Photo of a large country single-wall eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, multiple islands, beige floor and light wood cabinets.

Open Shelving Kitchen

Kraft Custom Construction

For this kitchen and bathroom remodel, our goal was to maintain the historic integrity of the home by providing a traditional design, while also fulfilling the homeowner’s need for a more open and spacious environment. We gutted the entire kitchen and bathroom and removed an interior wall that bisected the kitchen. This provided more flow and connection between the living spaces. The open design and layout of the kitchen cabinets provided a more expansive feel in the kitchen where the whole family could gather without overcrowding. In addition to the kitchen remodel, we replaced the electrical service, redid most of the plumbing and rerouted the furnace ducts for better efficiency. In the bathroom, we installed a historically accurate sink, vanity, and tile. We refinished the hardwood floors throughout the home as well as rebuilt the front porch staircase, and updated the backdoor and window configuration to reflect the era of the home.

Silver Leaf Family Dwelling

Kim Scodro Interiors

Design ideas for a large mediterranean l-shaped open plan kitchen in Chicago with raised-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, multiple islands, a farmhouse sink, marble benchtops, porcelain splashback and brown floor.

Collins

Florida Designer Cabinetry

Small contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Miami with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, glass sheet splashback, concrete floors, with island, panelled appliances and grey floor.

Country French Renovation

Philip Petrino Interior Design

This is an example of a large country galley open plan kitchen in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback and with island.

Pennycook

Leicht UK

A bright open kitchen and diner, with integrated kitchen table and island. This range from Leicht was installed in this family home, utilising the smooth handleless CERES and ORLANDO units, and drawing attention to the Alaska white compac worktops, and stone oak units.

Shooting Star Residence

CLB Architects

Matthew Millman
Design ideas for a modern eat-in kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Wayzata Modern

John Kraemer & Sons

Bridger Foothills Residence

Studio Architects

Mid-sized country u-shaped separate kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances and multiple islands.

A Light Grace

Orion Design, Inc.

Bob Greenspan http://www.bobgreenspan.com/
Transitional kitchen in Kansas City with marble benchtops, a farmhouse sink, light wood cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Aspen Vacation Residence

Carole Post Interior Design

Custom Contemporary Kitchen Featuring white marble counters, back splash wall and an over sized Island to accommodate seating for 8. Open shelf upper cabinets with lower cabinets on touch latch hinges

Ridgemont Residence

Hsu McCullough

Kitchen with Living Room at right (beyond). "Metropolitan" Chair by B&B Italia, Pace International cocktail table. Photo by Clark Dugger. Furnishings by Susan Deneau Interior Design

Coastal Remodel

South Trace Interiors

This was a total remodel! We took this home down to the studs and gave it a fresh look with creamy marble floors, light wood cabinets and custom pecky cypress wrapped beams and columns.

Contemporary Estate on Mulholland Drive

Racing Green

Photo of an expansive contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Los Angeles with a double-bowl sink, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops and with island.

Winnipesaukee

Bloom Architecture

The minimalist kitchen occupies a corner of the open living space, adjacent to both dining area and screened porch.
Large country u-shaped open plan kitchen in Manchester with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Classic With a New Angle

Studio Dearborn

This expansive Victorian had tremendous historic charm but hadn’t seen a kitchen renovation since the 1950s. The homeowners wanted to take advantage of their views of the backyard and raised the roof and pushed the kitchen into the back of the house, where expansive windows could allow southern light into the kitchen all day. A warm historic gray/beige was chosen for the cabinetry, which was contrasted with character oak cabinetry on the appliance wall and bar in a modern chevron detail. Kitchen Design: Sarah Robertson, Studio Dearborn Architect: Ned Stoll, Interior finishes Tami Wassong Interiors

Installation for Dynamic Cabinets (Bismarck, ND)

Fabricators Unlimited

Countertop Material: Solid Surface Brand: Corian, Wilsonart Color: Cocoa Prima, Natural Gray, Moon Geyser Installation for: Dynamic Cabinets (Bismarck, ND)

House renovation Camden

Go Smartbuild Ltd

Design ideas for a contemporary galley open plan kitchen in London with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, concrete floors, with island and grey floor.

Sparkling White Kitchen

Sapphire Pear

Large contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Cleveland with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, laminate floors and with island.

Berkeley Craftsman Kitchen Reface

Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins, Inc.

Francis Combes
Photo of a mid-sized arts and crafts galley separate kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and a peninsula.

Kitchen with Light Wood Cabinets and Marble Benchtops 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!