Photo of a contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Moscow with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, black appliances, multiple islands, grey floor and black benchtop.

Pocket Door Pantry With A Little Extra

Nathan Taylor for Obelisk Home

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in Other with open cabinets, medium wood cabinets, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Robinhood Residence

Clark Richardson Architects

Modern and sleek, the kitchen is both functional and attractive. Flat panel cabinets, luxurious finishes and integrated high-end appliances provide the perfect space for both daily use and entertaining.

San Rafael

Durabella

Design ideas for a contemporary kitchen in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, with island and white benchtop.

Fort Lauderdale New Design

Meredith Marlow Interiors

Contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Miami with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, white floor and white benchtop.

Statford Kitchen

H. Miller Bros

STRATFORD KITCHEN A mid-century inspired kitchen, designed for a mid-century house. We love mid-century style, and so when we were approached to design this kitchen for a beautifully revived mid-century villa in Warwickshire, it was a dream commission. Simple, clean cabinetry was brought to life with the gorgeous iroko timber, and the cabinetry sat on a matt black plinth – a classic mid-century detail. A walk-in pantry, lined in single-depth shelving, was framed behind sliding doors glazed with traditional reeded glass. Refrigeration and storage was contained in a long run of tall cabinets, that finished in a mirror-backed bar with integral ice bucket But the show-stealer was a set of bespoke, handmade shelves that screened the kitchen from the hallway in this open plan home. Subtly detailed, like only real furniture-makers can, with traditional jointing and mid-century radiused edges.

Jordan St

Green Bird Workshop

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen in Devon with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, green splashback, subway tile splashback, black appliances, multi-coloured floor and white benchtop.

Boca Raton

The Hill Group

Photo of an expansive contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Dallas with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, limestone splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, grey floor and black benchtop.

Mid Century Modern Remodel

C&R Remodeling

This mid century modern home boasted irreplaceable features including original wood cabinets, wood ceiling, and a wall of floor to ceiling windows. C&R developed a design that incorporated the existing details with additional custom cabinets that matched perfectly. A new lighting plan, quartz counter tops, plumbing fixtures, tile backsplash and floors, and new appliances transformed this kitchen while retaining all the mid century flavor.

Vivienda calle Londres

JOSEP CANO Espacios de Autor

Design ideas for a large contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Barcelona with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, panelled appliances, multiple islands, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Robinson Woods

DiFabion Remodeling, Inc.

Inspiration for a midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Charlotte with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, white appliances, terrazzo floors, multi-coloured floor and white benchtop.

Gig Harbor - Henderson Bay House

Avant Garde Wood Floors

Contemporary style dining and kitchen area with nine inch wide European oak hardwood floors, live edge walnut table, modern wood chairs, wood windows, custom cabinetry, waterfall kitchen island, modern light fixtures and overall simple decor! Luxury home by TCM Built

Mount Royal I

MC Designs and Interiors

Photo of a traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Calgary with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

491 Echo Spur

Windermere Real Estate

Photo of a contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Salt Lake City with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Tiny Dated Kitchen Gets Gigantic Renovation

Corinthian Fine Homes

This homeowner loved her home and location, but it needed updating and a more efficient use of the condensed space she had for her kitchen. We were creative in opening the kitchen and a small eat-in area to create a more open kitchen for multiple cooks to work together. We created a coffee station/serving area with floating shelves, and in order to preserve the existing windows, we stepped a base cabinet down to maintain adequate counter prep space. With custom cabinetry reminiscent of the era of this home and a glass tile back splash she loved, we were able to give her the kitchen of her dreams in a home she already loved. We attended a holiday cookie party at her home upon completion, and were able to experience firsthand, multiple cooks in the kitchen and hear the oohs and ahhs from family and friends about the amazing transformation of her spaces.

Granby Luxury Mountain Home

Libbie Holmes Photography

Modern luxury mountain home kitchen
Photo of a mid-sized transitional galley eat-in kitchen in Denver with with island, beige benchtop, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback and grey floor.

Anthem Country Remodel

Diane Cabral Interiors

Craftsman modern kitchen with terrazzo flooring and all custome cabinetry and wood ceilings is stained black walnut. Custom doors in black walnut. Stickley furnishings, with a touch of modern accessories. Custom made wool area rugs for both dining room and greatroom. Walls opened up in back of great room to enjoy the beautiful view.

exposition heights

Floisand Studio

This is an example of a mid-sized scandinavian l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Seattle with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white floor and white benchtop.

North Dallas Kitchen Remodel

Kasper Custom Home Remodeling

This kitchen remodel gives a nod to the soft mid-century modern style of the house, while updating it to contemporary styles. The vertical grain cypress cabinets are accented with tall white storage cabinets on each side of the range. The white quartz countertops and large format (13" x 40") porcelain tile complete the transformation.

Quartzite Taj Mahal

Indy Custom Stone

Photo of a large arts and crafts l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Indianapolis with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen with Medium Wood Cabinets and Purple Cabinets 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!