Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped separate kitchen in Portland with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, beige floor and white benchtop.

Garden House

ANX / Aaron Neubert Architects

Photo of a mid-sized modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, pink splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Wyndham Beach House

Sky Architect Studio

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.

Double Void House

Kitty Lee Architecture

This is an example of a large modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sydney with light wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop, flat-panel cabinets and beige floor.

East Aspen Custom

CUE Architecture

This is an example of a mid-sized country single-wall open plan kitchen in Salt Lake City with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Whole House Design

United Signature

Contemporary galley kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, beige splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

28th St New Build

Noz Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Bayadere Newport Beach

William Guidero Planning and Design

Design ideas for a 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.

30 Park Place

Bilotta Kitchen & Home

THIRTY PARK PLACE - WHERE VIEWS KISS THE SKY 82 FLOORS, 157 LUXURY RESIDENCES FEATURING BILOTTA COLLECTION KITCHENS & PANTRIES SWEEPING VIEWS OF NEW YORK CITY & BEYOND ALL PERCHED ABOVE AND SERVICED BY FOUR SEASONS HOTEL, NEW YORK, DOWNTOWN In a collaboration with Silverstein Properties, Tishman Construction, Robert A. M. Stern and SLCE Architects, Bilotta supplied 157 kitchens and pantries over 82 floors in the legendary Four Seasons’ downtown New York location. Custom “Bilotta Collection” cabinetry in richly-grained quarter-sawn white oak with a custom pearlescent top coat was chosen for these luxurious light-filled residences with sweeping views of the city. Perched atop the Four Seasons, homeowners enjoy an opulent five-star lifestyle, with access to all the hotel’s conveniences and services, as well as its dining and entertainment options, literally at their doorstep.

Minecraft House

Board & Vellum

Photo by Tina Witherspoon.
Large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Heights Road

JK interior living

Large transitional l-shaped separate kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Cliffs at Walnut Cove

Atwood: Fine Architectural Cabinetry

This one of a kind contemporary kitchen is the heart and hub of this mountain home. Bringing the outdoors in, the distinction between nature and nurture is blurred. Stained Anigre wood cabinetry provides the backdrop to a large entertaining island. This well balanced perimeter cabinetry also camouflages refrigeration on the right and a walk-in pantry door on the left. Countertops are Cristal Quartzite from India, Backsplash is Vetro Glass Tiles in Midnight Gray, Light is "Chaos" by Modern Forms.

Grayhawk - Modern Farmhouse

Kitchens by Good Guys

At our Modern Farmhouse project, we completely remodeled the entire home and modified the kitchens existing layout allowing this new layout to take shape. We have the custom 1/4 Sawn Oak island with marble quartz 2 1/2" mitered countertops. To add a pop of color, the entire home is accented in beautiful black hardware. In the 12' island, we have a farmhouse sink, pull out trash and drawers for storage. We did custom end panels on the sides, and wrapped the entire island in furniture base to really make it look like a furniture piece. On the range wall, we have a drywall hood that really continues to add texture to the style. We have custom uppers that go all the way to the counter, with lift up appliance garages for small appliances. All the perimeter cabinetry is in swiss coffee with black honed granite counters.

High Summit Drive

Jessica Koltun Home

Coastal contemporary finishes and furniture designed by Interior Designer and Realtor Jessica Koltun in Dallas, TX. #designingdreams
Mid-sized beach style l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Dallas with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Classic Traditional

Distinctive Drywall & Painting

This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, light wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Old Toccoa Farms

Mountain Lakes Cabinetry

Beautiful cozy cabin in Blue Ridge Georgia. Cabinetry: Rustic Maple wood with Silas stain and a nickle glaze, Full overlay raised panel doors with slab drawer fronts. Countertops are quartz. Beautiful ceiling details!! Wine bar features lovely floating shelves and a great wine bottle storage area.

Contemporary Kitchen Design Ideas

Everingham Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped separate kitchen in Columbus with an undermount sink, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, marble splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, brown floor, white benchtop and flat-panel cabinets.

Irving | Cottonwood Valley | Kitchen

Kitchen Design Concepts

These clients had recently moved to Texas and really needed to remodel a few spaces in the home - the kitchen was number 1 priority! Wanting a clean and modern update, while keeping the room warm and inviting, we think we hit the mark. Cabinets are from Ultracraft. The perimeter is their Metropolis Door in Melamine - Silver Elm vertical grain. The island we contrasted with the Acrilux II Lux door in Pure White (gloss). Cabinet hardware from from Atlas Homewares, the IT pull in brushed nickel. Counters we were able to pull two different materials together. The perimeter counter material was Pure White from Caesarstone - very simple. Brought in some pattern with Quartzmaster Calcutta Borghini on the backsplash, and on the island. The mitered waterfall edge gives it an extra "oomph" that we just love. For fixtures, we kept things fairly simple. A Blanco super single bowl sink, and California Faucets Corsano Pull down at the island. We paired with a matching soap dispenser and air switch. The appliances were also important, so we took some time mixing and matching what was needed and what worked well within the budget. From Wolf we have a gas cooktop, Double oven and Microwave. We opted for a Best Vent Hood and blower, Electrolux Refrigerator ad Bosch Dishwasher to round out the selections.

Sunnyvale Open Concept Kitchen Remodel

Baron Construction and Remodeling

Baron Construction & Remodeling Kitchen Remodel & Design
Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Cambridge Renovation

studiohw | Heather Weiss

photos by Eric Roth
Design ideas for a midcentury u-shaped kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, grey floor, white benchtop and no island.

Kitchen with Light Wood Cabinets and White Benchtop 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!