Expansive transitional galley open plan kitchen in Sydney with shaker cabinets, with island, beige splashback, stainless steel appliances, beige benchtop, stone slab splashback, an undermount sink, black cabinets, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Carson

Daniela Fulford Photography

Inspiration for a modern l-shaped kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Ivanhoe period home

YORCON

A 2018 completed project: a custom period architectural home in Ivanhoe in Melbourne's inner north/east.Exquisite detailing went into every part of this home- internally and externally! All the work from design to completion was done by our team!!!

Scissor House

Owen David Architecture

The kitchen sits under the low ceiling of the existing house and acts as a separation between living and dining. The benchtops and cupboards are made from solid plywood with white laminate veneer and exposed ply edges. The lower doors and draws feature cut-out handles, while the upper ones are touch-catch to maintain the clean modern aesthetic.

Gordon Park House

Shane Marsh Architects

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Brisbane with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, window splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and recessed.

Borenore Nashdale House Island Bench

Source Architects

The existing house was poorly planned after a many renovations. The entry to the house was through a verandah that had previously been enclosed and the cottage had multiple unconnected living spaces with pour natural light and connection to the beautiful established gardens. With some simple internal changes the renovation allowed removal of the enclosed verandah and have the entry realigned to the central part of the house. Existing living areas where repurposed as sleeping spaces and a new living wing established to house a master bedroom and ensuite upstairs. The new living wing gives you an immediate sense of balance and calm as soon as you walk into the double-height living area. The new wing area beautifully captures filtered light on the north and west, allowing views of the established garden on all sides to enter the interior spaces.

Kitchen with Bronzed Mirror Splashbacks

Nouvelle Kitchens & Bathrooms

This is an example of a small contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Sydney with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula and beige benchtop.

The Dunes

Renovation Angel Interior Design Noosa

VJ two pack kitchen featuring handmade spanish aged subway tiles. Miele appliances, integrated fridge, induction cooking. Designer handles, feature shelving for cookbooks and crockery. Distinctive pendant lighting, above an amazing breakfast bar feature in the hub of this home.

1840's Sweet Shoppe

Hi Tech Projects

Inspiration for a mid-sized country galley open plan kitchen in Brisbane with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances, light hardwood floors, brown floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Fairway Project

Dion Group Projects

This is an example of a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Sydney with turquoise cabinets, quartz benchtops, engineered quartz splashback, with island, white benchtop, a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white splashback, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Park Orchards

Direct Kitchens

Design ideas for a large transitional open plan kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Bathing Bliss

Smith & Sons Hornsby / Turramurra

Design ideas for a contemporary galley kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets, green splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Illawarra Road

Prime Design Tasmania Pty Ltd

Photo of a beach style u-shaped kitchen in Hobart with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Southbank Apartment

Jasmine McClelland Design

Fresh, clean, white apartment kitchen with living room in mirrored reflection.
Inspiration for a small contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Patching Residence

Dylan Barber Building Design

Large beach style galley open plan kitchen in Geelong with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Mosman

JPWK DESIGN

Contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Sydney with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, beige floor and white benchtop.

Periscope House

Mihaly Slocombe

Periscope House draws light into a young family’s home, adding thoughtful solutions and flexible spaces to 1950s Art Deco foundations. Our clients engaged us to undertake a considered extension to their character-rich home in Malvern East. They wanted to celebrate their home’s history while adapting it to the needs of their family, and future-proofing it for decades to come. The extension’s form meets with and continues the existing roofline, politely emerging at the rear of the house. The tones of the original white render and red brick are reflected in the extension, informing its white Colorbond exterior and selective pops of red throughout. Inside, the original home’s layout has been reimagined to better suit a growing family. Once closed-in formal dining and lounge rooms were converted into children’s bedrooms, supplementing the main bedroom and a versatile fourth room. Grouping these rooms together has created a subtle definition of zones: private spaces are nestled to the front, while the rear extension opens up to shared living areas. A tailored response to the site, the extension’s ground floor addresses the western back garden, and first floor (AKA the periscope) faces the northern sun. Sitting above the open plan living areas, the periscope is a mezzanine that nimbly sidesteps the harsh afternoon light synonymous with a western facing back yard. It features a solid wall to the west and a glass wall to the north, emulating the rotation of a periscope to draw gentle light into the extension. Beneath the mezzanine, the kitchen, dining, living and outdoor spaces effortlessly overlap. Also accessible via an informal back door for friends and family, this generous communal area provides our clients with the functionality, spatial cohesion and connection to the outdoors they were missing. Melding modern and heritage elements, Periscope House honours the history of our clients’ home while creating light-filled shared spaces – all through a periscopic lens that opens the home to the garden.

Contemporary Australian Cabin Kitchen

Element Design Studio

A modern Australian design with finishes that change over time. Connecting the bushland to the home with colour and texture.
This is an example of a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Perth with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, grey benchtop and vaulted.

Double Storey Extension - Ashgrove, Brisbane

Smith & Sons Renovations & Extensions Ashgrove

Photo of a contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Brisbane with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, window splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, beige floor and white benchtop.

Dual Occupancy: Brighton East townhouses

First Avenue Homes

Mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and grey benchtop.

Kitchen with Light Hardwood Floors 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!