we created a practical, L-shaped kitchen layout with an island bench integrated into the “golden triangle” that reduces steps between sink, stovetop and refrigerator for efficient use of space and ergonomics. Instead of a splashback, windows are slotted in between the kitchen benchtop and overhead cupboards to allow natural light to enter the generous kitchen space. Overhead cupboards have been stretched to ceiling height to maximise storage space. Timber screening was installed on the kitchen ceiling and wrapped down to form a bookshelf in the living area, then linked to the timber flooring. This creates a continuous flow and draws attention from the living area to establish an ambience of natural warmth, creating a minimalist and elegant kitchen. The island benchtop is covered with extra large format porcelain tiles in a 'Calacatta' profile which are have the look of marble but are scratch and stain resistant. The 'crisp white' finish applied on the overhead cupboards blends well into the 'natural oak' look over the lower cupboards to balance the neutral timber floor colour.

Tranquil & Timeless

Cindy Aplanalp & Chairma Design Group

Photo of a transitional l-shaped kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

The Stone Manor Parade of Homes 2020

The Cabinet Gallery

Inspiration for a traditional kitchen in Salt Lake City with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, white splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and black benchtop.

Sherwood Eclectic Farmhouse

Northland Design & Build

This is an example of a large country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, multiple islands and white benchtop.

open concept lake house

Interior Changes home design & consulting

This is a beautiful kitchen with personalized detailing. Everything from the inset stainless bands on the range hood to a full service galley sink were customized for the homeowner.

Memorial Transitional

Frankel Design Build

Photo of an expansive contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Houston with a drop-in sink, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Parkside

Hello Kitchen

Inspiration for a mid-sized scandinavian galley open plan kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and black benchtop.

Vestavia Lake Whole Home

Highland Design+Build

Mid-sized midcentury u-shaped separate kitchen in Birmingham with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

2018 Parade White/Oyster

Venuti Woodworking

Photo of a traditional kitchen in Salt Lake City with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured benchtop, exposed beam and recessed.

Fernie Modern Timberframe

Knight Custom Homes

This beautiful home is used regularly by our Calgary clients during the weekends in the resort town of Fernie, B.C. While the floor plan offered ample space to entertain and relax, the finishes needed updating desperately. The original kitchen felt too small for the space which features stunning vaults and timber frame beams. With a complete overhaul, the newly redesigned space now gives justice to the impressive architecture. A combination of rustic and industrial selections have given this home a brand new vibe, and now this modern cabin is a showstopper once again! Design: Susan DeRidder of Live Well Interiors Inc. Photography: Rebecca Frick Photography

Bayadere Newport Beach

William Guidero Planning and Design

Mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

DARIEN CT - Gold Standard

DEANE Inc | Distinctive Design & Cabinetry

Located in the highly sought-after Allwood neighborhood of Darien, this spec house is the fourth collaboration with a client who first began with a renovation of her own home. While architecturally it is a traditional home from the exterior, the interiors are more transitional in style. In order to compete in the speculative market, our client’s directive was clear – ‘differentiation the kitchen design from every other spec house’. So we incorporated painted cabinetry but highlighted with rift-cut white oak base cabinets. This contrast between these finishes influenced our decision to select a subtle white quartzite countertop to deliberately highlight the striking porcelain backsplash. The steel and glass partition frames the space – drawing the eye to the focal point of the kitchen, the custom stainless steel hood. Gold hardware adds a pop of flair to the space and warms the room. Walnut drawer inserts, stainless steel appliance garage, pull out trash drawers with compost bins and a stylish desk make this the Gold Standard of spec houses.

Two-Tone Kitchen in Rollingwood, TX

Paper Moon Painting

We painted the upper cabinets in Benjamin Moore's "Stonington Gray", and the lowers in Benjamin Moore "Hale Navy", in this updated kitchen in Rollingwood, TX.

Encinitas, CA

Mark Stocker Design, Inc.

Inspiration for a transitional u-shaped kitchen in San Diego with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Стилизация квартиры в ЖК Рассказово

Рожкова Полина

Photo of a scandinavian l-shaped kitchen in Moscow with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and brown benchtop.

Coyote Creek

KAM Designs

Inspiration for a country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Jackson with quartzite benchtops, beige splashback, stone slab splashback, light hardwood floors, with island and beige benchtop.

Mid-Century Modern

Reynolds Design and Remodeling

Photo of a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Coffee Bar

Built by YOU

We updated this kitchen by removing a wall and creating an open floor concept! A loose, stacked stone display makes for a unique island feature. Two sliding barn doors tuck away the pantry beautifully as a custom built coffee bar shines on the opposite wall. We can update your old outdated kitchen, create an entire new space, create an open concept, or whatever you can imagine and create in your Houzz Ideabook!

Søndermarksvej

Nicolaj Bo™

Inspiration for a mid-sized scandinavian galley open plan kitchen in Copenhagen with black cabinets, marble benchtops, with island, flat-panel cabinets, grey splashback, light hardwood floors and grey floor.

Circuit Ave

the Design Studio, LLC

Adding a window wall facing onto the water view open the space
Expansive beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and green benchtop.

All Islands 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!