Karli Moore Photography - Kitchen expanded into an adjoining hall way, so refrigerator wall movement of approximately 4' allowed the inclusion of a center island with special features of seating and cook book storage. The cabinet just beyond the double oven serves as a hidden dropping zone, as well as, broom storage. Floor to ceiling cherry cabinets compliment the red oak character grade flooring by allowing the darker floor grain coloration to match the cabinet stain itself. Cabinetry accessories abound to create function to this expanded beauty.

Saint Paul Craftsman

David Heide Design Studio

Architecture & Interior Design: David Heide Design Studio Photography: William Wright
This is an example of an arts and crafts l-shaped kitchen in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and grey splashback.

The Kitchen at Wood River Valley Chalet

Miller-Roodell Architects Ltd

Coming from Minnesota this couple already had an appreciation for a woodland retreat. Wanting to lay some roots in Sun Valley, Idaho, guided the incorporation of historic hewn, stone and stucco into this cozy home among a stand of aspens with its eye on the skiing and hiking of the surrounding mountains. Miller Architects, PC

Cambridge Luxury Loft

DANE AUSTIN INTERIOR DESIGN Boston & Cambridge

Our Cambridge interior design studio gave a warm and welcoming feel to this converted loft featuring exposed-brick walls and wood ceilings and beams. Comfortable yet stylish furniture, metal accents, printed wallpaper, and an array of colorful rugs add a sumptuous, masculine vibe. --- Project designed by Boston interior design studio Dane Austin Design. They serve Boston, Cambridge, Hingham, Cohasset, Newton, Weston, Lexington, Concord, Dover, Andover, Gloucester, as well as surrounding areas. For more about Dane Austin Design, see here: https://daneaustindesign.com/ To learn more about this project, see here: https://daneaustindesign.com/luxury-loft

Crow Fair Ranch Remodel

Laughlin Homes & Restoration Inc

Kitchen after
U-shaped open plan kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, beige benchtop, vaulted and wood.

Tetherow Lodge

Tebbs Design Group

Inspiration for a country eat-in kitchen in Other with recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and beige benchtop.

Lake House

Arcanum Architecture

Paul Dyer Photo
Country l-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and beige benchtop.

PB Kitchen Design Showroom - Geneva, IL

PB Kitchen Design

appliance garage with retractable doors
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped separate kitchen in Chicago with flat-panel cabinets, quartz benchtops, porcelain splashback, with island, grey benchtop, an undermount sink, medium wood cabinets, metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Glen Park Remodel

McElroy Architecture, AIA

photo by Melissa Kaseman
Inspiration for a large contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, with island, stainless steel appliances and dark hardwood floors.

Elegant Modern

Johnston Home Interior Design

Sleek and modern kitchen with rift oak cabinets and marble waterfall counter photo: David Duncan Livingston
Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and medium wood cabinets.

The Hideaway

Veritas Fine Homes Inc

Photos credited to Imagesmith- Scott Smith Entertain with an open and functional kitchen/ dining room. The structural Douglas Fir post and ceiling beams set the tone along with the stain matched 2x6 pine tongue and groove ceiling –this also serves as the finished floor surface at the loft above. Dreaming a cozy feel at the kitchen/dining area a darker stain was used to visual provide a shorter ceiling height to a 9’ plate line. The knotty Alder floating shelves and wall cabinetry share their own natural finish with a chocolate glazing. The island cabinet was of painted maple with a chocolate glaze as well, this unit wanted to look like a piece of furniture that was brought into the ‘cabin’ rather than built-in, again with a value minded approach. The flooring is a pre-finished engineered ½” Oak flooring, and again with the darker shade we wanted to emotionally deliver the cozier feel for the space. Additionally, lighting is essential to a cook’s –and kitchen’s- performance. We needed there to be ample lighting but only wanted to draw attention to the pendants above the island and the dining chandelier. We opted to wash the back splash and the counter tops with hidden LED strips. We then elected to use track lighting over the cooking area with as small of heads as possible and in black to make them ‘go away’ or get lost in the sauce.

Kitchen range top wall

Associate Interiors

The accent of glass and copper mosaic backslash tiles echoes the copper hood and farmhouse sink. This kitchen stands out with state of the art Wolf and Subzero appliances which are paired with the ingenuity of intricately constructed custom frameless cabinetry.

Modern Twist on Prairie!

Signature Properties of Illinois, Ltd

This is an example of a large contemporary open plan kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Traditional Kitchen

Inspiration for a traditional kitchen in Miami with recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, beige splashback, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Paneled Refrigerator and Dishwasher

Hedy Rogers, CKD

Reeded-glass pocket door separates kitchen from combination pantry/laundry room. Raised ledges on both sides of the kitchen add aesthetic interest, as well as convenient storage for easily accessible items. PreviewFirst.com

Gold River Kitchen

Kitchen Mart

Designer: Maura Eastwood
Design ideas for a modern kitchen in Sacramento with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, glass tile splashback, coloured appliances and dark hardwood floors.

lowcountry river house

Frederick + Frederick Architects

John McManus Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized country galley open plan kitchen in Atlanta with medium wood cabinets, wood benchtops, yellow splashback, a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Hillsborough remodel

TRG Architecture + Interior Design

Bernard Andre
Design ideas for a mid-sized industrial galley open plan kitchen in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, an undermount sink, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback and brown floor.

Creve Coeur

Karen Korn Interiors

Inspiration for a mid-sized country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in St Louis with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

West Village Custom

Ecostruct LLC

Photo of a contemporary galley kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen with Medium Wood Cabinets and Dark Hardwood Floors 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!