Designers reconfigure the kitchen, defining it with a coffee-stained wood surround that frames its white cabinetry. We design a back-lit floating soffit above the kitchen island, add a 3-dimensional backsplash wall and place the coffee bar and appliances behind cabinet doors. The floating soffit (drop down ceiling) provides another layer of lighting and dimension.

Accessible Ranch Total Renovation

Kipnis Architecture + Planning

The kitchen is designed for handicap accessibility, but is still an amazing design! Black cabinets combine with natural wood cabinets and white countertops and accents make this an amazing kitchen! A.J. Brown Photography

Traditional Kitchen with Mixed Metal Finishes

Normandy Remodeling

This kitchen mixes and matches a variety of finishes. The cabinetry includes an eggshell perimeter and sage green island. In addition, there are a variety of metals including oil rubbed bronze hardware and light fixtures, a copper backsplash and a stainless steel and polished brass range.

Sophisticated French Quarter Retreat

Brian Gille Architects, Ltd.

Small transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in New Orleans with with island, an undermount sink, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, metallic splashback and metal splashback.

The Academy

York House Designs

We helped this client to completely transform their old kitchen by sourcing stylish new doors for the cabinets, replacing the flooring with this aged natural wood, adding some statement pendant lights and of course, a good lick of paint.

Comes house

Debbie Waldner

Reclaimed Patina Oak Cabinets. Home custom built by Ron Waldner Signature Homes.
Inspiration for a large industrial l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, distressed cabinets, concrete benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Uptown Family Room

Homecorp - Sandy Tabacinic

Photo of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped separate kitchen in Dallas with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Traditional Look | Classic Style | Modern Technology

Hastings Design

Art Department Creative
Design ideas for a large traditional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Adelaide with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, metal splashback, coloured appliances, dark hardwood floors, a peninsula and brown floor.

Modern Rambler

Dietrich Homes

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Industrial Kitchen

The Main Company

Photo Credits: Sean Knott
Inspiration for a mid-sized industrial l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with beaded inset cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, metal splashback, coloured appliances, dark hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Burr Ridge Modern

Derrick Architecture

A symmetrical kitchen opens to the family room in this open floor plan. The island provides a thick wood eating ledge with a dekton work surface. A grey accent around the cooktop is split by the metallic soffit running through the space. A smaller work kitchen/open pantry is off to one side for additional prep space.

Mid-Century Inspired Kitchen

Rachel Oliver Design, LLC

This kitchen was completely remodeled to add room for entertaining and bring all the beautiful light into the space. It's now the favorite room in the house! Light granite countertops offer the look of marble without the upkeep and price. Photo: Ashley Hope; AWH Photo & Design; New Orleans, LA

McLean, Virginia - Contemporary - Kitchen Design

Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath

McLean, Virginia Modern Kitchen design by #JenniferGilmer See more designs on www.gilmerkitchens.com
Mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with light wood cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, granite benchtops and dark hardwood floors.

Modern Kitchen

Philip S. Kennedy-Grant, FAIA

Photograph by Sandy Noble.
Large modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and a peninsula.

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

Mid Century Modern

Cabinet Concepts by Design

Design ideas for an expansive midcentury galley kitchen pantry in Other with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, metal splashback, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Bright Copper Backsplash in NYC

Kristen Elizabeth Design

3 bedroom flat in Hell's Kitchen. Copper metallic tiles added as a back splash to accent and compliment the exposed brick wall to the left. Industrial pendants hang and illuminate off the wall tiles and reflect off the polished Carrara marble bringing a soft glow, a warmth and coziness into a space challenged with natural light. Floating marble shelves house cooking needs and glasses. Storage is limited, so we decided to display the homeowners copper pot collection from the ceiling above.

Complete Redesign

Jennifer Scully Designs

Jennifer Scully Designs
Design ideas for a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in New York with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback, with island, an undermount sink, solid surface benchtops, stainless steel appliances and dark hardwood floors.

Sharon, MA

Latitude Architecture

Traditional l-shaped kitchen in Boston with glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Eclectic Sophistication

Bilotta Kitchen & Home

For this expansive kitchen renovation, Designer, Randy O’Kane of Bilotta Kitchens worked with interior designer Gina Eastman and architect Clark Neuringer. The backyard was the client’s favorite space, with a pool and beautiful landscaping; from where it’s situated it’s the sunniest part of the house. They wanted to be able to enjoy the view and natural light all year long, so the space was opened up and a wall of windows was added. Randy laid out the kitchen to complement their desired view. She selected colors and materials that were fresh, natural, and unique – a soft greenish-grey with a contrasting deep purple, Benjamin Moore’s Caponata for the Bilotta Collection Cabinetry and LG Viatera Minuet for the countertops. Gina coordinated all fabrics and finishes to complement the palette in the kitchen. The most unique feature is the table off the island. Custom-made by Brooks Custom, the top is a burled wood slice from a large tree with a natural stain and live edge; the base is hand-made from real tree limbs. They wanted it to remain completely natural, with the look and feel of the tree, so they didn’t add any sort of sealant. The client also wanted touches of antique gold which the team integrated into the Armac Martin hardware, Rangecraft hood detailing, the Ann Sacks backsplash, and in the Bendheim glass inserts in the butler’s pantry which is glass with glittery gold fabric sandwiched in between. The appliances are a mix of Subzero, Wolf and Miele. The faucet and pot filler are from Waterstone. The sinks are Franke. With the kitchen and living room essentially one large open space, Randy and Gina worked together to continue the palette throughout, from the color of the cabinets, to the banquette pillows, to the fireplace stone. The family room’s old built-in around the fireplace was removed and the floor-to-ceiling stone enclosure was added with a gas fireplace and flat screen TV, flanked by contemporary artwork. Designer: Bilotta’s Randy O’Kane with Gina Eastman of Gina Eastman Design & Clark Neuringer, Architect posthumously Photo Credit: Phillip Ennis

Kitchen with Metal Splashback 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!