Mid-sized beach style single-wall open plan kitchen in Orange County with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Rolling Hills

Ottolia & Barnes Architecture

Photo of a large country galley open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, multiple islands, an undermount sink, dark wood cabinets, cement tile splashback, brown floor, white benchtop and recessed-panel cabinets.

In The Spotlight

Morrison Interiors

A combination of stain finishes and textures along with the waterfall island bring interest to this gorgeous kitchen. Photos by: Rod Foster
Inspiration for an expansive beach style galley open plan kitchen in Orange County with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, limestone floors and with island.

Cuisine moderne de style scandinave - Arthur Bonnet Tours

Arthur Bonnet France

Mid-sized scandinavian l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Angers with white cabinets, laminate benchtops, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and with island.

Cement Tile Shop - Patchwork

Cement Tile Shop

Cement Tile Shop - Handmade Cement Tile - Patchwork Pattern. We love this installation of our patchwork pattern on this kitchen backsplash. The customer preferred to use groupings of tile patterns instead of randomly shuffling the tiles.

Pebble Beach Oceanfront Transitional

MONTEREY KITCHENS INC.

Transitional style kitchen located in Pebble Beach, CA
This is an example of a large transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in San Francisco with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island and beige floor.

Philadelphia Custom Kitchen and Laundry

Airy Kitchens

Design ideas for a large modern u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, orange floor and white benchtop.

West Asheville Overhaul

Align Design LLC

Hex tile in the kitchen feathers into the wood that covers the rest of the space.
Design ideas for a large transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, multi-coloured floor and grey benchtop.

Organically Industrial, La Jolla

Cabochon Surfaces & Fixtures

With an open plan complete with sky-high wood planked ceilings, every interior element of this kitchen is beautiful and functional. The massive concrete island centered in the space sets the bold tone and provides a welcome place to cook and congregate. Grove Brickworks in Sugar White lines the walls throughout the kitchen and leads into the adjoining spaces, providing an industrial aesthetic to this organically inspired home. Cabochon Surfaces & Fixtures

South Long Springs Butte Kitchen

TVL Creative Ltd.

This kitchen took a tired, 80’s builder kitchen and revamped it into a personalized gathering space for our wonderful client. The existing space was split up by the dated configuration of eat-in kitchen table area to one side and cramped workspace on the other. It didn’t just under-serve our client’s needs; it flat out discouraged them from using the space. Our client desired an open kitchen with a central gathering space where family and friends could connect. To open things up, we removed the half wall separating the kitchen from the dining room and the wall that blocked sight lines to the family room and created a narrow hallway to the kitchen. The old oak cabinets weren't maximizing storage and were dated and dark. We used Waypoint Living Spaces cabinets in linen white to brighten up the room. On the east wall, we created a hutch-like stack that features an appliance garage that keeps often used countertop appliance on hand but out of sight. The hutch also acts as a transition from the cooking zone to the coffee and wine area. We eliminated the north window that looked onto the entry walkway and activated this wall as storage with refrigerator enclosure and pantry. We opted to leave the east window as-is and incorporated it into the new kitchen layout by creating a window well for growing plants and herbs. The countertops are Pental Quartz in Carrara. The sleek cabinet hardware is from our friends at Amerock in a gorgeous satin champagne bronze. One of the most striking features in the space is the pattern encaustic tile from Tile Shop. The pop of blue in the backsplash adds personality and contrast to the champagne accents. The reclaimed wood cladding surrounding the large east-facing window introduces a quintessential Colorado vibe, and the natural texture balances the crisp white cabinetry and geometric patterned tile. Minimalist modern lighting fixtures from Mitzi by Hudson Valley Lighting provide task lighting over the sink and at the wine/ coffee station. The visual lightness of the sink pendants maintains the openness and visual connection between the kitchen and dining room. Together the elements make for a sophisticated yet casual vibe-- a comfortable chic kitchen. We love the way this space turned out and are so happy that our clients now have such a bright and welcoming gathering space as the heart of their home!

Restructure Studio - Woodlawn Residence

Leonid Furmansky Architectural Photographer

Inspiration for a country l-shaped kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island and grey floor.

ST. ANTHONY FALLS KITCHEN

Kate Roos Design LLC

By removing the wall, chase and chimney between the former family room and kitchen, the spaces are now connected into one cohesive room. Andrea Rugg Photography

Bohemian Elegance Kitchen Remodel

Hope Pinc Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Denver with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, quartz benchtops, cement tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, an undermount sink and multi-coloured splashback.

10. Minnneapolis Residence

CHRISTIAN DEAN ARCHITECTURE, LLC

Photo by: Chad Holder
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and cement tile splashback.

Traditional Kitchen

Mid-sized traditional l-shaped separate kitchen in Chicago with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

La Mesa

Ashton & Hope Construction

Designed by: Jessica Risko Smith Interior Design Photo by: Matthew Weir
Design ideas for a large beach style u-shaped open plan kitchen in Santa Barbara with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

San Juan Capistrano

McRae Lambert Dunn

Mid-sized transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, with island, white benchtop, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and beige floor.

MODERN CRAFTS(WO)MAN

Vivid Interiors

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and stainless steel appliances.

Semi Precious Stone- Carnelian

V I V A L D I Lifestyles

Semi-Precious Stone Carnelian countertop. VIVALDI The Stone Boutique Granite | Quartzite | Marble | Onyx | Semi-Precious
Mid-sized contemporary u-shaped separate kitchen with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, onyx benchtops, grey splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, cement tiles and with island.

Beach House South Hampmton Style

martha picciotti

Adrian Valle
Inspiration for a beach style galley kitchen in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback, panelled appliances, a peninsula, brown floor, white benchtop, quartz benchtops, cement tile splashback and limestone floors.

Kitchen with Cement Tile 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!