Inspiration for a large transitional galley eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Old Ballard Kitchen

Phinney Ridge Painting

This is an example of a large transitional l-shaped separate kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Cotswold Kitchen Renovation

DPS Construction

Frick Fotos
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Charlotte with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, tile benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Mill Valley Renovations- Richardson Architects

Jonathan Mitchell Photography

Design by Mill Valley based Richardson Architects.
Design ideas for a transitional u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Dunnington St. Renovation

Adaptive Building Solutions

MichaelChristiePhotography
Mid-sized traditional galley eat-in kitchen in Detroit with a drop-in sink, quartzite benchtops, blue splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Manursing Way

Monique Varsames Design, LLC

Monique Varsames Interior finishes by Monique Varsames Staging by Nina Draddy
Transitional open plan kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and multiple islands.

SOUTHWEST RESIDENCE

Rochelle Cote Interior Design

Shellard Photography
This is an example of a contemporary kitchen in Calgary with an undermount sink, black cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

HAMPSTEAD APARTMENT No 1

STEPHEN FLETCHER ARCHITECTS

We were commissioned to transform a large run-down flat occupying the ground floor and basement of a grand house in Hampstead into a spectacular contemporary apartment. The property was originally built for a gentleman artist in the 1870s who installed various features including the gothic panelling and stained glass in the living room, acquired from a French church. Since its conversion into a boarding house soon after the First World War, and then flats in the 1960s, hardly any remedial work had been undertaken and the property was in a parlous state. Photography: Bruce Heming

Summit Colonial III

Cindy Boerner Architect

Photo of a mid-sized transitional eat-in kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Tampa Custom Home Design

Stress Free Construction, LLC

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Tampa with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Corona Del Mar- From the Ground up Remodel

Deirdre Eagles Interior Design

Applied Photography
This is an example of a large mediterranean u-shaped open plan kitchen in Orange County with a drop-in sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, dark hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and brown floor.

Myers Park Renovation

Carolina Classic Builders

Mekenzie France
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Charlotte with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Kitchen - Weatherly Lane

Campbell Cabinetry

Photo of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Orlando with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Kitchen, Washington DC

Finesse Design Remodeling

Kenneth M Wyner Photography
Mid-sized modern galley separate kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, no island and brown floor.

Kitchen and Bathrooms (Lynn Terrace, Minnetonka, MN)

User

This kitchen remodel features white cabinets with white and gray granite counters and white and gray rectangular glass backsplash. Dark hardwood flooring.

Bay Wood Renovation

The Modern Hive

This is an example of a large beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Omaha with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Studio City Acrylic Laminate High Gloss Modern Kitchen

The Kitchen Warehouse

Photographer- Charmaine David
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, dark hardwood floors, multiple islands, an undermount sink, grey splashback, ceramic splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Balcones || Remodel || Austin, Texas

Etch Design Group

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback and white benchtop.

Black & White Transitional Kitchen

MBS Interiors

White StarMark in the color Dove is paired with dark soapstone countertops. This space also features GE Cafe stainless steel appliances, Matte Black hardware from the Berenson Hearthstone Collection, hardwood flooring, and an undermount sink. The high contrast combination of black and white is simple but also fun and striking.

Interlaken Place

K&L Interiors

Kitchen with painted cabinets and custom Roman shades Photography: Tom Marks
Design ideas for a large arts and crafts u-shaped separate kitchen in Seattle with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, a peninsula and brown floor.

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!