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.

Open Sesame - Unlocking Potential

AMEK Custom Builders

Open Sesame! Unlocking the potential in this space involved removing walls around the original kitchen. Unlike the old kitchen that only had one narrow access point next to the refrigerator, this new open concept is ideal for entertaining allowing guests to easily move around.

Rattan Creek Remodel

Are One Construction LLC

This house was built in 1993 and had not had a renovation. The entire kitchen was taken down to the studs and updated with modern elements. counter tops by ceasarstone, tile by dal tile. appliance package by frigidaire. This project was fast tracked for an additional cost and completed in 4 weeks.

Old Toccoa Farms

Mountain Lakes Cabinetry

Beautiful cozy cabin in Blue Ridge Georgia. Cabinetry: Rustic Maple wood with Silas stain and a nickle glaze, Full overlay raised panel doors with slab drawer fronts. Countertops are quartz. Beautiful ceiling details!! Wine bar features lovely floating shelves and a great wine bottle storage area.

Avenida De Sueno Kitchen

Teknik Design & Remodeling

Mid-sized beach style galley eat-in kitchen in San Diego with white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, laminate floors, with island, brown floor, a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey splashback and grey benchtop.

Small, quaint kitchen in Horseheads, NY

Kitchen & Bath Gallery of the Finger Lakes, Inc.

After removing a wall, this once very tiny kitchen opened up into the dinning area, new hardwood floors throughout the house and bright white painted cabinets transformed this tiny kitchen into a spectacular kitchen with it's custom made bistro table in a vineyard theme.

White and Blue Kitchen

Debra J Interiors

Inspiration for a mid-sized beach style l-shaped kitchen in Orlando with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, a peninsula, beige floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Project 3501-1 Ford Pkwy St. Paul Kitchen Remodel Plaid Wallpaper

Castle Building & Remodeling

This twin home was the perfect home for these empty nesters – retro-styled bathrooms, beautiful fireplace and built-ins, and a spectacular garden. The only thing the home was lacking was a functional kitchen space. The old kitchen had three entry points – one to the dining room, one to the back entry, and one to a hallway. The hallway entry was closed off to create a more functional galley style kitchen that isolated traffic running through and allowed for much more countertop and storage space. The clients wanted a transitional style that mimicked their design choices in the rest of the home. A medium wood stained base cabinet was chosen to warm up the space and create contrast against the soft white upper cabinets. The stove was given two resting points on each side, and a large pantry was added for easy-access storage. The original box window at the kitchen sink remains, but the same granite used for the countertops now sits on the sill of the window, as opposed to the old wood sill that showed all water stains and wears. The granite chosen (Nevaska Granite) is a wonderful color mixture of browns, greys, whites, steely blues and a hint of black. A travertine tile backsplash accents the warmth found in the wood tone of the base cabinets and countertops. Elegant lighting was installed as well as task lighting to compliment the bright, natural light in this kitchen. A flip-up work station will be added as another work point for the homeowners – likely to be used for their stand mixer while baking goodies with their grandkids. Wallpaper adds another layer of visual interest and texture. The end result is an elegant and timeless design that the homeowners will gladly use for years to come. Tour this project in person, September 28 – 29, during the 2019 Castle Home Tour!

2018 Berkeley Whole House Remodel

HDR Remodeling Inc.

Photo by Michael Hospelt
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, blue splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor, grey benchtop and glass tile splashback.

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.

Del Ray Sears Bungalow

WINN Design+Build

Stacy Zarin-Goldberg
Photo 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.

Village Green

Kitchen & Bath by Design LLC

Mid-sized traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, brown splashback, travertine splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and brown benchtop.

KITCHEN REMODEL

K. Rue Designs, LLC

By raising the ceiling in this newly remodeled kitchen, the space simply opened up. The large island is able to accommodate conversational seating to be near the cook, but does not interrupt the traffic path to the cooktop, sink, and refrigerator. White painted periphery cabinets with a rich countertop creates a larger outline, while the dark stained island cabinets and lighter countertop grounds the center of the space. Beautiful veined tile adds depth and interest to the solid surfaces. On the opposite side of the island, the open space allowed for a dog feeding station to be imbedded.

Modern Kitchen Remodel | Lansdale, PA

Ryann Reed Design Build

Waterproof luxury vinyl tile with anti-microbial coating on top that is resistant to staining.
This is an example of a small modern l-shaped separate kitchen in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

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 Remodel and bathroom addition in La Jolla

Collom Construction Inc.

Mid-sized modern u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Diego with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Contemporary Kitchen with White & navy Cabinets

Rainier Cabinetry & Design, Inc

Inspiration for a large contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, marble benchtops, green splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Stunning White Kitchen and Onyx Island with Refaced Butler's Pantry

Cabinet-S-Top

In this stunning kitchen, Medallion Park Place door with flat center panel in painted White Icing cabinets were installed on the perimeter. The cabinets on the island are Medallion Park Place doors with reversed raised panel in cherry wood with Onyx stain. The cabinets in the butler’s pantry were refaced with new Medallion Park Place door and drawer fronts were installed. Three seedy glass door cabinets with finished interiors were installed above the TV area and window. Corian Zodiaq Quartz in Neve color was installed on the perimeter and Bianco Mendola Granite was installed on the Island. The backsplash is Walker Zanger luxury 6th Avenue Julia mosaic collection in Fog Gloss for sink and range walls only. Moen Align Pull-Out Spray Faucet in Spot Resistant Stainless with a matching Soap Dispenser and Blanco Precis Silgranite Sink in Metallic Gray. Installed 5 Brio LED Disc Lights. Over the Island is SoCo Mini Canopy Light Fixture with 3 canopies and SoCo modern socket pendant in black. The chandelier is Rejuvenation Williamette 24” Fluted Glass with Oiled Rubbed Bronze finish.

Certified Luxury Builders - 41 West - Veracruz Penthouse Remodel 2A

Homoly Design + Build

Photo of a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Kansas City with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, grey splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Lakeview Orono Home

Swanson Homes

Spacecrafting Photography
Design ideas for a large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Kitchen with Glass Tile Splashback and Travertine 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!