Photo of a large traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Nashville with medium hardwood floors, brown floor, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, granite benchtops, with island, an undermount sink, grey splashback, subway tile splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Rustic Kitchen

B.C.D. Interiors

Design ideas for a country open plan kitchen in Other with subway tile splashback, a farmhouse sink, soapstone benchtops, stainless steel appliances, white splashback and grey cabinets.

TH Full Kitchen Remodel

Adonis Kitchen & Bath

Full-gut kitchen remodel. Replaced cabinets, flooring, appliances, backsplash, lighting, etc.
Design ideas for a small modern galley separate kitchen in Cleveland with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, cement tiles, grey floor and white benchtop.

Industrial Metal & Wood NYC Loft Kitchen

Bilotta Kitchen & Home

A daring combination of forms and finishes yielded an exciting contemporary/industrial hybrid. In a converted wedge-shaped factory building, this loft’s quirky shape was celebrated, not disguised. Contrasting flooring demarcates what is, in fact, a literal work triangle. The island’s unusual five-sided shape proudly reiterates the room’s footprint; the three waterfall ends accentuate its one-of-a-kind geometry. Four different materials were chosen to establish a playful dialogue between light, dark, and texture: caramel-stained rift cut oak on open cabinets; matte charcoal gray paint on tall and wall cabinets; brushed bronze oil-rubbed wire mesh inserts for bases; and panels in a laminate resembling knotty weathered wood. White quartz countertops provide a unifying feature. Open cabinets are singular for their asymmetrical placement and, in some spots, open-ended configuration within the tall units. The breathtaking dining table was fashioned from two free-form live edge planks, joined by a ribbon of clear epoxy resin, thus creating the illusion of a stream meandering through fallen trees. Black elements contribute an industrial edge: an open-framed metal wall shelf over the sink; iron table legs; a mix of dining chairs in mid-century wire mesh, molded plastic, and retro aluminum; and machinery castors on the low-slung coffee table. This project was designed by Bilotta Designer Daniel Popescu in collaboration with MeldNYC. Photography is by Nico Arellano.

Evanston: Gross Pointe

Lugbill Designs

Design ideas for a small contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Chicago with flat-panel cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor, white benchtop, an undermount sink and grey cabinets.

The "Timeless" Kitchen

EFE Creative Lab

Interior Design by EFE Creative Lab, Inc. Photography by Gabriel Volpi
Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional galley eat-in kitchen in Miami with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula and white benchtop.

Bohemian Beach Retreat

The Flippin Designer

Photo of a beach style kitchen in Charleston with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, beige floor, white benchtop and coffered.

Summit NJ — Plain & Fancy kitchen addition with butler's pantry

Tague Design Showroom

The elegant look of grey is hot in kitchen design; a pop of color to base cabinets or center island adds visual interest to your design. This kitchen also features integrated appliances and hidden storage. The open concept floor plan opens up to a breakfast area and butler's pantry. Ceramic subway tile, quartzite countertops and stainless steel appliances provide a sleek finish while the rich stain to the hardwood floors adds warmth to the space. Butler's pantry with walnut top and khaki sideboard with corbel accent bring a touch of drama to the design.

New Consturction | Summit, NJ

Rosen Kelly Conway Architecture & Design

This is an example of a traditional l-shaped kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Clean & Modern White Farmhouse on E. 10th St.

L&B Limited Company

Inspiration for a country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Country Club Project

The Artisan Company

This is an example of a transitional kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, grey cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Country Club Project

The Artisan Company

Design ideas for a transitional kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, grey cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and grey benchtop.

New Custom Kitchen

Tas-Built

This is an example of a large transitional galley kitchen pantry in Sydney with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and multi-coloured benchtop.

Modern dark grey kitchen with black handles

Eclectic Interiors

This beautiful contemporary dark grey kitchen was designed for a young professional family home in Clapham. Modern cabinetry and appliances were complimented with a traditional ceramic Belfast sink and floating shelves above to create a warm and inviting atmosphere to the interior. The island was framed in stone downstands at each end and a matching stone back panel , providing beautiful design detail to the overall look. Moroccan style tiles were used in the main kitchen area and in the rest of the room a wooden floor was laid. This beautifully designed kitchen is still very practical and the large double utility cupboard on the right houses the boiler, washing machine and dryer

Construction Resources

Barbara Brown Photography

Barbara Brown Photography
Large contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Atlanta with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, with island, white benchtop and stainless steel appliances.

Calle Del Sud

Two Hawks Design and Development

This is an example of a large arts and crafts single-wall open plan kitchen in Phoenix with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Monrovia Craftsman

Revere Construction Company

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with with island, a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, bamboo floors, brown floor, white benchtop and quartz benchtops.

Chic Open Plan Layout

MAKING THE WORLD BEAUTIFUL

The contrast in colours makes this open plan kitchen look and feel very chic almost can't keep your eyes off how the tiles blend into the engenered wood floor.

Ikea Bodbyn doors and butcher block countertops

INSPIRED KITCHEN DESIGN

As Annalisa put it, “We know what we like, but we’re not design people.” So she chose BODBYN doors in gray and butcher block countertops for a classic kitchen feeling. And then she hired IKD to help her design a kitchen with great flow that incorporated several non-IKEA elements.

CB Highland Park Road Whole Home Renovation

WeDeliverOmaha, LLC.

Bodbyn gray and white ikea kitchen cabinets. blanco undermount sink with carrara marble quartz countertops.
Photo of a mid-sized traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Omaha with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen with Grey Cabinets and Subway 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!