This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Auckland with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, black splashback, porcelain splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Nice & Neutral

Timber Trails Development Company

Transitional galley kitchen in Chicago with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Portfolio

Gwenn Dubourthoumieu

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary galley kitchen in Paris with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Oakmont

Toupin Construction

Inspiration for a transitional l-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Kitchen

schemes & spaces

Mid-sized scandinavian single-wall eat-in kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, black appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Modern Solar Lake House

NextHaus Alliance

The kitchen is set under the flat ceiling area, adjacent to the high peaked ceiling
This is an example of a country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, orange splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Northside

Joel Kelly Design

Mid-sized transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in Atlanta with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, black floor and grey benchtop.

The Miranda

Barriere Construction Inc.

Mid-sized transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Chicago with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop, a farmhouse sink and quartz benchtops.

Country Club Project

The Artisan Company

This is an example of a transitional kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, grey cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Mediterranean Villa

Nc Construction And Remodeling Inc

Mediterranean u-shaped kitchen in Minneapolis with recessed-panel cabinets, green cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Renovations

Old Oak Homes, Inc.

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Lullwater 2017 Renovation

Soorikian Architecture

Jeff Herr
Design ideas for a beach style l-shaped kitchen in Atlanta with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Timeless Historical Kitchen Backsplash

Fireclay Tile

Design + Photos: Benita Cooper Design
Photo of a mid-sized country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with blue cabinets, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Photo Gallery

KapStone Tile And Flooring

Mid-sized traditional u-shaped separate kitchen in Louisville with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Spoleto Project

Houck Construction Inc.

Photo of a large contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Country Club Project

The Artisan Company

Design ideas for a transitional kitchen pantry in Other with beaded inset cabinets, grey cabinets, marble benchtops, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and grey benchtop.

964 Discovery Hill

Pinnacle Mountain Homes

Darren Edwards, Pinnacle Mountain Homes, Collective Design + Furnishings
This is an example of a country l-shaped kitchen in Denver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Sophisticated Glamour

RLH Studio

Spacecrafting Photography
This is an example of a large traditional single-wall open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, granite benchtops, panelled appliances, grey benchtop and coffered.

Bluffdale Project

Cedar + Steel

This is an example of a large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Salt Lake City with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Portrane Road

Graham Architecture

The clients brief for this large 1930s house was to demolish several internal walls to covert a narrow ‘L’ shaped kitchen into a large open family space. Key client desires included a nook capable of seating the whole family and a functional ‘industrial’ style. Through a series of computer model presentations, we moved away from a conversion of the existing space developing instead an extension. The resultant large space was separated into a functional kitchen zone and a large nook area housed within a frameless glass bay window. High quality rich natural materials such as handmade brick and hardwoods were enhanced with hidden natural lighting from above to create a rich, textured and layered look. Inspiration for this brightly lit complex space was drawn from the idea of the ‘Manhattan Loft’.

Kitchen with Dark Hardwood Floors and Grey 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!