Photo of a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Perth with an integrated sink, white cabinets, limestone benchtops, white splashback, cement tile splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Mt Macedon

Lume Architecture

Inspiration for a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Melbourne with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Kitchen Remodeling in Washington, D.C

Reno Maryland

Large eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, with island, white benchtop, granite splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and brown floor.

Watersound

Design and Dwell Homes LLC

Photo of a mid-sized beach style eat-in kitchen in Miami with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, quartzite benchtops, stone tile splashback and light hardwood floors.

Modern Spanish Courtyard on the Lake

Wyrick Residential Design

Photo of a large modern u-shaped open plan kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Tea Fire Residence

Neumann Mendro Andrulaitis Architects LLP

Jim Bartsch
Photo of a large traditional l-shaped kitchen in Santa Barbara with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white splashback, panelled appliances, with island, light hardwood floors and black benchtop.

Seattle Contemporary Waterfront

H2 View

Open format kitchen includes gorgeous custom cabinets, a large underlit island with an induction cooktop and waterfall countertops. Full height slab backsplash and paneled appliances complete the sophisticated design.

Modern Montecito, Danville, CA

Lauren Evans Interiors, LLC

This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Koren's Kitchen

Creation 7

Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Home in Hampton Lake

Coastal Signature Homes

This open kitchen, making the best use of space, features a wet bar combo coffee nook with a wine cooler and a Miele Built In Coffee machine. Nice!
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional eat-in kitchen in Charleston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Provo Charm

Hebdon Studios

Traditional meets modern in this charming two story tudor home. A spacious floor plan with an emphasis on natural light allows for incredible views from inside the home.

Classic Traditional

Distinctive Drywall & Painting

This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, light wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Westlake Contemporary New Construction

Laura Burton Interiors

An Indoor Lady
Expansive contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Austin with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Kitchen

Beth Howley Creative LLC

Beach style l-shaped kitchen in Grand Rapids with light wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Modern Living in Downtown Birmingham

Stalburg Design

This stylish, family friendly kitchen is also an entertainer’s dream! This young family desired a bright, spacious kitchen that would function just as well for the family of 4 everyday, as it would for hosting large events (in a non-covid world). Apart from these programmatic goals, our aesthetic goal was to accommodate all the function and mess into the design so everything would be neatly hidden away behind beautiful cabinetry and panels. The navy, bifold buffet area serves as an everyday breakfast and coffee bar, and transforms into a beautiful buffet spread during parties (we’ve been there!). The fridge drawers are great for housing milk and everyday items during the week, and both kid and adult beverages during parties while keeping the guests out of the main cooking zone. Just around the corner you’ll find the high gloss navy bar offering additional beverages, ice machine, and barware storage – cheers! Super durable quartz with a marbled look keeps the kitchen looking neat and bright, while withstanding everyday wear and tear without a problem. The practical waterfall ends at the island offer additional damage control in bringing that hard surface all the way down to the beautiful white oak floors. Underneath three large window walls, a built-in banquette and custom table provide a comfortable, intimate dining nook for the family and a few guests while the stunning chandelier ties in nicely with the other brass accents in the kitchen. The thin black window mullions offer a sharp, clean contrast to the crisp white walls and coordinate well with the dark banquette. Thin, tall windows on either side of the range beautifully frame the stunningly simple, double curvature custom hood, and large windows in the bar/butler’s pantry allow additional light to really flood the space and keep and airy feel. The textured wallpaper in the bar area adds a touch of warmth, drama and interest while still keeping things simple.

Boulder Remodel Home: Approachable Elegance

Factor Design Build

The kitchen features modern appliances with light wood finishes for a Belgian farmhouse aesthetic. The space is clean, large, and tidy with black fixture elements to add bold design,

Sullivan's Island Remodel

St. Pierre Construction

Open concept kitchen featuring light white oak flooring, dark custom cabinetry, panel ready column appliances, white marble full height backsplash, decorative lighting and black granite countertops.

Parkmeadow

Clearcut Construction, Inc.

This beautiful eclectic kitchen brings together the class and simplistic feel of mid century modern with the comfort and natural elements of the farmhouse style. The white cabinets, tile and countertops make the perfect backdrop for the pops of color from the beams, brass hardware and black metal fixtures and cabinet frames.

Bow Mar Ranch Remodel

KGA Studio Architects, PC

Transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Denver with panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and timber.

Oakdale | Greater Seattle Area

JayMarc Homes

This open-concept kitchen features light wooden flooring and is adorned with elegant white and gray cabinets. The Oakdale exhibits a sliding glass door that leads from the kitchen to an outdoor patio, creating a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor living spaces. Additionally, it boasts a convenient side entrance leading to the prep kitchen, providing more space for culinary activities. The kitchen's centerpiece is a spacious breakfast bar, a versatile hub for casual dining and social gatherings. Large windows allow natural light to flood the space, creating an airy and inviting atmosphere. With its harmonious blend of functionality and aesthetics, the Oakdale fosters a warm and welcoming environment for all.

Kitchen with Light Hardwood Floors and with Island 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!