Photo of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in Austin with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Transitional Kitchen & First Floor Bennett Remodel - Naperville

Redstart Construction, Inc.

Picture Perfect House
This is an example of a large transitional kitchen in Chicago with white cabinets, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, white benchtop, dark hardwood floors, quartzite benchtops, brown floor and shaker cabinets.

Pawleys Island Oceanfront Home

CHD Interiors

Design ideas for a large beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Charleston with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and panelled appliances.

Brass & Blue Classic

w.b. builders

Photo Cred: Seth Hannula
Mid-sized transitional kitchen in Minneapolis with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, a single-bowl sink and white benchtop.

Kitchen

Amy Kartheiser Design

Photo of a mid-sized transitional kitchen in Chicago with white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, an undermount sink, shaker cabinets and multi-coloured benchtop.

HEIGHTS PANTRY

Wood Customs

This is an example of a large traditional l-shaped kitchen pantry in Houston with open cabinets, grey cabinets, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Rural Farmhouse

Grayson Dare Homes, Inc.

Stephen Thrift Phtography
Design ideas for a large transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in Raleigh with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, open cabinets and dark hardwood floors.

Crowe Lake, Marmora Cottage

Emily Griffin Design

Sian Richards
Design ideas for a large beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Toronto with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Eclectic & Colorful, Greensboro, NC

Jessica Dauray Interiors/Elements Of Style

Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with with island, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, a farmhouse sink, quartzite benchtops, glass tile splashback and white benchtop.

DC Contemporary Transformation

Superior Construction Services

Design ideas for a contemporary galley kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Kitchen Remodels

USI Design & Remodeling

Photo of an expansive transitional kitchen in Dallas with stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets and granite benchtops.

Arlington Oasis Kitchen

Liz Mearns | Imagine Design

White cabinets flanking the kitchen blend in with the walls, drawing the eye to the rustic open shelving and beautiful indigo-painted center island. The wooden stools and other natural accents add instant warmth. Photo Credit - Jenn Verrier Photography @jennverrier

The West Hampton

Tradewinds General Contracting, Inc.

Inspiration for a beach style l-shaped kitchen in Boise with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Under-sink Storage

Studio Dearborn

A 1920s colonial in a shorefront community in Westchester County had an expansive renovation with new kitchen by Studio Dearborn. Countertops White Macauba; interior design Lorraine Levinson. Photography, Timothy Lenz.

Kitchen Renovations

Revision LLC

This is an example of a large transitional u-shaped kitchen in Minneapolis with grey cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, raised-panel cabinets, a farmhouse sink, solid surface benchtops, brown floor, white benchtop and ceramic splashback.

black kitchen cabinets

Karr Bick Kitchen and Bath

StudioNigh
This is an example of a transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in St Louis with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Traditional Pantry

CLOSET FURNISHINGS & CABINETRY

Traditional white pantry. Ten feet tall with walnut butcher block counter top, Shaker drawer fronts, polished chrome hardware, baskets with canvas liners, pullouts for canned goods and cooking sheet slots.

North Andover Renovation

Apple Wood Construction, Inc.

Kath & Keith Photography
Photo of a mid-sized traditional u-shaped separate kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, white cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback and porcelain splashback.

Newton Kitchen Addition

PEGASUS Design-To-Build LLC

Photo of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Greenwich Modern

Voce Di ID

Costas Picadas
This is an example of a large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Kitchen with Dark Hardwood Floors and Marble Floors 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!