This is an example of a contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, black floor and grey benchtop.

Modern Heritage Home, Toronto ON

avenue design inc

Mid-sized contemporary galley kitchen in Toronto with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, no island, black floor and black benchtop.

Clean Mountain Classic

Aspen White Star, LLC

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Denver with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula, white benchtop, dark hardwood floors and black floor.

Merillat Kitchens

OC Cluss Lumber

Photo of a large arts and crafts l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island and black floor.

Sugar Bush House

Bluetime Collaborative

kitchen in the Sugar Bush House. Richlite counters, cabinets made with plywood by a local craftsman, maple floors, a Rais woodstove.
Photo of a small modern galley open plan kitchen in Boston with light wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, slate floors, black floor and black benchtop.

A Modern Kitchen for a Retreat in the Woods

Amazing Spaces

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

Küche aus Weißtanne + Beton

WERKHAUS

Loftiger Beton ist hier die Basis in der Küche. Der elegant schwarze Sichtbeton geht Ton in Ton mit der zentralen Kücheninsel aus gegossenem Beton und bildet den Kontrast zur lebendigen Weißtanne. Die durchgängige Maserung der furnierten Schränke läuft, wie in der Natur gewachsen, über die ganze Fläche von Kopf bis Fuß. Ganz harmonisch wird hier Kochen, Essen und Gemeinschaft in einen wertvollen Einklang gebracht.

Fletcher Court

Brian David Roberts | Interior Planning & Design

Design ideas for a large contemporary l-shaped separate kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, grey splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, black floor and white benchtop.

Mid-Century Modern Remodel

GMI Design Group

This 1950's home was chopped up with the segmented rooms of the period. The front of the house had two living spaces, separated by a wall with a door opening, and the long-skinny hearth area was difficult to arrange. The kitchen had been remodeled at some point, but was still dated. The homeowners wanted more space, more light, and more MODERN. So we delivered. We knocked out the walls and added a beam to open up the three spaces. Luxury vinyl tile in a warm, matte black set the base for the space, with light grey walls and a mid-grey ceiling. The fireplace was totally revamped and clad in cut-face black stone. Cabinetry and built-ins in clear-coated maple add the mid-century vibe, as does the furnishings. And the geometric backsplash was the starting inspiration for everything. We'll let you just peruse the photos, with before photos at the end, to see just how dramatic the results were!

Transitional Family Home

Interiors by Design

Photo of a large transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, panelled appliances, porcelain floors, with island, black floor and white benchtop.

Hollywood Actor's Off Grid Tiny Home

Tru Form Tiny

Designed by Malia Schultheis and built by Tru Form Tiny. This Tiny Home features Blue stained pine for the ceiling, pine wall boards in white, custom barn door, custom steel work throughout, and modern minimalist window trim. The Cabinetry is Maple with stainless steel countertop and hardware. The backsplash is a glass and stone mix. It only has a 2 burner cook top and no oven. The washer/ drier combo is in the kitchen area. Open shelving was installed to maintain an open feel.

Red Sunset Custom Build -

CopeGrand Homes

Large transitional l-shaped kitchen in Charleston with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, with island, black floor and white benchtop.

KITCHEN

Sudaiva Studio

A galley kitchen with a dual tone blue and beige combination features a letter box window opening to the kitchen garden.
Design ideas for an asian galley separate kitchen in Bengaluru with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, white appliances, black floor, black benchtop and multiple islands.

Modern Scandinavian Kitchen Design

Mi-Kin Creations, Inc.

Island view of soft close full pull out drawers in the island. Upper cabinets are flat front natural birch, the lower cabinets are painted with Mark Twains Gray, from Valspar paints. Cory Locatelli Photography

Professor's Row Renovation

aamodt / plumb architects

Custom bookshelf in kitchen. Photo: Jane Messinger
Modern kitchen in Boston with open cabinets, light wood cabinets, black floor and slate floors.

90 8th Ave

Richard Massa Architect

Small transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, no island, black floor and grey benchtop.

Pinnacle Road

Bernardo Pozas Residential Design

This is an example of a contemporary eat-in kitchen in Austin with flat-panel cabinets, with island, an undermount sink, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, black floor, white benchtop and light wood cabinets.

Our Work

Prestige Kitchen & Bath

Photo of a large country u-shaped kitchen in Orlando with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, green splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and black floor.

Blue River Peaks

TKP Architects

Winner: Platinum Award for Best in America Living Awards 2023. Atop a mountain peak, nearly two miles above sea level, sits a pair of non-identical, yet related, twins. Inspired by intersecting jagged peaks, these unique homes feature soft dark colors, rich textural exterior stone, and patinaed Shou SugiBan siding, allowing them to integrate quietly into the surrounding landscape, and to visually complete the natural ridgeline. Despite their smaller size, these homes are richly appointed with amazing, organically inspired contemporary details that work to seamlessly blend their interior and exterior living spaces. The simple, yet elegant interior palette includes slate floors, T&G ash ceilings and walls, ribbed glass handrails, and stone or oxidized metal fireplace surrounds.

Rörstrandsgatan

Stylingbolaget

Mid-sized scandinavian l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Stockholm with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, no island, black benchtop, an undermount sink, white splashback, black appliances and black floor.

Kitchen with Light Wood Cabinets and Black Floor 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!