Photo of a scandinavian kitchen in Paris with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, a peninsula and grey floor.

Horton Road

Finch London

Compact U-shaped kitchen in Hackney Matt Lacquer doors in Ceramic Blue by Sanderson Bespoke Handles and Box Shelves in American Black Walnut 40mm thick American Black Walnut worktops Scallop tiles by Mosaic Del Sur Copper Pendant by Nordlux Photos by Polly Tootal

Second Story Addition: Charming Bryant Home

Blue Sound Construction, Inc.

Kitchen newly remodeled, with mudroom: part of a full house remodel and second story addition in the Bryant neighborhood of Seattle. Builder: Blue Sound Construction, Inc. Architect: SHKS Architects Photo: Miranda Estes

kitchen

Abode Carpentry Ltd

Transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, marble splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, grey splashback, a peninsula, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Maison à Puteaux, 180m²

Fanny Prat - Architecte d'intérieur

Studio Chevojon
Inspiration for a contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Paris with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Allpress Kitchen Case Study

Roundhouse

Roundhouse Classic matt lacquer bespoke kitchen in Little Green BBC 50 N 05 with island in Little Green BBC 24 D 05, Bianco Eclipsia quartz wall cladding. Work surfaces, on island; Bianco Eclipsia quartz with matching downstand, bar area; matt sanded stainless steel, island table worktop Spekva Bavarian Wholestave. Bar area; Bronze mirror splashback. Photography by Darren Chung.

Colleton River

Randolph Stewart

Design ideas for a large mediterranean u-shaped kitchen in Atlanta with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, a farmhouse sink, terra-cotta floors and brown benchtop.

An Arts and Crafts Kitchen in Kent by deVOL

deVOL Kitchens

Design ideas for a transitional kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

A Bijou Holiday Apartment in Edinburgh

The Couture Rooms

This is an example of a traditional eat-in kitchen in Edinburgh with a peninsula, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback and dark hardwood floors.

Cuisine Marly le Roi

Olivia Martin / Architecte d'Intérieur

Cuisine style campagne chic un peu British
Mid-sized country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Cuisine du projet DIOMEDES

ELLYPSE

A la demande des clients, la cuisine est colorée. Conservation du sol existant. La crédence en carreaux de ciment a des touches de bleu rappelant la couleur des caissons de cuisine. Plans de travail et étagères sont en bois pour s'harmoniser avec les poutres.

LAUREL KITCHEN

Kate Roos Design LLC

Dark blue base cabinets anchor the space while the marble countertops and walnut island top preserve the light and history of this turn of the century home.

Eclectic Kitchen

Small eclectic l-shaped open plan kitchen in Philadelphia with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, wood benchtops, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, a peninsula, timber, blue cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, beige floor and brown benchtop.

Contemporary Kitchen Design Ideas

Everingham Design

Design ideas for a large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Columbus with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Bethesda Sommerset

Sarah Kahn Turner

Inspiration for a large transitional l-shaped kitchen pantry in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances and with island.

Holly's Home

Grassroots Design

JVL Photography
Small transitional l-shaped kitchen in Ottawa with blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, brown benchtop, shaker cabinets, subway tile splashback and light hardwood floors.

Antique Woods

Terry Architecture, LLC

This is an example of a country l-shaped kitchen in Bridgeport with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Modern Meadow Residence

Kate Maloney Interior Design

Michael J. Lee
Photo of a large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Boston with with island, a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Rosslyn Cabin

Studio Miel

Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Photo of a small contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, porcelain floors, with island, brown floor, white appliances and brown benchtop.

Edwardian Family Terrace

Alberts House Ltd

Shaker kitchen cabinets were painted in a deep green to highlight the brass hardware. Carrara marble worktops and reclaimed oak on the island complete the scheme for a bespoke individual finish.

Kitchen with Blue Cabinets and Wood 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!