This young family wanted to update their kitchen and loved getting away to the coast. We tried to bring a little of the coast to their suburban Chicago home. The statement pantry doors with antique mirror add a wonderful element to the space. The large island gives the family a wonderful space to hang out, The custom "hutch' area is actual full of hidden outlets to allow for all of the electronics a place to charge. Warm brass details and the stunning tile complete the area.

Island Focused Modern Kitchen in Naperville, IL

Adam Hartig

Inspiration for a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, glass tile splashback, panelled appliances, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and dark hardwood floors.

Kitchen and Island

Daniel Contelmo Architects

This is an example of a mid-sized beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

French Country Kitchen

Sexton Development

This is an example of a large u-shaped separate kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, white splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, quartz benchtops and glass tile splashback.

Mid Century MOD Austin Remodel

Becca Stephens Interiors

Molly Winters Photography
Photo of a mid-sized midcentury single-wall eat-in kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors and with island.

Open Concept Kitchen Design with Automation

Catheline Cavarroc Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Montreal with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Augusta Kitchen

Riverside Homes LLC

Mid-sized modern single-wall eat-in kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and white benchtop.

Preserve at Bent Pine - Kauai Model Kitchen

Masterpiece Design Group

These Sherwin Williams Iron Ore painted cabinets and Progress Lighting graphite dome pendants paired with Cambria's Skara Brae slab are the PERFECT mix in this contrasting kitchen ?

Mid-Century Renovation

Wendy Wilson & Associates

This mid-century ranch-style home in Pasadena, CA underwent a complete interior remodel and renovation. The kitchen walls separating it from the dining and living rooms were removed creating a sophisticated open-plan entertainment space.

Hope & Hayes' kitchen

April Case Underwood

Design ideas for a large contemporary eat-in kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, brown splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Howell Overhaul

Yancy Interior Design

What a difference it made to take that wall down! We had to put a large beam in the ceiling and support it in the sides walls with metal columns all the way down to the basement to make this structurally sound.

California Beach Home

Eve Mode Design

Although small in size, the kitchen feels open and airy, with an ocean view. The white cabinets and beveled glass wall tile reflects the water and beach feeling in a contemporary and sophisticated style.

Bright Modern Kitchen in Hingham

Transitions Kitchens and Baths

This modern kitchen design in Hingham is sure to be the bright spot in the center of this home. Mouser Cabinetry sets the tone for this design with white beaded inset perimeter cabinets, which is contrasted by a dark wood finish kitchen island with a built in microwave. Both cabinets are Centra Square Inset Reno door style, complemented by Emtek satin nickel Alexander Pulls and Norwich Knobs. A white with gray veining countertop from Boston Bluestone is an ideal counterpart to the cabinetry along with a Highland Park Dove Grey 3 x 6 glass tile backsplash. The large Kohler Vault farmhouse sink sits under a bright window, paired with a Blanco Culina Chrome faucet. The island includes an Elkay single bowl sink, with the two sinks creating a perfect zone for food preparation and clean up including space for more than one person to work. Cooking will be a breeze in this kitchen with a large Wolf oven, along with a Blanco Cantata chrome pot filler faucet. A custom hutch adds storage and style with the central cabinet doors in a black frame with glass front doors to contrast the white cabinetry. In cabinet lighting spotlights these striking cabinets and adds space to display favorite items. The bright kitchen includes ample natural light plus dramatic Feiss Kenney Collection light fixtures with two above island and one above the table. This stunning kitchen design offers ample space for cooking, dining, and entertaining, and is connected to an adjacent living area with a custom bar.

Custom Kitchen Drawer Storage and Organization

Urbana Design Studio

Dividers provide an easy way to organize kitchen drawers Kate Falconer Photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, distressed cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, yellow floor and white benchtop.

Modern San Diego History

Marrokal Design & Remodeling

This is an example of a small contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in San Diego with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and grey benchtop.

Modern Blue & White Kitchen and Laundry

GMI Design Group

This dark, dreary kitchen was large, but not being used well. The family of 7 had outgrown the limited storage and experienced traffic bottlenecks when in the kitchen together. A bright, cheerful and more functional kitchen was desired, as well as a new pantry space. We gutted the kitchen and closed off the landing through the door to the garage to create a new pantry. A frosted glass pocket door eliminates door swing issues. In the pantry, a small access door opens to the garage so groceries can be loaded easily. Grey wood-look tile was laid everywhere. We replaced the small window and added a 6’x4’ window, instantly adding tons of natural light. A modern motorized sheer roller shade helps control early morning glare. Three free-floating shelves are to the right of the window for favorite décor and collectables. White, ceiling-height cabinets surround the room. The full-overlay doors keep the look seamless. Double dishwashers, double ovens and a double refrigerator are essentials for this busy, large family. An induction cooktop was chosen for energy efficiency, child safety, and reliability in cooking. An appliance garage and a mixer lift house the much-used small appliances. An ice maker and beverage center were added to the side wall cabinet bank. The microwave and TV are hidden but have easy access. The inspiration for the room was an exclusive glass mosaic tile. The large island is a glossy classic blue. White quartz countertops feature small flecks of silver. Plus, the stainless metal accent was even added to the toe kick! Upper cabinet, under-cabinet and pendant ambient lighting, all on dimmers, was added and every light (even ceiling lights) is LED for energy efficiency. White-on-white modern counter stools are easy to clean. Plus, throughout the room, strategically placed USB outlets give tidy charging options.

Acreage - ME4

Cascade West Development

This is an example of an expansive modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Portland with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Lyon Village Whole House Remodel

Atlas Moran Construction

Mid-sized transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Del Ray Sears Bungalow

WINN Design+Build

Stacy Zarin-Goldberg
This is an example of a mid-sized arts and crafts single-wall open plan kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, green cabinets, quartz benchtops, green splashback, glass tile splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Napa Kitchen Downtown

McCallum Cabinets Inc

Mid-sized transitional l-shaped separate kitchen in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, quartz benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback and white benchtop.

Kitchen with Quartz Benchtops and Glass Tile 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!