This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary open plan kitchen in Grand Rapids with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, a peninsula and brown floor.

Lake Minnetonka Chateau

John Kraemer & Sons

Builder: John Kraemer & Sons | Architecture: Sharratt Design | Landscaping: Yardscapes | Photography: Landmark Photography
Design ideas for an expansive traditional l-shaped separate kitchen in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Coastal Cottage

Kustom Home Design

We transformed an outdated, lack luster beach house on Fripp Island into a coastal retreat complete with southern charm and bright personality. The main living space was opened up to allow for a charming kitchen with open shelving, white painted ship lap, a large inviting island and sleek stainless steel appliances. Nautical details are woven throughout adding to the charisma and simplistic beauty of this coastal home. New dark hardwood floors contrast with the soft white walls and cabinetry, while also coordinating with the dark window sashes and mullions. The new open plan allows an abundance of natural light to wash through the interior space with ease. Tropical vegetation form beautiful views and welcome visitors like an old friend to the grand front stairway. The play between dark and light continues on the exterior with crisp contrast balanced by soft hues and warm stains. What was once nothing more than a shelter, is now a retreat worthy of the paradise that envelops it.

Kitchen

Hill Swift Architect, pllc

Mid-sized traditional galley eat-in kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Tumble Creek Luxury Cabins

4D Architects

Design ideas for a country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Sylvan Circle, Naperville, IL

M House Development

Country kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Klassisch-moderne U-Küche mit intelligenten Stauraumlösungen

Gutsmann Küchen

Design ideas for a small industrial u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Dresden with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, brick splashback, dark hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and black appliances.

Kitchen Remodels

USI Design & Remodeling

Design ideas for an expansive transitional kitchen in Dallas with stainless steel appliances, with island, white cabinets, marble benchtops and dark hardwood floors.

Timeless Transitions

DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen

Photo of a large transitional single-wall eat-in kitchen in Detroit with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Stattuary Classic Quartz Countertops

New Stone Design

Chicago Area's Most Trustworthy Countertop Contractor Tile, Stone & Countertops Contact: Greg Munik Location: Schaumburg, IL
Design ideas for a large modern kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Martis Camp Lot 640

Kelly & Stone Architects

Roger Wade Studio
Design ideas for a country u-shaped kitchen in Sacramento with an undermount sink, granite benchtops, grey splashback, limestone splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, multiple islands, brown floor, shaker cabinets and grey cabinets.

Modern Luxury

Fresh Start Contracting Company

Large modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Sleek Contrasts Full Build

MartinPatrick 3

Space Crafting
Design ideas for a contemporary open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Private Residence - Center City West

Cherie Stein Interiors

Elena Jasic Photography
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, marble benchtops, blue splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and glass sheet splashback.

Fabulous Home in Hackney

Juliet Murphy Photography

Juliet Murphy Photography
Photo of a mid-sized industrial galley eat-in kitchen in London with flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, concrete benchtops, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Ridgecrest - Contemporary Craftsman

Visbeen Architects

As a cottage, the Ridgecrest was designed to take full advantage of a property rich in natural beauty. Each of the main houses three bedrooms, and all of the entertaining spaces, have large rear facing windows with thick craftsman style casing. A glance at the front motor court reveals a guesthouse above a three-stall garage. Complete with separate entrance, the guesthouse features its own bathroom, kitchen, laundry, living room and bedroom. The columned entry porch of the main house is centered on the floor plan, but is tucked under the left side of the homes large transverse gable. Centered under this gable is a grand staircase connecting the foyer to the lower level corridor. Directly to the rear of the foyer is the living room. With tall windows and a vaulted ceiling. The living rooms stone fireplace has flanking cabinets that anchor an axis that runs through the living and dinning room, ending at the side patio. A large island anchors the open concept kitchen and dining space. On the opposite side of the main level is a private master suite, complete with spacious dressing room and double vanity master bathroom. Buffering the living room from the master bedroom, with a large built-in feature wall, is a private study. Downstairs, rooms are organized off of a linear corridor with one end being terminated by a shared bathroom for the two lower bedrooms and large entertainment spaces. Photographer: Ashley Avila Photography Builder: Douglas Sumner Builder, Inc. Interior Design: Vision Interiors by Visbeen

Cambria Countertop Ideas

Kitchen Solvers of Southwest Florida

This is an example of a large transitional separate kitchen in Miami with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, white cabinets and stone slab splashback.

Streyffeler

Crosby Creations Drafting & Design Services, LLC

Large country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Charleston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Cooper Residence

Roost Interiors

Kyle J Caldwell Photography
Design ideas for a transitional u-shaped kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Rustic Riverside Remodel

Outland Hill Country LLC

Design ideas for a mid-sized country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, multiple islands, brown floor, dark hardwood floors and multi-coloured benchtop.

Kitchen with Dark Hardwood 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!