BrightRoomSF Photography San Francisco Marcell Puzsar
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Retro and Radical

Design First Interiors

At 90 square feet, this tiny kitchen is smaller than most bathrooms. Add to that four doorways and a window and you have one tough little room. The key to this type of space is the selection of compact European appliances. The fridge is completely enclosed in cabinetry as is the 45cm dishwasher. Sink selection and placement allowed for a very useful corner storage cabinet. Drawers and additional storage are accommodated along the existing wall space right of the rear porch door. Note the careful planning how the casings of this door are not compromised by countertops. This tiny kitchen even features a pull-out pantry to the left of the fridge. The retro look is created by using laminate cabinets with aluminum edges; that is reiterated in the metal-edged laminate countertop. Marmoleum flooring and glass tiles complete the look.

Penthouse Condo

Design Milieu

Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback, an undermount sink, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, a peninsula and brown floor.

Piedmont Residence

Carlton Edwards

This modern lake house is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The residence overlooks a mountain lake with expansive mountain views beyond. The design ties the home to its surroundings and enhances the ability to experience both home and nature together. The entry level serves as the primary living space and is situated into three groupings; the Great Room, the Guest Suite and the Master Suite. A glass connector links the Master Suite, providing privacy and the opportunity for terrace and garden areas. Won a 2013 AIANC Design Award. Featured in the Austrian magazine, More Than Design. Featured in Carolina Home and Garden, Summer 2015.

Idaho 550 sq ft FabCab

FabCab

Location: Sand Point, ID. Photos by Marie-Dominique Verdier; built by Selle Valley
Design ideas for a mid-sized country single-wall kitchen in Seattle with flat-panel cabinets, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, medium hardwood floors, no island and brown floor.

Golf Club Renovation

Cheryl Scrymgeour Designs

Photo of a traditional kitchen in Toronto with beige cabinets, stainless steel appliances, metallic splashback, metal splashback and glass-front cabinets.

My Houzz: Once a Schoolhouse and Church, Now a Home and Art Gallery

Rikki Snyder

Rikki Snyder © 2013 Houzz
Photo of an eclectic l-shaped kitchen in New York with stainless steel benchtops, a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances and grey benchtop.

Brighton Kitchen Project

Epiphany Kitchens

Brighton Kitchen Project. It features one of our local made lines of cabinets. They are a frameless 3/4" plywood construction in painted maple. The door style is a square raised panel with a "double bubble" detail on the inside edge in a painted and distressed black. Countertops are a Mombasa Granite with a 3/8" round edge. The floors are tumbled stone in a "pinwheel" pattern. The backsplash behind the stove is stainless steel. Appliances are by Viking.

Vacation home, kitchen

Wheeler Kearns Architects

construction - Great Lakes builders photography - Christopher barrett-Hedrich blessing; Bruce Van Inwegen
Design ideas for a contemporary kitchen in Chicago with stainless steel appliances, an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, red cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback and wood benchtops.

San Lucas Drive

Tracy Lynn Studio

Photo taken by Zack Benson
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in San Diego with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors and no island.

Kitchen

drozda+others architects

view of kitchen and breakfast nook beyond. cabinets are bamboo with stainless steel toe-kick. Ken Gutmaker photographer
This is an example of a contemporary kitchen in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Contemporary Kitchen

Robin Rigby Fisher, CMKBD/CAPS/CLIPPS

Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink. Although this kitchen had ample cabinets and countertops, none of it was functional. Tall appliances divided what would have been a functional run of counters. The cooktop was placed at the end of a narrow island. The walk-in pantry jutted into the kitchen reducing the walkspace of the only functional countertop to 36”. There was not enough room to work and still have a walking area behind. Dark corners and cabinets with poor storage rounded out the existing kitchen. Removing the walk in pantry opened the kitchen and made the adjoining utility room more functional. The space created by removing the pantry became a functional wall of appliances featuring: • 30” Viking Freezer • 36” Viking Refrigerator • 30” Wolf Microwave • 30” Wolf warming drawer To minimize a three foot ceiling height change, a custom Uberboten was built to create a horizontal band keeping the focus downward. The Uberboten houses recessed cans and three decorative light fixtures to illuminate the worksurface and seating area. The Island is functional from all four sides: • Elevation F: functions as an eating bar for two and as a buffet counter for large parties. Countertop: Ceasarstone Blue Ridge • Elevation G: 30” deep coffee bar with beverage refrigerator. Custom storage for flavored syrups and coffee accoutrements. Access to the water with the pull out Elkay faucet makes filling the espresso machine a cinch! Countertop: Ceasarstone Canyon Red • Elevation H: holds the Franke sink, and a cabinet with popup mixer hardware. Countertop: 4” thick endgrain butcherblock maple countertop • Elevation I: 42” tall and 30” deep cabinets hold a second Wolf oven and a built-in Franke scale Countertop: Ceasarstone in Blue Ridge The Range Elevation (Elevation B) has 27” deep countertops, the trash compactor, recycling, a 48” Wolf range. Opposing counter surfaces flank of the range: • Left: Ceasarstone in Canyon Red • Right: Stainless Steel. • Backsplash: Copper What originally was a dysfunctional desk that collected EVERYTHING, now is an attractive, functional 21” deep pantry that stores linen, food, serving pieces and more. The cabinet doors were made from a Zebra-wood-look-alike melamine, the gain runs both horizontally and vertically for a custom design. The end cabinet is a 12” deep message center with cork-board backing and a small work space. Storage below houses phone books and the Lumitron Graphic Eye that controls the light fixtures. Design Details: • An Icebox computer to the left of the main sink • Undercabinet lighting: Xenon • Plug strip eliminate unsightly outlets in the backsplash • Cabinets: natural maple accented with espresso stained alder.

Buena Vista Residence

Schwartz and Architecture

Typical of many San Francisco Victorians, this home’s kitchen had evolved over the years out of an enclosed porch. The centerpiece of the new light-filled space is a custom island / drop-leaf table that converts from a casual family dining area to an ample area for the children’s art projects, or seating for twelve. Open shelving and a series of custom ledges for the family’s seasonal canning efforts intensify the casual, working feel to the kitchen, which is both modern, yet appropriate to the essence of the home. Photography: Matthew Millman

Saratoga Canyon

ODS Architecture

L-shaped kitchen designed for easy care and minimal fuss, quartz countertops, cold-rolled steel wall with matching open shelves, oak cabinets with fingerpulls.

White Hall Kitchen, 2022

ADR Builders, Ltd.

This is an example of a large country u-shaped separate kitchen in Baltimore with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, wood benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown 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

Walker Kitchen

Longhouse Architects

Photo of a small galley separate kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, black floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Kings Road

DNA Construction Ltd

Inspiration for an eclectic l-shaped kitchen in Auckland with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, black splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Nantucket

Clive Daniel Home

Inspiration for a beach style l-shaped kitchen in Boston with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Our Work

Planography

Planography
Inspiration for a small l-shaped separate kitchen in Edinburgh with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, light hardwood floors and no island.

Kitchen with Metal 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!