Amanda Marie Studio
Photo of a scandinavian eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, no island and white benchtop.

Natural Beauty

Timber Trails Development Company

This is an example of a transitional galley kitchen in Chicago with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Mid-Century Raised Ranch Remodel

The Artisans Group, Inc.

Winner of the 2018 Tour of Homes Best Remodel, this whole house re-design of a 1963 Bennet & Johnson mid-century raised ranch home is a beautiful example of the magic we can weave through the application of more sustainable modern design principles to existing spaces. We worked closely with our client on extensive updates to create a modernized MCM gem. Extensive alterations include: - a completely redesigned floor plan to promote a more intuitive flow throughout - vaulted the ceilings over the great room to create an amazing entrance and feeling of inspired openness - redesigned entry and driveway to be more inviting and welcoming as well as to experientially set the mid-century modern stage - the removal of a visually disruptive load bearing central wall and chimney system that formerly partitioned the homes’ entry, dining, kitchen and living rooms from each other - added clerestory windows above the new kitchen to accentuate the new vaulted ceiling line and create a greater visual continuation of indoor to outdoor space - drastically increased the access to natural light by increasing window sizes and opening up the floor plan - placed natural wood elements throughout to provide a calming palette and cohesive Pacific Northwest feel - incorporated Universal Design principles to make the home Aging In Place ready with wide hallways and accessible spaces, including single-floor living if needed - moved and completely redesigned the stairway to work for the home’s occupants and be a part of the cohesive design aesthetic - mixed custom tile layouts with more traditional tiling to create fun and playful visual experiences - custom designed and sourced MCM specific elements such as the entry screen, cabinetry and lighting - development of the downstairs for potential future use by an assisted living caretaker - energy efficiency upgrades seamlessly woven in with much improved insulation, ductless mini splits and solar gain

Beverly One

Ventura Custom Homes

Photo of a mediterranean kitchen in Dallas with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, white splashback, light hardwood floors, beige floor and white benchtop.

Corner Pocket House

LaCantina Doors

Edward Ogosta Steve King Photography
Design ideas for a contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, white splashback, panelled appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Oxley House

Studio Origami

Kitchen design and import by studio origami photo - Jody Darcy
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Perth with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Sand Point House

Lane Williams Architects

Maple cabinets and marble counters in the kitchen, with porcelain tile backsplash. Custom seating in breakfast nook overlooking back yard.
Inspiration for a large contemporary eat-in kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured benchtop, marble benchtops, metal splashback and brown floor.

Sea Cliff Huntington Beach

Remodel Experts, Inc.

Design ideas for a large tropical l-shaped separate kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Cherry Creek French Country

Heirloom Wood Studio

Whether you're preparing a Thanksgiving feast or grabbing breakfast on the go as you whirl out the door to work, having a highly functional kitchen requires an upfront attention to design detail that borders on fanatical. That's why Colorado Fine Woodworks' kitchen cabinet projects include an in-depth discussion about how you actually use your kitchen. Left-handed or right-handed? Doors or drawers? Concealing or revealing? We ask all the questions, listen to your answers, take our own measurements onsite, create 3D drawings, manage installation, and collaborate with you to ensure even the smallest elements are carefully considered. And, of course, we also make it beautiful, whether your tastes tend toward traditional or contemporary, incorporating influences from elegant to rustic to reclaimed. Our work is: - exclusively custom, built EXACTLY to the specifications of your kitchen - designed to optimize every square inch, with no fillers or dead spaces - crafted to highlight or hide any feature you wish - including your appliances - thoughtfully and thoroughly plotted, from hinges to hardware

Farmhouse Kitchen

Country kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Beautiful Organized Minneapolis Pantry - California Closets

California Closets Southdale

California Closets custom pantry in Italian imported Linen finish from the Tesoro collection. Minneapolis home located in Linden Hills with built-in storage for fruits, vegetables, bulk purchases and overflow space. Baskets with canvas liners. Open drawers for cans and boxed goods. Open shelving and countertop space for larger appliances.

Elegant Oak

Rencraft Ltd

Clean, simple, uncluttered. This elegant oak and hand-painted kitchen features an understated bevelled door detail which lends the room a classic, timeless style. The layout flows around the central island which houses a built-in wine cooler and has a circular prep sink at one end balanced by a larger, circular solid oak dining area at the other. These curves complement the two arched doorways at the far end of the room, filling the space with light. Plenty of storage has been provided thanks to a traditional larder with oak interiors and twin double-door butler cupboards. Finishing touches include Miele appliances, quartz worktops with a profiled edge detail, a mirrored glass splashback and polished stainless steel handles.

Insight Homes Mid-Town Tulsa

Insight Homes, Inc.

Inspiration for a transitional l-shaped kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, wood benchtops, window splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Hinkley Stinson Chandelier

Hinkley

Hinkley Stinson 8-Light Linear Chandelier 3534BK
Inspiration for an eat-in kitchen in Cleveland with a farmhouse sink, distressed cabinets, beige splashback, with island, brown floor and beige benchtop.

NE Portland Bungalow Remodel

Right Arm Construction

This is an example of a small transitional galley separate kitchen in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, green splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, no island, beige floor and white benchtop.

La Quinta Modernist Home - Kitchen

Bradshaw Construction

This 6,500-square-foot one-story vacation home overlooks a golf course with the San Jacinto mountain range beyond. The house has a light-colored material palette—limestone floors, bleached teak ceilings—and ample access to outdoor living areas. Builder: Bradshaw Construction Architect: Marmol Radziner Interior Design: Sophie Harvey Landscape: Madderlake Designs Photography: Roger Davies

Sydner Road 1

Constructive and Co

Peter Abrahams
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in London with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, laminate benchtops, no island, white benchtop, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors and grey floor.

Cobham

The Main Company

Photo Credits: Sean Knott
This is an example of a large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, beige splashback, marble splashback, white appliances, ceramic floors, no island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Folsom

cpopp workshop

Modern galley kitchen in Sacramento with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and beige benchtop.

Rénovation d'appartement à Montmorency

HOME feeling

Cuisine US équipée
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Other with light wood cabinets, grey splashback, flat-panel cabinets, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, beige floor, black benchtop, laminate benchtops, an undermount sink, limestone splashback and panelled appliances.

Kitchen with Distressed Cabinets and Light Wood Cabinets 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!