Three small rooms were demolished to enable a new kitchen and open plan living space to be designed. The kitchen has a drop-down ceiling to delineate the space. A window became french doors to the garden. The former kitchen was re-designed as a mudroom. The laundry had new cabinetry. New flooring throughout. A linen cupboard was opened to become a study nook with dramatic wallpaper. Custom ottoman were designed and upholstered for the drop-down dining and study nook. A family of five now has a fantastically functional open plan kitchen/living space, family study area, and a mudroom for wet weather gear and lots of storage.

Rosanna Family Home

Sally Feeney Interior Design Pty Ltd

An inviting kitchen and living space for family and friends to gather.
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, blue splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island and beige floor.

Kangaroo Point Apartment

Designtank

Photo of a transitional l-shaped kitchen in Brisbane with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, porcelain splashback, brown floor and white benchtop.

Open Plan Kitchen and Dining Room

Order & Grace

Design ideas for a large beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sydney with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, no island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Blue Kitchen with Terrazzo Benchtops

Improva

A kitchen that combines sleek modern design with natural warmth. This beautifully crafted space features a curved island as its centrepiece, creating a dynamic flow that enhances both functionality and aesthetics. The island is clad with elegant terrazzo stone adding a touch of contemporary charm. The combination of the Dulux Albeit-coloured joinery and the Milano oak wall cabinets creates a captivating interplay of colours and textures, elevating the visual impact of the kitchen.

Haslemere Residence

Studio Amble

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.

1840's Sweet Shoppe

Hi Tech Projects

Inspiration for a mid-sized country galley open plan kitchen in Brisbane with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances, light hardwood floors, brown floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

GEELONG 06

Ed Ewers Architecture

Photo of a contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Geelong with flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, blue splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Duboce Street San Francisco

Ken Longo Design

Inspiration for a contemporary galley kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, blue splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Modern Spanish Kitchen Remodel

Jennifer Muirhead Interiors

Amy Bartlam
Beach style galley open plan kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, blue splashback, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Kitchen Remodel Mohawk Drive North Attleboro, MA

Cypress Design Co.

Design ideas for a large l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Providence with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, yellow cabinets, soapstone benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, coloured appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Weston Manor

Cummings Architecture + Interiors

Inspiration for a mid-sized country l-shaped kitchen in Boston with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Siochi Kitchen Addition

Criner Remodeling

Photography: Joёlle Mclaughlin
Expansive transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and medium hardwood floors.

Dennis Bayview Cape

REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder

Inspiration for a mid-sized beach style l-shaped separate kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white cabinets and blue splashback.

Contemporary Green-Blue Kitchen Tiles

Fireclay Tile

Create a backsplash that's sure to make a splash by using our vertically stacked green blue Flagstone kitchen tile,. DESIGN Interiors by Alexis Austin PHOTOS Life Created Tile Shown: 2x6 in Flagstone

Arts & Crafts Kitchen Backsplash

Motawi Tileworks

Arts and Crafts kitchen backsplash featuring Motawi Tileworks’ Songbird and Long Stem art tiles in Grey Blue. Photo: Justin Maconochie.
Design ideas for a mid-sized arts and crafts u-shaped kitchen in Detroit with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, granite benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and no island.

Wicker Park Kitchen & Bathroom Renovation

nFORMAL design

Teak veneer with white lacquered half-deep wall cabinets. Backsplash tile is actually 3-dimensional
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury galley separate kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, porcelain splashback, panelled appliances, porcelain floors, no island, beige floor and white benchtop.

MBD Kitchen

Marble Builder Direct

Inspiration for a large traditional l-shaped kitchen in Cleveland with a double-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Chestnut Ave, Clarendon Hills

Plain & Posh

This young family wanted to update their kitchen and loved getting away to the coast. We tried to bring a little of the coast to their suburban Chicago home. The statement pantry doors with antique mirror add a wonderful element to the space. The large island gives the family a wonderful space to hang out, The custom "hutch' area is actual full of hidden outlets to allow for all of the electronics a place to charge. Warm brass details and the stunning tile complete the area.

Mercer Island Modern

Garret Cord Werner Architects & Interior Designers

Photography by Benjamin Benschneider
Inspiration for a large modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and grey benchtop.

All Cabinet Finishes Kitchen with Blue 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!