Light countertop on dark cabinetry makes for a beautiful contrast in this contemporary kitchen! And the kitchen pendant lighting completes the style and adds soft lighting to the kitchen.

Dreamy Blue Subway Tile Kitchen

Mercury Mosaics and Tile

Using Subway Tile in a light yet colorful tile adds great dimension to your kitchen. That's exactly what these homeowners did. The beautiful, quiet blue color plays perfectly off of the white tile and dark countertops, making for an overall great kitchen. 2"x4" Subway Tile - 1064 Baby Blue

KItchen, Bala Cynwyd, PA

Match Remodeling

A recent kitchen renovation in Bala Cynwyd. We removed the dated dome lights and installed strategically placed 4” recessed lights. For under-cabinet lighting, we used a series of hardwired, non-heat producing LED lights. These are self-adhesive, paper-thin strips that provide plenty of attractive light, install easily and cost a fraction of standard under-cabinet lighting. And you can’t see them without bending down to look under the cabinets. The new bamboo floor certainly brightened things up, as did the quartz countertops. We sought a lumberyard that carried the same dimension and profile baseboard as the rest of the house. A custom-made steel frame, topped by a matching slab of countertop, made the new kitchen table. Some new Bosch appliances, floating IKEA shelves, a few coats of Benjamin Moore paint, a custom mosaic glass tile backsplash were the finishing touches. Photo: Becca Dornewass, Octo Design

Provencal Kitchen

Designers' Studio

Design ideas for a large country u-shaped kitchen pantry in New York with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, distressed cabinets, marble benchtops, yellow splashback, terra-cotta floors and with island.

Alameda Kitchen Remodel

Howells Architecture + Design

The new kitchen for this English-style 1920s Portland home was inspired by the classic English scullery—and Downton Abbey! A royal color scheme, British-made apron sink, and period pulls ground the project in history, while refined lines and modern functionality bring it up to the present. Photo: Anna M. Campbell

Making a Splash Kitchen

Spaces Into Places LLC

Making great use of a tall ceiling height with stacked cabinets, the clean lines and colorful glass tile, along with linoleum flooring and stainless accents make a small kitchen feel extra special. Slide-out hood keeps the profile sleek and modern.

Revamped Kitchen

Full Circle Construction Inc.

Beautifully crafted built-ins include curved bench around custom built table in eating nook. Multipurpose cabinetry includes shelves for cookbooks, recycling pullout and charging station for electronics.

Green Goods

Design by Heather Tissue; construction by Green Goods Kitchen remodel featuring carmelized strand woven bamboo plywood, maple plywood and paint grade cabinets, custom bamboo doors, handmade ceramic tile, custom concrete countertops

Winding Way Residence

SDG Architecture, Inc.

Photographer: John Sutton Interior Designer: Carrington Kujawa
Inspiration for a country kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, blue splashback, recessed-panel cabinets, beige cabinets and brick floors.

Susan Teare

Susan Teare, Professional Photographer

Living on the Edge, Lakefront Contemporary Prairie Style Home
This is an example of a contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Burlington with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, grey cabinets, blue splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Modern Bungalow

Structures, Inc.

WHOLE HOUSE RENOVATION AND ADDITION Built in the 1940s, this cottage had an incredible amount of character and personality but was not conducive to the way we live today. The rooms were small and did not flow well into one another. The renovation of this house required opening up several rooms and adding square footage to the back of the home, all the while, keeping the curb appeal of a small cottage. Photographs by jeanallsopp.com

Contemporary Kitchen

Photo of a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Seattle with stainless steel appliances, glass benchtops, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, blue splashback and turquoise benchtop.

West HIlls - Kitchen

Jenny Baines, Jennifer Baines Interiors

Lincoln Barbour - Photographer
Traditional kitchen in Portland with stainless steel appliances, white cabinets, marble benchtops and blue splashback.

San Jose Res 2

Fiorella Design, LLC

Large Kitchen Island, Marble countertops, crackle ceramic subway tile backsplash
Traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Mid-Century Modern Kitchen With a View

Forward Design Build Remodel

For this mid-century modern kitchen our team came up with a design plan that gave the space a completely new look. We went with grey and white tones to balance with the existing wood flooring and wood vaulted ceiling. Flush panel cabinets with linear hardware provided a clean look, while the handmade yellow subway tile backsplash brought warmth to the space without adding another wood feature. Replacing the swinging exterior door with a sliding door made for better circulation, perfect for when the client entertains. We replaced the skylight and the windows in the eat-in area and also repainted the windows and casing in the kitchen to match the new windows. The final look seamlessly blends with the mid-century modern style in the rest of the home, and and now these homeowners can really enjoy the view!

Crowe Lake, Marmora Cottage

Emily Griffin Design

Sian Richards
This is an example of a large beach style eat-in kitchen in Toronto with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, recessed-panel cabinets, subway tile splashback and no island.

MIcRO Villa

Miro Architetti

Vista della zona cucina dall'ingresso
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary galley kitchen in Bologna with flat-panel cabinets, panelled appliances, blue benchtop, wood benchtops, grey floor, a drop-in sink, turquoise cabinets, blue splashback and with island.

Coastal Condo Renovation

Coastal Peach Interiors

A 2005 built Cape Canaveral condo updated to 2021 Coastal Chic with a new Tarra Bianca granite countertop. Accented with blue beveled glass backsplash, fresh white cabinets and new stainless steel appliances. Freshly painted Agreeable Gray walls, new Dorchester laminate plank flooring and blue rolling island further compliment the beautiful new countertop and gorgeous backsplash.

Modern Farmhouse

Mullan Lighting

This beautiful kitchen is a high quality product from established kitchen designers, Rhatigan & Hick. Each kitchen is distinct and special to each client. Featured in this gorgeous kitchen interior is our 'Elegance' brass pendant lights that hang above the kitchen island. Our 'Bogota' brass wall lights occupy the space above the traditional farmhouse range. Many thanks to our friends at Rhatigan & Hick for sharing this stunning kitchen project and BML media for the images.

Staging

SLD Interiors

Photo of a beach style eat-in kitchen in Boston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, blue splashback, subway tile splashback, light hardwood floors, with island and grey benchtop.

Kitchen with Blue Splashback and Yellow Splashback 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!