Contemporary l-shaped kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Customer Focus: Cameron Project

Kitchen Craftsmen

CAMERON PROJECT: Warm natural walnut tones offset by crisp white gives this project a welcoming and homely feel. Including products from Polytec and Caesarstone.

Tri-Color Kitchen

Miyuki Yamaguchi Design Studio

Photo of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, recessed, wood and medium wood cabinets.

Counter Pantry with Appliance Storage

Advantage Services Construction

View of the open pantry with included appliance storage. Custom by Huntwood, flat panel walnut veneer doors. Nathan Williams, Van Earl Photography www.VanEarlPhotography.com

A Naturally Modern Kitchen Remodel

Bobbi Alderfer/Lifestyle Design

Adding lighting above the sink is always a must but finding a unique and stylish way to do it can be a challenge. These 3 wall sconces fill the space with the perfect amount of light and balance the windows well. Mixing metal finishes was something this client was on board with and they all work together here.

Bob-O-Link | 2018

Coats Homes

Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped separate kitchen in Dallas with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and solid surface benchtops.

Beachfront Malibu Project

Haefele Design

Design ideas for a large contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, with island, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, grey floor and white benchtop.

Mid Century Modern Kitchen that's Connected to Nature

Normandy Remodeling

Natural walnut cabinetry, quartzite stone countertops and backsplash and a large picture window all make this mid-century modern kitchen a celebration of nature.

Merillat Masterpiece Modern Farmhouse Kitchen

Curtis Lumber Ballston Spa

This inviting gourmet kitchen designed by Curtis Lumber Co., Inc. is perfect for the entertaining lifestyle of the homeowners who wanted a modern farmhouse kitchen in a new construction build. The look was achieved by mixing in a warmer white finish on the upper cabinets with warmer wood tones for the base cabinets and island. The cabinetry is Merillat Masterpiece, Ganon Full overlay Evercore in Warm White Suede sheen on the upper cabinets and Ganon Full overlay Cherry Barley Suede sheen on the base cabinets and floating shelves. The leg of the island has a beautiful taper to it providing a beautiful architectural detail. Shiplap on the window wall and on the back of the island adds a little extra texture to the space. A microwave drawer in a base cabinet, placed near the refrigerator, creates a separate cooking zone. Tucked in on the outskirts of the kitchen is a beverage refrigerator providing easy access away from cooking areas Ascendra Pulls from Tob Knobs in flat black adorn the cabinetry. Photos property of Curtis Lumber Co., Inc.

Glen Road

risa boyer architecture

Photo of a midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Portland with a drop-in sink, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop, exposed beam, flat-panel cabinets and brown floor.

Atherton Avenue House

Mark English Architects, AIA

The Atherton House is a family compound for a professional couple in the tech industry, and their two teenage children. After living in Singapore, then Hong Kong, and building homes there, they looked forward to continuing their search for a new place to start a life and set down roots. The site is located on Atherton Avenue on a flat, 1 acre lot. The neighboring lots are of a similar size, and are filled with mature planting and gardens. The brief on this site was to create a house that would comfortably accommodate the busy lives of each of the family members, as well as provide opportunities for wonder and awe. Views on the site are internal. Our goal was to create an indoor- outdoor home that embraced the benign California climate. The building was conceived as a classic “H” plan with two wings attached by a double height entertaining space. The “H” shape allows for alcoves of the yard to be embraced by the mass of the building, creating different types of exterior space. The two wings of the home provide some sense of enclosure and privacy along the side property lines. The south wing contains three bedroom suites at the second level, as well as laundry. At the first level there is a guest suite facing east, powder room and a Library facing west. The north wing is entirely given over to the Primary suite at the top level, including the main bedroom, dressing and bathroom. The bedroom opens out to a roof terrace to the west, overlooking a pool and courtyard below. At the ground floor, the north wing contains the family room, kitchen and dining room. The family room and dining room each have pocketing sliding glass doors that dissolve the boundary between inside and outside. Connecting the wings is a double high living space meant to be comfortable, delightful and awe-inspiring. A custom fabricated two story circular stair of steel and glass connects the upper level to the main level, and down to the basement “lounge” below. An acrylic and steel bridge begins near one end of the stair landing and flies 40 feet to the children’s bedroom wing. People going about their day moving through the stair and bridge become both observed and observer. The front (EAST) wall is the all important receiving place for guests and family alike. There the interplay between yin and yang, weathering steel and the mature olive tree, empower the entrance. Most other materials are white and pure. The mechanical systems are efficiently combined hydronic heating and cooling, with no forced air required.

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

Kitchen

Harding Eddy Designs

Contemporary galley kitchen in Dallas with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, window splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Newport Coast

Blackband Design

A Mediterranean Modern remodel with luxury furnishings, finishes and amenities. Interior Design: Blackband Design Renovation: RS Myers Architecture: Stand Architects Photography: Ryan Garvin

West Marin Organic Remodel

Craig O'Connell Architecture

The clients—a chef and a baker—desired a light-filled space with stylish function allowing them to cook, bake and entertain. Craig expanded the kitchen by removing a wall, vaulted the ceiling and enlarged the windows. Photo: Helynn Ospina

Westlake Contemporary New Construction

Laura Burton Interiors

An Indoor Lady
Expansive contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Austin with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Soulful Home

Staprans Design

R. Brad Knipstein Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary galley kitchen in San Francisco with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, coloured appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Hawthorne Hills Residence

Tammara Stroud Design

In 1949, one of mid-century modern’s most famous NW architects, Paul Hayden Kirk, built this early “glass house” in Hawthorne Hills. Rather than flattening the rolling hills of the Northwest to accommodate his structures, Kirk sought to make the least impact possible on the building site by making use of it natural landscape. When we started this project, our goal was to pay attention to the original architecture--as well as designing the home around the client’s eclectic art collection and African artifacts. The home was completely gutted, since most of the home is glass, hardly any exterior walls remained. We kept the basic footprint of the home the same—opening the space between the kitchen and living room. The horizontal grain matched walnut cabinets creates a natural continuous movement. The sleek lines of the Fleetwood windows surrounding the home allow for the landscape and interior to seamlessly intertwine. In our effort to preserve as much of the design as possible, the original fireplace remains in the home and we made sure to work with the natural lines originally designed by Kirk.

Perry House

Cabinet Designers, Inc

Design ideas for a mid-sized country u-shaped kitchen pantry in New York with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Farm House Retreat

BKC of Westfield

BKC of Westfield
Photo of a small country galley separate kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, grey benchtop, with island and brown floor.

Kitchen with Medium Wood Cabinets and White 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!