The decision to remodel your kitchen isn't one to take lightly. But, if you really don't enjoy spending time there, it may be time for a change. That was the situation facing the owners of this remodeled kitchen, says interior designer Vernon Applegate. "The old kitchen was dismal," he says. "It was small, cramped and outdated, with low ceilings and a style that reminded me of the early ‘80s." It was also some way from what the owners – a young couple – wanted. They were looking for a contemporary open-plan kitchen and family room where they could entertain guests and, in the future, keep an eye on their children. Two sinks, dishwashers and refrigerators were on their wish list, along with storage space for appliances and other equipment. Applegate's first task was to open up and increase the space by demolishing some walls and raising the height of the ceiling. "The house sits on a steep ravine. The original architect's plans for the house were missing, so we needed to be sure which walls were structural and which were decorative," he says. With the walls removed and the ceiling height increased by 18 inches, the new kitchen is now three times the size of the original galley kitchen. The main work area runs along the back of the kitchen, with an island providing additional workspace and a place for guests to linger. A color palette of dark blues and reds was chosen for the walls and backsplashes. Black was used for the kitchen island top and back. "Blue provides a sense of intimacy, and creates a contrast with the bright living and dining areas, which have lots of natural light coming through their large windows," he says. "Blue also works as a restful backdrop for anyone watching the large screen television in the kitchen." A mottled red backsplash adds to the intimate tone and makes the walls seem to pop out, especially around the range hood, says Applegate. From the family room, the black of the kitchen island provides a visual break between the two spaces. "I wanted to avoid people's eyes going straight to the cabinetry, so I extended the black countertop down to the back of the island to form a negative space and divide the two areas," he says. "The kitchen is now the axis of the whole public space in the house. From there you can see the dining room, living room and family room, as well as views of the hills and the water beyond." Cabinets : Custom rift sawn white oak, cerused dyed glaze Countertops : Absolute black granite, polished Flooring : Oak/driftwood grey from Gammapar Bar stools : Techno with arms, walnut color Lighting : Policelli Backsplash : Red dragon marble Sink : Stainless undermountby Blanco Faucets : Grohe Hot water system : InSinkErator Oven : Jade Cooktop : Independent Hoods, custom Microwave : GE Monogram Refrigerator : Jade Dishwasher : Miele, Touchtronic anniversary Limited Edition

Salt Lake Mid Mod

cityhomeCOLLECTIVE

Fully custom kitchen remodel with red marble countertops, red Fireclay tile backsplash, white Fisher + Paykel appliances, and a custom wrapped brass vent hood. Pendant lights by Anna Karlin, styling and design by cityhomeCOLLECTIVE

Tallichet Residence

Intexure Architects

This is an example of a modern l-shaped kitchen in Houston with panelled appliances, red splashback, light wood cabinets, flat-panel cabinets and a double-bowl sink.

Asian Modern

About Space Studios

Photo Credit: Charles Chesnut
Photo of a contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with stainless steel appliances, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, red splashback, with island, black benchtop, an undermount sink, porcelain floors, grey floor, granite benchtops and ceramic splashback.

Maison BVD

Olivier Chabaud Architecte - Paris & Luberon

Photo of a contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, red splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Garfield Project

Kitchen Designs by Decor

designed by: Greg Palmer and Corina Penner photo by: Alex Wexler
Photo of a small contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Other with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, red splashback, stainless steel appliances, cork floors and a peninsula.

SE Portland Kitchen & Bath Remodel

Interiors by Blackwood

Design ideas for a mid-sized eclectic u-shaped separate kitchen in Portland with red splashback, stainless steel appliances, cork floors, a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, porcelain splashback, a peninsula and beige floor.

Noosa Apartment Fitout

nielsen workshop

Alicia Taylor Photography
Small scandinavian galley separate kitchen in Sunshine Coast with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, red splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, marble floors and no island.

Kitchen

Camber Construction

Contemporary kitchen in San Francisco with glass-front cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, red splashback and glass sheet splashback.

1900's Farmhouse Renovation

Black Oak Construction, LLC

Interior renovations incorporated with exterior and addition. Note that the homeowner opted to live in the house throughout the entire renovation! Cabinet refinish, new gas cooktop, relocation of existing cooktop ventilation, new prep island

kitchen

gne architecture

Kitchen, orange glass tiles, oak cabinets, marble counter
This is an example of a small modern l-shaped kitchen in New York with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, red splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Graeagle

Saint Pierre

saintpierre.co
Design ideas for a large country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with a drop-in sink, beaded inset cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, red splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Heatherwood

RMS Architecture

Robert M. Seel, AIA
Small eclectic l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, red splashback, glass tile splashback, black appliances, laminate floors and with island.

Williams

The Cousins

This outdated kitchen not only got a facelift with top-of-the-line appliances, but the space was also doubled by blowing out the outside wall and installing a glass garage door that can be left closed for privacy and opened for entertaining or simply to enjoy the weather. Indoors, a red tile backsplash pops off cabinetry made to look like cork, while clean, contemporary lines round out this minimalist space. Photo by Chris Amaral.

Kitchen Transformation

D M C / D Maahs Construction, LLC

Textured melamine combined with stainless steel accents, quartz counter tops, clay tile, LED lighting in a southwestern setting. Island lighting reused wrought iron plated to brushed nickel with matching textured melamine. Backsplash tile from Statements in Tile and Lighting, Santa Fe, NM Contemporary meets Santa Fe Style. Photo: Douglas Maahs

Ash Live Edge Kitchen Island

RE-CO BKLYN

These Park Slope based Ash slabs were originally from Suffern, NY where they got evicted for blocking the sun from shining on a solar panel cladded rooftop. Luckily, we were able to find them a new home where they would be appreciated. This American White Ash island countertop is sportin' a healthy dose of clear epoxy, White Oak bowties and live edge for days as a great contrast to its modern surroundings.

Farmhouse Kitchen

www.WoodstockKitchens.com

Design ideas for a small country l-shaped separate kitchen in Burlington with no island, an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, tile benchtops, red splashback, terra-cotta splashback, coloured appliances, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Hyper K, Inc

User

Design ideas for a mid-sized country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with laminate benchtops, red splashback, with island, a double-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Maison BVD

Olivier Chabaud Architecte - Paris & Luberon

Design ideas for a contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, red splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, beige floor, grey benchtop and light wood cabinets.

Ramble Modern

Wright Family Custom Homes

Design ideas for a large modern single-wall open plan kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, red splashback, matchstick tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Kitchen with Light Wood Cabinets and Red Splashback 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!