Photo of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Oklahoma City with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Northern Wasatch Parade of Homes- 2020

Visionary Homes

This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen in Salt Lake City with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, white splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen with Concealed Butler's Pantry

Taylor Made Cabinets, Leominster MA

This Butler's Pantry Cabinet & Door was made to look like the adjacent Pantry!
Photo of a large transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Beach Bungalow

Ashby Collective

Expansive beach style single-wall eat-in kitchen in Houston with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Lake Butler

Ashley Martin Home

Photo of a large transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Orlando with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, yellow cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Los Altos Colonial

Henrybuilt Seattle

Inspiration for a large modern u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, wood benchtops, stone tile splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Modern Farmhouse | 2019 Dry Creek Parade

Solitude Homes

Design ideas for a large country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Boise with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Navy is a Neutral Ranch Remodel & Addition

KBG Design

Large beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Point Loma Residence

Hope Pinc Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional single-wall open plan kitchen in Denver with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Modern Apartment Upgrade in Cobble Hill

Crown Woodworking Corp

Small modern galley eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, white splashback, subway tile splashback, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Eunice Street

Eisenmann Architecture

Mark Compton
Mid-sized midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, with island, white benchtop, an undermount sink, white splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Bob-O-Link | 2018

Coats Homes

Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped separate kitchen in Dallas with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and solid surface benchtops.

Expansive Forest Green Kitchen

G. Christianson Construction, Inc.

A North Albany family contacted us wanting to expand, update, and open up their Kitchen to the Family Room. The floor plan of this home actually had plenty of space but it wasn’t being well-utilized, with angled walls in the pantry and a corner kitchen and island layout. By removing the double-sided fireplace and built-in bookcases closing off the Family Room, removing the closed-off bar area, and re-imagining the awkward walk-in pantry and kitchen layout, our Designer, Sarah envisioned an expansive Kitchen footprint that connected all the key areas and significantly increased the amount of available storage and countertop space, making this Kitchen the perfect entertaining environment! Replacing the cherry cabinetry, black granite countertops, and dark hardwood floors with white shaker upper cabinets, dark green lower cabinets, light-colored hardwood flooing, and a new lighting design completely transformed the space from dark and compartmentalized, to bright and open. This Kitchen is full of brilliant custom pieces and organization cabinets, including a HIDDEN walk-in pantry (which is the family’s favorite)!

Ponte Vedra Beach Kitchen and Bar Renovation

Woodsman Kitchens and Floors

Stunning kitchen with quarter-sawn white oak cabinetry and custom bench combined with polar white painted maple. The main top is an exotic marble and the expansive waterfall island features a durable and modern white quartz. Also boasts a gorgeous custom hood, light oak floors, fun fabrics, woven window coverings, designer lighting and hardware and a separate wet bar with a custom peach color and polar white uppers. Everything one could need for an active family living at the coast.

NICOLLET

Kate Roos Design LLC

A peak inside the hidden pantry
Design ideas for a large transitional single-wall open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, multiple islands, brown floor and white benchtop.

Moreland - Palmetto Bluff Low Country Transitional Home

Markalunas Architecture Group

Open, transitional kitchen, wide plank wood floor, custom wood island and cabinetry, integrated refrigeration, custom wood range hood, and slab wall.
Mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen in Charleston with an undermount sink, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and wood.

The Heart of the Home - In Scotts Valley

Lewis Design-Build-Remodel

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and wallpaper.

New Construction Hinsdale Home

SG Home Builders

Photo of a contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

White & Wood Kitchen Addition in Madison, NJ

Robinwood Kitchens

This kitchen renovation was part of a home addition project. White and cherry wood cabinetry from Massachusetts Design. Features include open corner shelving, a farmhouse sink, pantry cabinets, honey bronze hardware from Top Knobs and a JennAir Rise range.

Harrison Residence

Highland Builders LLC

The all white kitchen has a stunning contrast to its large walnut stained island bringing depth to the open concept main floor. Appliances used are Subzero and Wolf. A custom hood was designed for our clients, and perfectly balances the space. Cabinets are all inset flat panel with details of large drawers and open seedy glass at the top.

Kitchen with Light Hardwood Floors and White 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!