Inspiration for a small modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Brookview Place

Webber Development & Construction

McGinnis Leathers
This is an example of an expansive modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Atlanta with an undermount sink, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, flat-panel cabinets, grey splashback, matchstick tile splashback and white floor.

Ranch Style Redux

Robert M. Cain, Architect

The galley kitchen transitions from open counters facing the living dining spaces to storage and access left into the garage and right into the entertainment center. The oak flooring was salvaged from the existing house and reinstalled. Photo: Fredrik Brauer

Kitchen

ODS Architecture

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Photo by John Sutton Photography.

Modern Ogee Drop Kitchen Tile Backsplash

Fireclay Tile

White, bright and modern, this sleek kitchen design makes a statement with pattern. Shooting LA
This is an example of a contemporary galley kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Gilbert Island Waterfront

Cantoni Irvine

Large tropical l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Orange County with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, brown splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors and a peninsula.

Natural Billabong

Eco Outdoor AUS

1780 Ridgecrest Drive

Stoneridge Custom Development

Spin Photography
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Portland with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white splashback, an undermount sink, solid surface benchtops, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

New Modern Home Lagunitas

Kerr Construction, Inc.

This is an example of a contemporary kitchen in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige splashback, subway tile splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Modern in Montvale

Jennifer Pacca Interiors

A modern kitchen as part of an open concept family room/kitchen plan. Ebony stained cabinets mixed with white cabinets and white quartz counter top create a beautiful contrast. A crystal chandeleir resembling a snowflake creates a stunning focal point.

Island Point Retreat | Mercer Island

Kirsten Robertson 425

FJU Photography
Design ideas for a contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Seattle with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets and stainless steel appliances.

Contemporary Bronze Iron Shoji Pendant Asian Inspired Chandelier

We Got Lites

The Shoji Collection's unique gridded design is inspired by traditional Japanese architecture. In traditional Japanese architecture, a shoji is a door, window, or room divider made of paper over a wooden grid-like frame. The Shoji Collection offers a modern take on the Japanese shoji design by combining a hand-crafted iron frame with handmade Japanese paper in a dark, Bonzai bronze finish. Inside, a textured pearl diffuser sheds light through the shoji-inspired frame. A modern and contemporary Japanese-inspired accent for your home from Corbett Lighting. Imported.

High-rise Condo

StudioBecker

The transformation of this high-rise condo in the heart of San Francisco was literally from floor to ceiling. Studio Becker custom built everything from the bed and shoji screens to the interior doors and wall paneling...and of course the kitchen, baths and wardrobes! It’s all Studio Becker in this master bedroom - teak light boxes line the ceiling, shoji sliding doors conceal the walk-in closet and house the flat screen TV. A custom teak bed with a headboard and storage drawers below transition into full-height night stands with mirrored fronts (with lots of storage inside) and interior up-lit shelving with a light valance above. A window seat that provides additional storage and a lounging area finishes out the room. Teak wall paneling with a concealed touchless coat closet, interior shoji doors and a desk niche with an inset leather writing surface and cord catcher are just a few more of the customized features built for this condo. This Collection M kitchen, in Manhattan, high gloss walnut burl and Rimini stainless steel, is packed full of fun features, including an eating table that hydraulically lifts from table height to bar height for parties, an in-counter appliance garage in a concealed elevation system and Studio Becker’s electric Smart drawer with custom inserts for sushi service, fine bone china and stemware. Combinations of teak and black lacquer with custom vanity designs give these bathrooms the Asian flare the homeowner’s were looking for. This project has been featured on HGTV's Million Dollar Rooms

50's Re-Do

William Roy Designer Kitchens

This 50's home had a tiny 8' long galley kitchen with 3 feet between counters which is common for the era. The clients love the location and wanted to stay so they decided to improve the kitchen they would need to do an addition. The addition allow them to move the small dining room into the larger addition and extend the kitchen down into the old dining room giving them a spacious island kitchen.

Modern Home | Kimberly Demmy Design

Kimberly Demmy Design

This rustic modern home was purchased by an art collector that needed plenty of white wall space to hang his collection. The furnishings were kept neutral to allow the art to pop and warm wood tones were selected to keep the house from becoming cold and sterile. Published in Modern In Denver | The Art of Living. Daniel O'Connor Photography

NYC apartment

Amazing Spaces

Shades of brown warm up this modern urban kitchen. Light colors on the ceiling and glass doors on the upper cabinets help fill the space with light and feel larger. Oversized modern hardware creates nice vertical and horizontal detail. Curved track lighting adds a whimsical touch.

Let the Sun Shine In

Design First Interiors

Large contemporary eat-in kitchen in Ottawa with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige splashback, granite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and beige floor.

GRIFFIN ENRIGHT ARCHITECTS: Mandeville Canyon Residence

Griffin Enright Architects

The kitchen is highlighted by a blue glass back splash.
Mid-sized modern galley eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with glass sheet splashback, blue splashback, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Contemporary Kitchen

Design ideas for a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Other with panelled appliances, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, metallic splashback and metal splashback.

Kitchen Remodel

RemodelWest

Photos by Scott Dubose
This is an example of a contemporary kitchen in San Francisco with stainless steel appliances, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, matchstick tile splashback and multi-coloured splashback.

Kitchen with Flat-panel Cabinets and Dark 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!