floating shelves hexagon floor
This is an example of a contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Paris with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, stainless steel appliances, no island, grey floor and brown benchtop.

Corner Cottage

N&K Interiors

Inspiration for a country galley eat-in kitchen in London with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula, grey floor and brown benchtop.

Wrottesley Road, London, NW10

Marsh & Parsons

Photo of a mid-sized tropical galley open plan kitchen in London with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, brick splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Vancouver - Shaughnessy Condo Kitchen

Alair Homes Vancouver

IKEA kitchen marvel: Professional consultants, Dave & Karen like to entertain and truly maximized the practical with the aesthetically fun in this kitchen remodel of their Fairview condo in Vancouver B.C. With a budget of about $55,000 and 120 square feet, working with their contractor, Alair Homes, they took their time to thoughtfully design and focus their money where it would pay off in the reno. Karen wanted ample wine storage and Dave wanted a considerable liquor case. The result? A 3 foot deep custom pullout red wine rack that holds 40 bottles of red, nicely tucked in beside a white wine fridge that also holds another 40 bottles of white. They sourced a 140-year-old wrought iron gate that fit the wall space, and re-purposed it as a functional art piece to frame a custom 30 bottle whiskey shelf. Durability and value were themes throughout the project. Bamboo laminated counter tops that wrap the entire kitchen and finish in a waterfall end are beautiful and sustainable. Contrasting with the dark reclaimed, hand hewn, wide plank wood floor and homestead enamel sink, its a wonderful blend of old and new. Nice appliance features include the European style Liebherr integrated fridge and instant hot water tap. The original kitchen had Ikea cabinets and the owners wanted to keep the sleek styling and re-use the existing cabinets. They spent some time on Houzz and made their own idea book. Confident with good ideas, they set out to purchase additional Ikea cabinet pieces to create the new vision. Walls were moved and structural posts created to accommodate the new configuration. One area that was a challenge was at the end of the U shaped kitchen. There are stairs going to the loft and roof top deck (amazing views of downtown Vancouver!), and the stairs cut an angle through the cupboard area and created a void underneath them. Ideas like a cabinet man size door to a hidden room were contemplated, but in the end a unifying idea and space creator was decided on. Put in a custom appliance garage on rollers that is 3 feet deep and rolls into the void under the stairs, and is large enough to hide everything! And under the counter is room for the famous wine rack and cooler. The result is a chic space that is comfy and inviting and keeps the urban flair the couple loves. http://www.alairhomes.com/vancouver ©Ema Peter

Contempo Casa Dry Bar

Studio 790 Interior Design by Ann Ueno

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Miami with flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, wood benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances and brown benchtop.

Santa Barbara Coast Home

Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

Photo of a contemporary galley kitchen in Portland with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, wood benchtops, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and brown benchtop.

Restructuration d’une maison de 90m2 en RDC et 1er étage

Expression Architecte Intérieur

Nouvelle circulation entre le séjour et la cuisine avec verrière Crédit photo : Eric Bouloumié
Inspiration for a scandinavian separate kitchen in Bordeaux with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops and brown benchtop.

戸田の家

KASA ARCHITECTS

photo by:daisukee shima
Inspiration for an asian galley kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and brown benchtop.

Project Island Charm

User

Design ideas for a beach style kitchen in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, stainless steel appliances, painted wood floors, no island, white floor and brown benchtop.

02 - Craftsman Transitional Allston Kitchen

Aspire Fine Homes

Design ideas for a large transitional u-shaped kitchen in Houston with white splashback, subway tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, recessed-panel cabinets, green cabinets, panelled appliances, multiple islands, marble benchtops and brown benchtop.

Ultimate Chef Kitchen

Two Chefs Construction

This kitchen features an island focal point.The custom countertop shows stunning color and grain from Sapele, a beautiful hardwood. The cabinets are made from solid wood with a fun Blueberry paint, and a built in microwave drawer.

Sackett Street Towhouse

Frederick Tang Architecture

Photo of a contemporary galley kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Tiny House

Hygge Photo + Brand

This is an example of a contemporary single-wall kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, wood benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, grey floor and brown benchtop.

New Custom Build

Sulaski & Company

This is an example of a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and brown benchtop.

Complesso La Spina @Toscana Resort Castelfalfi

Arch. Alessandra Cipriani

Piano primo cucina-pranzo
This is an example of a mid-sized mediterranean single-wall eat-in kitchen in Florence with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, brown splashback, stone tile splashback, white appliances, terra-cotta floors, no island, brown floor, brown benchtop and wood.

Brick & Beam Loft Kitchen

CHARLES STREET DESIGN, LLC

This open, brick and beam loft space featured earthy and textured surfaces – in a very mid-90s setting. We embraced the brick and incorporated a mixture of warm materials including oil-rubbed bronze, ebonized walnut and wide-board, bleached-oak flooring. The brick became the backsplash framed by the open display shelves. The result is a transitional space that embraces the warm, textural features. Jared Kuzia Photography

Coastal Modern

Hugo Landa Photography

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary galley kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, glass tile splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and brown benchtop.

Ascot 2

The Kitchen Company Ltd

This image shows the fridge freezer as well as the other kitchen appliances
Design ideas for a large contemporary u-shaped kitchen in London with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, stainless steel appliances, with island, grey floor and brown benchtop.

Sawyer Residence

Vladimir Radutny Architects

Mike Schwartz
Design ideas for a modern single-wall kitchen in Chicago with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, panelled appliances, with island, brown floor, medium hardwood floors and brown benchtop.

Mediterranean Modernized

Design Alchemy

David Livingston
This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen in Sacramento with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and brown benchtop.

Kitchen with Brown 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!