This is an example of a large beach style u-shaped kitchen in Atlanta with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, a peninsula, grey floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Traditional Rochester Hills Kitchen

Renovation By Design LLC

Rochester Hills Kitchen Remodel
Photo of a large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Detroit with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, with island, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Alair Homes Mooresville Farmhouse

Jim Schmid Photography

Photo by Jim Schmid Photography
Expansive country eat-in kitchen in Charlotte with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, marble benchtops, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and multi-coloured benchtop.

Kings Rd

Thomas and Birch - Kitchens and Living

An open and airy transformation for this client's beautiful mid-century modern home. White on white with wood accents blend this gorgeous Scandinavian-style space with the era and feel of the rest of the house. Photo: Dasha Armstrong

Tribeca Penthouse Model Apartment

B Interior

Federica Carlet
Photo of a contemporary kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and multi-coloured benchtop.

mid-century modern kitchen

Neil Kelly Company

Modern materials were chosen to fit the existing style of the home. Mahogany cabinets topped with Caesarstone countertops in Nougat and Raven were accented by 24×24-inch recycled porcelain tile with 1-inch glass penny round decos. Elsewhere in the kitchen, quality appliances were re-used. The oven was located in its original brick wall location. The microwave convection oven was located neatly under the island countertop. A tall pull out pantry was included to the left of the refrigerator. The island became the focus of the design. It provided the main food prep and cooking area, and helped direct traffic through the space, keeping guests comfortable on one side and cooks on the other. Large porcelain tiles clad the back side of the island to protect the surface from feet on stools and accent the surrounding surfaces.

Ticked all the boxes

Collaroy Kitchen Centre

Photo of a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen pantry in Sydney with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mirror splashback, black appliances, laminate floors, with island and multi-coloured benchtop.

San Mateo Park Kitchen • Atelier Noël

Atelier Noël, Inc.

Design ideas for a contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Streathbourne Road

Ben Waterhouse Photography

Photo of a contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in London with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Scandi-Asian Fusion

Sola Kitchens

One wowee kitchen! Designed for a family with Sri-Lankan and Singaporean heritage, the brief for this project was to create a Scandi-Asian styled kitchen. The design features ‘Skog’ wall panelling, straw bar stools, open shelving, a sofia swing, a bar and an olive tree.

Cocina "Breathtaking View"

ABACUBE Interiorismo

Cocina alargada pero muy iluminada. Reforma completa de la cocina, abrimos la pared que separa con el salón para dar mayor funcionalidad al espacio, Electrodomésticos Siemens de alta gama y eficiencia energética. Muebles Santos y encimera Silestone.

nnu House

Studio Jayga Architects

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Essex with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets, terrazzo benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, limestone floors, with island and multi-coloured benchtop.

Woodlands 1st Floor Remodel, Hinsdale

Tate Enterprises

Inspiration for a large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, engineered quartz splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, multiple islands, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Bac

NumeroA

Photo of a contemporary kitchen in Paris with flat-panel cabinets, stainless steel cabinets, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Bold and Monochromatic Kitchen in Houston

Cantoni Irvine

From the street, it’s an impeccably designed English manor. Once inside, the best of that same storied architecture seamlessly meshes with modernism. This blend of styles was exactly the vibe three-decades-running Houston homebuilder Chris Sims, founder and CEO of Sims Luxury Builders, wanted to convey with the $5.2 million show-home in Houston’s coveted Tanglewood neighborhood. “Our goal was to uniquely combine classic and Old World with clean and modern in both the architectural design as well as the interior finishes,” Chris says. Their aesthetic inspiration is clearly evident in the 8,000-square-foot showcase home’s luxurious gourmet kitchen. It is an exercise in grey and white—and texture. To achieve their vision, the Sims turned to Cantoni. “We had a wonderful experience working with Cantoni several years ago on a client’s home, and were pleased to repeat that success on this project,” Chris says. Cantoni designer Amy McFall, who was tasked with designing the kitchen, promptly took to the home’s beauty. Situated on a half-acre corner lot with majestic oak trees, it boasts simplistic and elegant interiors that allow the detailed architecture to shine. The kitchen opens directly to the family room, which holds a brick wall, beamed ceilings, and a light-and-bright stone fireplace. The generous space overlooks the outdoor pool. With such a large area to work with, “we needed to give the kitchen its own, intimate feel,” Amy says. To that end, Amy integrated dark grey, high-gloss lacquer cabinetry from our Atelier Collection. by Aster Cucine with dark grey oak cabinetry, mixing finishes throughout to add depth and texture. Edginess came by way of custom, heavily veined Calacatta Viola marble on both the countertops and backsplash. The Sims team, meanwhile, insured the layout lent itself to minimalism. “With the inclusion of the scullery and butler’s pantry in the design, we were able to minimize the storage needed in the kitchen itself,” Chris says. “This allowed for the clean, minimalist cabinetry, giving us the creative freedom to go darker with the cabinet color and really make a bold statement in the home.” It was exactly the look they wanted—textural and interesting. “The juxtaposition of ultra-modern kitchen cabinetry and steel windows set against the textures of the wood floors, interior brick, and trim detailing throughout the downstairs provided a fresh take on blending classic and modern,” Chris says. “We’re thrilled with the result—it is showstopping.” They were equally thrilled with the design process. “Amy was incredibly responsive, helpful and knowledgeable,” Chris says. “It was a pleasure working with her and the entire Cantoni team.” Check out the kitchen featured in Modern Luxury Interiors Texas’ annual “Ode to Texas Real Estate” here.

Scarsdale, NY

BERGEN marble+granite

Expansive modern l-shaped kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone slab splashback, coloured appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Springfield Modern

Springhouse Architects, LLC

Kelly Ann Photos
Large modern eat-in kitchen in Columbus with flat-panel cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and multi-coloured benchtop.

SieMatic Kitchen

Bill Fry Construction - Wm. H. Fry Const. Co.

SieMatic Kitchen
This is an example of a large contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, white cabinets, with island, beige floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Chappaqua Eclectic

Elizabeth Strianese Interiors LLC

East Linear Faucet in unlaquered brass by Newport Brass and a Kohler undermount sink. Photography by Meredith Heuer
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, onyx benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, terra-cotta splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and multi-coloured benchtop.

Penthouse centre-ville

Mario Januario Design

This is an example of a contemporary single-wall kitchen in Montreal with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, multi-coloured benchtop and recessed.

Kitchen with Flat-panel Cabinets and Multi-Coloured 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!