Houston with recessed-panel cabinets, with island, a farmhouse sink, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, grey floor, blue cabinets and soapstone benchtops.

Double Waste Basket Cabinet

K&N Appliance Gallery

Sometimes the waste basket in the kitchen seems to get full too fast and creates an uninviting ambiance. This won’t be a problem anymore with Wood-Mode’s double waste basket cabinet.

Glass Door Sub-Zero in Cape Cod Kitchen

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

This beautiful Cape Cod-inspired kitchen features painted cabinetry, Wolf convection ovens, Sub-Zero stainless steel glass-front refrigerator and more. You can actually visit this kitchen at http://www.clarkecorp.com

Pantry

County Victorian

Modern conveniences preserving the Victorian spirit!
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional kitchen in Other with beaded inset cabinets, blue cabinets, soapstone benchtops, light hardwood floors and black benchtop.

Kitchen with island and open shelves

Andersen Design Group

Maura B McConnell Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized country l-shaped kitchen in Philadelphia with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Oceanside Wood Mode

SANOMA Kitchen & Bath

Photo of a large contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Miami with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, soapstone benchtops, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors and multiple islands.

Industrial Red Farmhouse Kitchen in Oak Park

Denise Hauser Design Co.

Large country l-shaped separate kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, soapstone benchtops, black splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Central Avenue Chef's Table

Thyme & Place Design LLC

At this turn of the 20th century, home badly needed a new kitchen. An old porch had been partially enclosed, and the old kitchen window opened onto that enclosure, a small stretch of hallway 6 feet wide. The room had little in the way of form or function. The appliances all needed to be replaced, the lighting and flooring were in bad repair and the kitchen itself lacked culinary inspiration. The client requested a kitchen with modern top-of-the-line cooking appliances, a well-thought-out plan which would include an island, a desk, eating for 6, custom storage, a "cat" corner for the family pet’s food and bowls as well as a drop-dead design aesthetic. Welcome to the Central Av Kitchen. The old exterior wall was removed and the 6’ hallway was incorporated into the kitchen area providing space for both a table as well as a generous island with seating for three. In lieu of pantry cabinets, a pantry closet was framed to the right of the refrigerator to account for a change in ceiling height. The closet conceals the slope of the old exterior wall. Additional space for the cooktop credenza was found by extending a wall concealing the basement stairs. Custom-screened marble tile covers the wall behind the induction cooktop. A pot filler faucet is an added convenience becoming very popular with clients who cook. The secondary cooking area adjacent to the cooktop has a single convection wall oven and one of my favorite appliances, a steam oven. This is the one appliance no kitchen should be without. An immovable corner chase became part of the design supporting a full counter-to-ceiling cabinet for glasses and cups. Dish drawer storage is located below this cabinet, perfect when unloading the dishwasher. Once again, my favorite culinary sink (Franke) and a professional-style faucet (Brizo) add to the chef’s table experience of the kitchen. The refrigerator is a gorgeous 42” french door-styled Sub Zero. Moving to the island, you will find an under-counter beverage refrigerator, additional storage, and a mixer lift to keep the stand mixer at ready but tucked away. Great for casual dining and ample space for preparing meals, the island is the perfect centerpiece for the kitchen design. A traditional ship lap wood detail was turned on its end to surround the island. The contrasting color and texture of the rustic oak give relief to the smooth painted finish of the kitchen cabinets. The stain color is repeated on the pantry door as well as the family room entrance door to the kitchen. Near the kitchen table, a desk is located for both recipe research as well as homework. The spare dining chair serves as a desk chair. Open shelves are simultaneously practical and decorative. Custom storage details include a spice drawer, pull-out pantry, dish drawer, garbage/recycling cabinet, vertical tray storage, utensil, and flatware drawers, and “cat corner” which holds all things kitty related, while keeping the cat dining area out of the main kitchen. Additional details about the space. The cabinets are a traditional plain inset construction but without visible hinges. Large format “concrete” porcelain floor tiles create a simple canvas for blue-painted cabinets with a black glazed finish. Contemporized matte black hardware provides a beautiful contrast to the cabinet color. The other splash areas are covered in a simple white mottled glazed porcelain subway tile. The “cat corner” which is not visible is realized in distressed black paint with a wood countertop to match the oak on the island. Another key point is the ceiling height. Taller ceilings allow for taller cabinets but need a strong molding detail to balance the tall cabinet doors. To demonstrate that detail, you will notice a combination of moldings (9” high) and double-paneled doors to overcome a “tower effect” in the space.

The Colonial Modernist

Moore House Design

In a full-scale design, renovation, and furnishings project, we completely transformed this space for our clients by infusing it with only the most charming of details. The first-floor expanded kitchen features smoky black cabinetry and textural brick walls, while the second-floor main suite boasts incredibly well-appointed built-in closets that add extensive storage all while incorporating sleek colonial-inspired character back into the space. The overall scope of this project required a hefty, multi-floor, full gut “floverhaul” i.e., the overhaul of a home’s floor plan with attention to spatial flow and in this case storage. The areas we renovated head-to-toe in order to transform this house into our clients’ dream home include the kitchen, entryway, pantry, mudroom, and main suite.

Traditional Kitchen with Blue Cabinets and Soapstone Coutertops

Talmadge Construction, Inc.

This traditional kitchen features blue raised panel cabinetry with an L-shape layout and a large kitchen island in the center of the room. The kitchen island doubles as a bar and dining area with three stylish black stools that sit opposite the stovetop, making this a great room for entertaining and cooking for guests. A farmhouse sink adds charm to the space along with hardwood floors that match the window framing.

Bay Island Kitchen

B&T Kitchens and Baths

Ramone Photography
Large beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, blue cabinets, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, soapstone benchtops, grey splashback, mosaic tile splashback, brown floor and black benchtop.

Kitchen in Teddington

Adam Butler Photography

Adam Butler
Inspiration for an industrial open plan kitchen in London with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, soapstone benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Taringa Project

Little White Label

The beautiful deep grey soapstone island bench adds depth in this otherwise white kitchen.
Photo of a transitional eat-in kitchen in Brisbane with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island and grey benchtop.

Kitchen

Rock Paper Hammer

Construction by Redsmith Photo by Andrew Hyslop
Photo of a large eclectic l-shaped open plan kitchen in Louisville with an undermount sink, blue cabinets, soapstone benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and black benchtop.

Industrial Red Farmhouse Kitchen in Oak Park

Denise Hauser Design Co.

This is an example of a large country l-shaped separate kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, soapstone benchtops, black splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

New England Barn Home Farmhouse

ArtCraft Homes LLC

"Victoria Point" farmhouse barn home by Yankee Barn Homes, customized by Paul Dierkes, Architect. Shaker-style Crown Select cabinetry from Crown Point Cabinetry. Countertops of black soapstone. Backsplash of white subway tile. Appliances by KitchenAid. White oak flooring.

Southwestern Theme - Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinetry

Roberts Custom Cabinets

This is an example of a mid-sized l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a drop-in sink, raised-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, soapstone benchtops, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Kitchen with Blue Cabinets and Soapstone Benchtops 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!