My Houzz: Creative Moves Turn a Toronto Basement Into a Stylish Rental

Photo: Andrew Snow Photography © 2013 Houzz Design: Creative Union Network
Contemporary kitchen in Toronto with concrete benchtops and white appliances.

Mom's Desk in Kitchen

Great Rooms Building Group

Photo by Linda Oyama-Bryan
Photo of a mid-sized traditional l-shaped separate kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Bar Area

KannCept Design, Inc.

Inspiration for a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Chicago with stainless steel appliances, dark wood cabinets, a double-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, concrete benchtops, grey splashback, brick splashback, light hardwood floors and no island.

Diva

PLACE architect ltd.

Design ideas for an industrial eat-in kitchen in Seattle with stainless steel appliances, a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, medium wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback and subway tile splashback.

Winchester Kitchen

Venegas and Company

Photo of a contemporary kitchen in Boston with stainless steel appliances, concrete benchtops, an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback and mosaic tile splashback.

Kitchen Family Fare

Jane Ellison

Kitchen-Family Fare Kitchen features 10’ ceilings, limestone counters, and a cutting/work surface of African bubinga wood. The Venetian plaster range hood, simple cabinets and floating shelves evoke an Earthy English cottage. The easy-care “green” floor is renewable cork covered with polyurethane. “We need more green awareness. If it’s a product that holds up in my house, I feel comfortable recommending it to clients,” she says.

Oh Hey O'Hill

Morrison Interiors

This is an example of a large mediterranean u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Orange County with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, limestone benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, travertine floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

NoMad Apartment Renovation (Apartment combination)

Eric Soltan Architectural & Interiors Photography

Photo credit: Eric Soltan - www.ericsoltan.com
Design ideas for a large contemporary kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, concrete benchtops, grey splashback, cement tile splashback, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Aspen Bungalow

Zone 4 Architects, LLC

Remodel conversion of an early eighties home into a bungalow or arts & crafts style residence.
Inspiration for a mid-sized arts and crafts galley eat-in kitchen in Denver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, concrete benchtops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Winchester Kitchen

Venegas and Company

This is an example of a contemporary kitchen in Boston with stainless steel appliances, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, concrete benchtops and white splashback.

Navarin

Fabienne Stevens Hausmann

Design ideas for a large transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, medium wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, grey splashback, panelled appliances, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Küchenblock Bateig Azul

Steinmanufaktur Gross GmbH

Naturstein hat eine besondere Wirkung, wenn er eine gewisse, massive Stärke zeigt. Auch bei Küchenarbeitsplatten ist dies möglich. Ist es technisch nicht möglich, massive Stücke einzubauen, kann die massive Optik durch Verkleben dünnerer Platten erreicht werden. Hier wurde die Wirkung des Blocks noch durch den flächenbündigen Einsatz von Spüle, Kochfeld und Steckdoseneinsatz unterstützt. Das Material Bateig Azul, einen spanischen Kalksandstein, könnte man fast für Beton halten, wenn nicht die fein geschliffene Oberfläche diesen speziellen warme Sandstein-Touch hätte.

Duplex familial rénové aux dernières tendances - Projet Saint-Ouen

Mon Concept Habitation

Ce duplex de 100m² en région parisienne a fait l’objet d’une rénovation partielle par nos équipes ! L’objectif était de rendre l’appartement à la fois lumineux et convivial avec quelques touches de couleur pour donner du dynamisme. Nous avons commencé par poncer le parquet avant de le repeindre, ainsi que les murs, en blanc franc pour réfléchir la lumière. Le vieil escalier a été remplacé par ce nouveau modèle en acier noir sur mesure qui contraste et apporte du caractère à la pièce. Nous avons entièrement refait la cuisine qui se pare maintenant de belles façades en bois clair qui rappellent la salle à manger. Un sol en béton ciré, ainsi que la crédence et le plan de travail ont été posés par nos équipes, qui donnent un côté loft, que l’on retrouve avec la grande hauteur sous-plafond et la mezzanine. Enfin dans le salon, de petits rangements sur mesure ont été créé, et la décoration colorée donne du peps à l’ensemble.

Küchenarbeitsplatte mit Beton Ciré

Heinemann Homestaging & Redesign

Photo of a large modern kitchen in Essen with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

W Penthouse 1

Mend Services

Expansive contemporary single-wall kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, concrete benchtops, light hardwood floors, with island and grey benchtop.

Tucker Court

Seif Designs

This modern kitchen features a large center island and an open concept design. The wall cabinets have slab doors with integrated touch latch. The counter is textured porcelain stone and the backsplash is milk porcelain tile. The knee wall and side panels have a high end linin textured laminate from Westin Wood Premium. You'll also find an undermount sink, high arch faucet, and a concealed fridge and dishwasher.

Industrial Kitchen Design Ideas

Everingham Design

Photo of a large industrial u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Columbus with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Ultra-Modern Kitchen behind a restored Victorian Facade (Melbourne)

Elite Custom Homes

Modern galley eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, dark wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, light hardwood floors and with island.

ディテールが際立つクリーンなアメリカンリノベ

SCHOOL BUS OSAKA｜スクールバス空間設計

This is an example of a contemporary galley kitchen in Osaka with concrete benchtops, white splashback, black appliances, glass-front cabinets, medium wood cabinets, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and white benchtop.

Bloomer Rustic

Lampert Lumber

Mid-sized country single-wall open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Kitchen with Limestone Benchtops and Concrete 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!