Custom Kitchen by VMAX LLC
Design ideas for a large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Richmond with an undermount sink, grey cabinets, granite benchtops, red splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Bernal Heights Remodel: Kitchen, Bedroom, Bath and Stairs

Brent Daniel

Custom built hutch/sideboard in Sapelle. Photo by Brent L Daniel
Photo of a small modern u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, red splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and no island.

San Francisco Floating House

Robert Nebolon Architects

Kitchen featuring cararra marble counters; Interior by Robert Nebolon and Sarah Bertram. Pictures byDavid Duncan Livingston
Inspiration for a modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with marble benchtops, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, red splashback, ceramic splashback and panelled appliances.

Roth Showroom

David Heide Design Studio

Architecture & Interior Design: David Heide Design Studio
This is an example of a country u-shaped separate kitchen in Minneapolis with stainless steel appliances, red splashback, tile benchtops, beige cabinets, recessed-panel cabinets, a farmhouse sink, ceramic splashback, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula and red benchtop.

Pacific St Remodel

Howells Architecture + Design

Campari-red tile adds a dash of boldness to the kitchen. Photo: Matt Niebuhr
Inspiration for a modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Portland with black appliances, granite benchtops, ceramic splashback, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets and red splashback.

Apartamento con espacio libre

Shiba Design

Design ideas for a small contemporary eat-in kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, red splashback, ceramic splashback, concrete floors, no island, grey floor and brown benchtop.

Tempe Craftsman Kitchen

Davis Design

This is an example of a large arts and crafts galley eat-in kitchen in Phoenix with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, red splashback, ceramic splashback, black appliances, porcelain floors, with island, beige floor and green benchtop.

Funky Family Kitchen

Lagois Design Build Renovate

This family of four wanted to open up their compartmentalized floor plan to create a kitchen that would become the center of their entertaining areas. Aesthetically they wanted to incorporate some fun elements into the design with pops of color and unique lighting and flooring selections. Although they wanted to encourage flow between their kitchen, family and dining rooms, they wanted to maintain the formality of the dining room. A structural wall between the kitchen and living areas required some creative thinking. We were able to eliminate the wall by aligning the structural posts with the posts in the basement. To open up the kitchen space and provide outdoor access, the main staircase was moved to a more central location. Hydronic in-floor heating and a ductless air-conditioning unit provide energy efficient temperature control. The new layout of the kitchen allows the cook to socialize and interact with family and guests in the family and dining rooms. A desk area was created to separate the dining area, but does not block traffic flow or sight lines. The large island offers plenty of prep space and seats four comfortably. A new eight-foot patio door integrates the outdoor space and doesn’t interfere with the functionality of the kitchen. The red tile backsplash adds a punch of color that pairs perfectly with the gray cabinets and white quartz countertop. The honeycomb tile pattern is fun and adds unexpected personality to the whole space.

Divine Kitchens LLC

Divine Design Center

Small traditional l-shaped kitchen pantry in Boston with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, red splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and no island.

Вдали от глаз/ Out of sight

Ирина Киреева

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Moscow with recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, red splashback, ceramic splashback, porcelain floors, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Armoires de cuisine en bois - Projet Peltier

Ebenisterie GMRS

Photo of a large arts and crafts l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Montreal with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, granite benchtops, red splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, grey floor and beige benchtop.

Expanded Red Stripe Kitchen

Tenhulzen Residential

Corner sink takes advantage of natural light and views, lots of storage and improved functionality.
Photo of a large contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, red splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and blue benchtop.

St Paul Restoration

A. Sadowski Designs

Design ideas for a traditional kitchen in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, red splashback, ceramic splashback and quartz benchtops.

Gallery

Palmer's Wood Designs

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Tampa with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, tile benchtops, red splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island and brown floor.

Luxurious Lake Home | Oconomowoc, WI

Kowalske Kitchen & Bath

Inspiration for a small transitional l-shaped kitchen pantry in Milwaukee with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, red splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, vinyl floors, brown floor and brown benchtop.

French Country Residence | Grenada, MS

ILLUS Visual & Design Arts

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with with island, raised-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, tile benchtops, red splashback, ceramic splashback, black appliances and ceramic floors.

Funky Family Kitchen

Lagois Design Build Renovate

Вдали от глаз/ Out of sight

Ирина Киреева

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Moscow with recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, red splashback, ceramic splashback, porcelain floors, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Colorful Vintage-Inspired Kitchen with Brass Accents

Model Remodel

Built-in dining bench intersects with the kitchen peninsula storage cabinets, both with leather cabinet pulls. © Cindy Apple Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized eclectic l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, quartz benchtops, red splashback, ceramic splashback, white appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, white benchtop and blue cabinets.

Klopf Architecture A Frame Los Altos Hills Remodel

Klopf Architecture

Inspiration for a midcentury galley kitchen in San Francisco with ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets and red splashback.

Kitchen with Red Splashback and Ceramic 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!