kitchen
Design ideas for a large contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, medium hardwood floors, with island and exposed beam.

Dartmouth House

Shane Marsh Architects

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Brisbane with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, window splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, grey floor, brown benchtop and exposed beam.

Oh What A Ceiling!

Green Sheep Collective

The kitchen looks clean and fresh with predominantly white cabinetry. The window backsplash lets light flood in while the concealed fridge and pantry keep things looking tidy.

Caulfield House

User

White walls and ceiling are combined with wood and sand tones to create this beautiful open plan kitchen.
Design ideas for a large country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

GTMadhouse - Kitchen

Maytree Studios

Contemporary kitchen in Brisbane with quartz benchtops, yellow splashback, cement tile splashback, white appliances, concrete floors, grey floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

North Curl Curl Renovation

LJW Design

A Hamptons inspired design for Sydney's northern beaches.
Design ideas for a large beach style open plan kitchen in Sydney with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, black appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, black floor and exposed beam.

1840's Sweet Shoppe

Hi Tech Projects

Inspiration for a mid-sized country galley open plan kitchen in Brisbane with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances, light hardwood floors, brown floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Seaforth Family Home, Sydney, Australia

Georgina Wilson Associates

Natural timber beams and shelving ground the white colour scheme, while panelling and mesh cabinets add texture.
Contemporary open plan kitchen in Sydney with white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Wahroonga: kitchen renovation - Sydney 2076

The Renovation Broker

House designed remotely for our client in Hong Kong moving back to Australia. Job designed using Pytha and all correspondence was Zoom and email, job all Designed & managed by The Renovation Broker ready for client to move in when they flew in from Hong Kong.

Weerona House

Demardi

This Kitchen was relocated from the middle of the home to the north end. Four steel trusses were installed as load-bearing walls and beams had to be removed to accommodate for the floorplan changes. There is now an open Kitchen/Butlers/Dining/Living upstairs that is drenched in natural light with the most undisturbed view this location has to offer. A warm and inviting space with oversized windows, gorgeous joinery, a curved micro cement island benchtop with timber cladding, gold tapwear and layered lighting throughout to really enhance this beautiful space.

Toorak Residence

MR.MITCHELL

Photo of a large contemporary eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with an integrated sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, beige splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, multiple islands, beige floor, beige benchtop and exposed beam.

Adore Home Magazine Home Reno

Tile Touch

This is an example of a beach style galley open plan kitchen in Sydney with white splashback, ceramic splashback, an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, exposed beam and vaulted.

Engawa House, Ivanhoe

Inbetween Architecture

Inspiration for an asian single-wall open plan kitchen in Melbourne with open cabinets, wood benchtops, medium hardwood floors and exposed beam.

Lisa Valley Close

DMC Kitchens & Joinery

Photo of a mid-sized modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, black splashback, mirror splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and exposed beam.

Old Hat Factory Newtown

SFN Build

Inspiration for an industrial single-wall kitchen in Sydney with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, grey benchtop and exposed beam.

Urban Oasis

Elegant in Design

From little things, big things grow. This project originated with a request for a custom sofa. It evolved into decorating and furnishing the entire lower floor of an urban apartment. The distinctive building featured industrial origins and exposed metal framed ceilings. Part of our brief was to address the unfinished look of the ceiling, while retaining the soaring height. The solution was to box out the trimmers between each beam, strengthening the visual impact of the ceiling without detracting from the industrial look or ceiling height. We also enclosed the void space under the stairs to create valuable storage and completed a full repaint to round out the building works. A textured stone paint in a contrasting colour was applied to the external brick walls to soften the industrial vibe. Floor rugs and window treatments added layers of texture and visual warmth. Custom designed bookshelves were created to fill the double height wall in the lounge room. With the success of the living areas, a kitchen renovation closely followed, with a brief to modernise and consider functionality. Keeping the same footprint, we extended the breakfast bar slightly and exchanged cupboards for drawers to increase storage capacity and ease of access. During the kitchen refurbishment, the scope was again extended to include a redesign of the bathrooms, laundry and powder room.

Wiley Park

Alamay Constructions Pty Ltd

Part of a massive open planned area which includes Dinning, Lounge,Kitchen and butlers pantry. Polished concrete through out with exposed steel and Timber beams.

Lakewood Remodel

Ariel Bleich Design

Transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Lurline Bay House I Part 2

D'Cruz Design Group

Photo of a large contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Sydney with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, glass sheet splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and exposed beam.

Harbor Heights

k+co LIVING - Interiors by Karen B Wolf

Modern farmhouse kitchen. Brown kitchen table surrounded by plush chairs + a breakfast bar with comfy stools.
Photo of a large transitional kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and exposed beam.

Kitchen with Exposed Beam 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!