Photo of a mid-sized modern l-shaped kitchen pantry in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, blue splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and blue benchtop.

Altadena Mid-Century

Susan Pickering Real Estate Photography

Inspiration for a midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, tile benchtops, blue splashback, mosaic tile splashback, white appliances, no island, brown floor and blue benchtop.

小牧市　A様邸

サイエンスホーム名古屋店(株式会社エスコト社)

Design ideas for an asian galley kitchen in Nagoya with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, wood benchtops, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and blue benchtop.

Rays of Light

Aspen Leaf Interiors

For this ski-in, ski-out mountainside property, the intent was to create an architectural masterpiece that was simple, sophisticated, timeless and unique all at the same time. The clients wanted to express their love for Japanese-American craftsmanship, so we incorporated some hints of that motif into the designs. This kitchen design was all about function. The warmth of the walnut cabinetry and flooring and the simplicity of the contemporary cabinet style and open shelving leave room for the gorgeous blue polished quartzite slab focal point used for the oversized island and backsplash. The perimeter countertops are contrasting black textured granite. The high cedar wood ceiling and exposed curved steel beams are dramatic and reveal a roofline nodding to a traditional pagoda design. Striking bronze hanging lights span the space. Vertically grain-matched large drawers provide plenty of storage and the compact pantry’s strategic design fits a coffee maker and Mila appliances.

Lotus on Orange

Josh Wynne Construction

This is an example of a mid-sized modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and blue benchtop.

A Touch of Navy

Hermitage Kitchen Gallery LLC

Designed by Terri Sears, Photography by Melissa M. Mills
Photo of a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in Nashville with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and blue benchtop.

Transitional Elegance

Tobias Design LLC

This is an example of a large transitional galley kitchen pantry in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and blue benchtop.

West London Pierre de Terre

Godrich Interiors

Photo of an eclectic galley open plan kitchen in London with flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, laminate benchtops, yellow splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, blue benchtop, an undermount sink and beige floor.

HIstoric Renovation of Kitchen

BPL Design Group

Refurbishing Kitchen cabinets to preserve vintage tiles in this glorious historic renovation
This is an example of a small beach style u-shaped separate kitchen in Baltimore with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, tile benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and blue benchtop.

Cabinet of Curiosities House

Perversi-Brooks Architects

This is an example of a large contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Hobart with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, solid surface benchtops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and blue benchtop.

Private Residence, Wyoming

Robinson Brown Design

Inspiration for a large country kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, granite benchtops, medium hardwood floors, with island, grey cabinets, blue splashback, coloured appliances and blue benchtop.

Scharnhausen

Küchenhaus Basler

FW
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Stuttgart with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and blue benchtop.

Contemporary Kitchen

Robin Rigby Fisher, CMKBD/CAPS/CLIPPS

Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink. Although this kitchen had ample cabinets and countertops, none of it was functional. Tall appliances divided what would have been a functional run of counters. The cooktop was placed at the end of a narrow island. The walk-in pantry jutted into the kitchen reducing the walkspace of the only functional countertop to 36”. There was not enough room to work and still have a walking area behind. Dark corners and cabinets with poor storage rounded out the existing kitchen. Removing the walk in pantry opened the kitchen and made the adjoining utility room more functional. The space created by removing the pantry became a functional wall of appliances featuring: • 30” Viking Freezer • 36” Viking Refrigerator • 30” Wolf Microwave • 30” Wolf warming drawer To minimize a three foot ceiling height change, a custom Uberboten was built to create a horizontal band keeping the focus downward. The Uberboten houses recessed cans and three decorative light fixtures to illuminate the worksurface and seating area. The Island is functional from all four sides: • Elevation F: functions as an eating bar for two and as a buffet counter for large parties. Countertop: Ceasarstone Blue Ridge • Elevation G: 30” deep coffee bar with beverage refrigerator. Custom storage for flavored syrups and coffee accoutrements. Access to the water with the pull out Elkay faucet makes filling the espresso machine a cinch! Countertop: Ceasarstone Canyon Red • Elevation H: holds the Franke sink, and a cabinet with popup mixer hardware. Countertop: 4” thick endgrain butcherblock maple countertop • Elevation I: 42” tall and 30” deep cabinets hold a second Wolf oven and a built-in Franke scale Countertop: Ceasarstone in Blue Ridge The Range Elevation (Elevation B) has 27” deep countertops, the trash compactor, recycling, a 48” Wolf range. Opposing counter surfaces flank of the range: • Left: Ceasarstone in Canyon Red • Right: Stainless Steel. • Backsplash: Copper What originally was a dysfunctional desk that collected EVERYTHING, now is an attractive, functional 21” deep pantry that stores linen, food, serving pieces and more. The cabinet doors were made from a Zebra-wood-look-alike melamine, the gain runs both horizontally and vertically for a custom design. The end cabinet is a 12” deep message center with cork-board backing and a small work space. Storage below houses phone books and the Lumitron Graphic Eye that controls the light fixtures. Design Details: • An Icebox computer to the left of the main sink • Undercabinet lighting: Xenon • Plug strip eliminate unsightly outlets in the backsplash • Cabinets: natural maple accented with espresso stained alder.

Minneapolis Condo Remodel

Dale Gruber Construction

Design ideas for a contemporary kitchen in Minneapolis with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, blue splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, glass benchtops and blue benchtop.

San Francisco Chic Modern Comfortable Apartment

Staprans Design

R. Brad Knipstein Photography
Contemporary galley kitchen in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula and blue benchtop.

Hayes Valley Remodel

jones | haydu

This one level flat was completely gutted by a fire. We completely changed the layout of rooms. The wood feature wall is composed of reused studs that were charred in the fire. At the edges, some of the black charring can still be seen. This project has been featured in Dwell and the San Francisco Chronicle. Photo by Bruce Damonte

BAHAY BETTY KITCHEN

CA-RD

This minimalist kitchen design was created for an entrepreneur chef who wanted a clean entertaining and research work area. To minimize clutter; a hidden dishwasher was installed and cutting board cover fabricated for the sink. Color matched flush appliances and a concealed vent hood help create a clean work area. Custom solid Maple shelves were made on site and provide quick access to frequently used items as well as integrate AC ducts in a minimalist fashion. The customized tile backsplash integrates trim-less switches and outlets in the center of the flowers to reduce their visual impact on the composition. A locally fabricated cove tile was notched into the paper countertop to ease the transition visually and aid in cleaning. This image contains one of 4 kitchen work areas in the home.

Private residence

Don F. Wong

Photo of a contemporary kitchen in Minneapolis with stainless steel appliances, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets and blue benchtop.

White and Blue Cabinet Kitchen with Cambria Portrush Quartz

Village Home Stores

A remodeled kitchen in Kewanee Illinois. Featured: Koch Classic Cabinetry in the Bristol door and White and Charcoal Blue painted finishes. Portrush Cambria Quartz tops, Mannington Hardwood Mountain View Hickory flooring in "Fawn" finish, KitchenAid appliances, and Kuzco LED lighting also featured. Start to finish kitchen remodel by Village Home Stores.

Side Street Suite

CHRISTOPHER STROM ARCHITECTS

Side Street Suite is a contemporary 640-square-foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU) that sits perched among trees in Minneapolis. The homeowner is an empty nester who no longer desired to inhabit a 2,700 square feet home. A unique solution was to build a one-bedroom ADU in the backyard of his rental duplex. The ADU feels much larger than would seem possible thanks to strategically placed glass on all exterior walls and roof. The home is expanded with unique views which in turn create a dynamic experience of the path of sunlight over the course of the day. The kitchen is compact yet well-appointed, offering most of the amenities of a larger home, albeit in more compact form. The bedroom is flanked by a walk-in closet and a full bathroom containing a combination washer/dryer. Playful, bold colors enliven the interiors: blue stair treads and wood handrail and blue quartz countertop. Exterior materials of composite wood siding and cement board panels were chosen for low-maintenance and durability. Bikers passing by the property often give the owner a thumbs-up, indicative of neighborhood enthusiasm and support for “building small.”

Kitchen with Flat-panel Cabinets and Blue Benchtop 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!