KitchenLab Interiors’ first, entirely new construction project in collaboration with GTH architects who designed the residence. KLI was responsible for all interior finishes, fixtures, furnishings, and design including the stairs, casework, interior doors, moldings and millwork. KLI also worked with the client on selecting the roof, exterior stucco and paint colors, stone, windows, and doors. The homeowners had purchased the existing home on a lakefront lot of the Valley Lo community in Glenview, thinking that it would be a gut renovation, but when they discovered a host of issues including mold, they decided to tear it down and start from scratch. The minute you look out the living room windows, you feel as though you're on a lakeside vacation in Wisconsin or Michigan. We wanted to help the homeowners achieve this feeling throughout the house - merging the causal vibe of a vacation home with the elegance desired for a primary residence. This project is unique and personal in many ways - Rebekah and the homeowner, Lorie, had grown up together in a small suburb of Columbus, Ohio. Lorie had been Rebekah's babysitter and was like an older sister growing up. They were both heavily influenced by the style of the late 70's and early 80's boho/hippy meets disco and 80's glam, and both credit their moms for an early interest in anything related to art, design, and style. One of the biggest challenges of doing a new construction project is that it takes so much longer to plan and execute and by the time tile and lighting is installed, you might be bored by the selections of feel like you've seen them everywhere already. “I really tried to pull myself, our team and the client away from the echo-chamber of Pinterest and Instagram. We fell in love with counter stools 3 years ago that I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger on, thank god, because then they started showing up literally everywhere", Rebekah recalls. Lots of one of a kind vintage rugs and furnishings make the home feel less brand-spanking new. The best projects come from a team slightly outside their comfort zone. One of the funniest things Lorie says to Rebekah, "I gave you everything you wanted", which is pretty hilarious coming from a client to a designer.

Bronze mirror glass splashback

LWK London Kitchens

Bronze mirrored glass splashback
Contemporary kitchen in London with glass-front cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback and with island.

Kashiwa House

Arthouse Architects

Kashiwa Photography
Design ideas for an eclectic u-shaped separate kitchen in Christchurch with glass-front cabinets, light wood cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula.

Golf Club Renovation

Cheryl Scrymgeour Designs

Photo of a traditional kitchen in Toronto with beige cabinets, stainless steel appliances, metallic splashback, metal splashback and glass-front cabinets.

Modern Ranch House

Ashby Collective

Expansive midcentury open plan kitchen in Austin with white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, metallic splashback, grey benchtop and vaulted.

Beautiful Industrial Style Home

Juan Felipe Goldstein Design Co.

Mid-sized industrial single-wall open plan kitchen in Orange County with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors and with island.

Gallery Place Loft Renovation

Balodemas Architects

Anice Hoachlander, Hoachlander Davis Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized industrial u-shaped open plan kitchen in DC Metro with stainless steel cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, metallic splashback, with island, glass-front cabinets, stainless steel appliances and an undermount sink.

Luxurious Residence - Kitchen

Martin Manley Architects

A luxurious and well-appointed house an a ridge high in Avon's Wildridge neighborhood with incredible views to Beaver Creek resort and the New York Mountain Range.

Downs Whole House Remodel

C. Clary Contracting

Dominique Marro
Photo of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Baltimore with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, onyx benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Urban Loft-Downtown

S&K Interiors LLC

Industrial kitchen in St Louis with stainless steel benchtops, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island, glass-front cabinets, metallic splashback and an integrated sink.

Renovation in Williamstown, Massachusetts

Burr & McCallum Architects

Photo: Peter Vanderwarker
This is an example of a contemporary kitchen in Boston with glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Donna Dufresne

Donna DuFresne Interior Design

This is an example of a contemporary separate kitchen in Portland with glass-front cabinets, stainless steel appliances, white cabinets, metallic splashback and metal splashback.

Transitional Kitchen

Photo of an expansive transitional galley eat-in kitchen in Phoenix with metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, marble benchtops, marble splashback, limestone floors, black floor, white benchtop and grey cabinets.

Palm Beach Gardens Kitchen & Bath

Planning and Building, Inc

Large traditional l-shaped separate kitchen in Miami with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, multiple islands, marble benchtops and brown floor.

Expansive Traditional in Scarsdale

Bilotta Kitchen and Home

For this project, the entire kitchen was designed around the “must-have” Lacanche range in the stunning French Blue with brass trim. That was the client’s dream and everything had to be built to complement it. Bilotta senior designer, Randy O’Kane, CKD worked with Paul Benowitz and Dipti Shah of Benowitz Shah Architects to contemporize the kitchen while staying true to the original house which was designed in 1928 by regionally noted architect Franklin P. Hammond. The clients purchased the home over two years ago from the original owner. While the house has a magnificent architectural presence from the street, the basic systems, appointments, and most importantly, the layout and flow were inappropriately suited to contemporary living. The new plan removed an outdated screened porch at the rear which was replaced with the new family room and moved the kitchen from a dark corner in the front of the house to the center. The visual connection from the kitchen through the family room is dramatic and gives direct access to the rear yard and patio. It was important that the island separating the kitchen from the family room have ample space to the left and right to facilitate traffic patterns, and interaction among family members. Hence vertical kitchen elements were placed primarily on existing interior walls. The cabinetry used was Bilotta’s private label, the Bilotta Collection – they selected beautiful, dramatic, yet subdued finishes for the meticulously handcrafted cabinetry. The double islands allow for the busy family to have a space for everything – the island closer to the range has seating and makes a perfect space for doing homework or crafts, or having breakfast or snacks. The second island has ample space for storage and books and acts as a staging area from the kitchen to the dinner table. The kitchen perimeter and both islands are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Paper White. The wall cabinets flanking the sink have wire mesh fronts in a statuary bronze – the insides of these cabinets are painted blue to match the range. The breakfast room cabinetry is Benjamin Moore’s Lampblack with the interiors of the glass cabinets painted in Paper White to match the kitchen. All countertops are Vermont White Quartzite from Eastern Stone. The backsplash is Artistic Tile’s Kyoto White and Kyoto Steel. The fireclay apron-front main sink is from Rohl while the smaller prep sink is from Linkasink. All faucets are from Waterstone in their antique pewter finish. The brass hardware is from Armac Martin and the pendants above the center island are from Circa Lighting. The appliances, aside from the range, are a mix of Sub-Zero, Thermador and Bosch with panels on everything.

Private Residence Sands Point, NY

The Tile Square

Kitchen Backsplash: Eastern White Marble 3"x6" Subway Tile
Design ideas for a traditional l-shaped kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, stainless steel appliances, with island, glass-front cabinets, metallic splashback and metal splashback.

Blue Plum SF

FM DISTRIBUTING

Neolith Iron Moss backsplash
Inspiration for a contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Manhattan Rennovated and Staged

A Stevens Design

Gotham Photo Company
Photo of a small modern single-wall open plan kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, stainless steel cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors and with island.

Sullivan's Island Kitchen Renovation

Classic Remodeling & Construction, Inc.

Jason Stemple
Design ideas for a small contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Charleston with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, stainless steel cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Luxurious Residence - Kitchen

Martin Manley Architects

A luxurious and well-appointed house an a ridge high in Avon's Wildridge neighborhood with incredible views to Beaver Creek resort and the New York Mountain Range.

Kitchen with Glass-front Cabinets and Metallic Splashback 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!