Photo of a mid-sized modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, black splashback, mirror splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and exposed beam.

December highlights photography 2022

Real Property Photography | Sunshine Coast South

This is an example of a contemporary galley kitchen in Sunshine Coast with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, mirror splashback, with island, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Granard Ave - Kitchen

Peter Gionfriddo Architect

Inspiration for a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, mirror splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Altbauapartment Berlin Mitte

Albert Interiors

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary galley kitchen in Berlin with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Stunning Dark Veneer and Marble kitchen

Degabriele Kitchens

Design ideas for a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Sydney with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, mirror splashback, panelled appliances, with island, black floor and grey benchtop.

Twickenham House Renovation and Loft Conversion

Proficiency

A kitchen that was Featured in Britain Best Selling Kitchen, Bethroom and Bathroom magazine. @snookphotograph
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in London with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, marble benchtops, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances and light hardwood floors.

Contemporary Intuo Matt Glass Kitchen with Bespoke Additions

Searle & Taylor

As part of a large open-plan extension to a detached house in Hampshire, Searle & Taylor was commissioned to design a timeless modern handleless kitchen for a couple who are keen cooks and who regularly entertain friends and their grown-up family. The kitchen is part of the couples’ large living space that features a wall of panel doors leading out to the garden. It is this area where aperitifs are taken before guests dine in a separate dining room, and also where parties take place. Part of the brief was to create a separate bespoke drinks cabinet cum bar area as a separate, yet complementary piece of furniture. Handling separate aspects of the design, Darren Taylor and Gavin Alexander both worked on this kitchen project together. They created a plan that featured matt glass door and drawer fronts in Lava colourway for the island, sink run and overhead units. These were combined with oiled walnut veneer tall cabinetry from premium Austrian kitchen furniture brand, Intuo. Further bespoke additions including the 80mm circular walnut breakfast bar with a turned tapered half-leg base were made at Searle & Taylor’s bespoke workshop in England. The worktop used throughout is Trillium by Dekton, which is featured in 80mm thickness on the kitchen island and 20mm thickness on the sink and hob runs. It is also used as an upstand. The sink run includes a Franke copper grey one and a half bowl undermount sink and a Quooker Flex Boiling Water Tap. The surface of the 3.1 metre kitchen island is kept clear for when the couple entertain, so the flush-mounted 80cm Gaggenau induction hob is situated in front of the bronze mirrored glass splashback. Directly above it is a Westin 80cm built-in extractor at the base of the overhead cabinetry. To the left and housed within the walnut units is a bank of Gaggenau ovens including a 60cm pyrolytic oven, a combination steam oven and warming drawers in anthracite colourway and a further integrated Gaggenau dishwasher is also included in the scheme. The full height Siemens A Cool 76cm larder fridge and tall 61cm freezer are all integrated behind furniture doors for a seamless look to the kitchen. Internal storage includes heavyweight pan drawers and Legra pull-out shelving for dry goods, herbs, spices and condiments. As a completely separate piece of furniture, but finished in the same oiled walnut veneer is the ‘Gin Cabinet’ a built-in unit designed to look as if it is freestanding. To the left is a tall Gaggenau Wine Climate Cabinet and to the right is a decorative cabinet for glasses and the client’s extensive gin collection, specially backlit with LED lighting and with a bespoke door front to match the front of the wine cabinet. At the centre are full pocket doors that fold back into recesses to reveal a bar area with bronze mirror back panel and shelves in front, a 20mm Trillium by Dekton worksurface with a single bowl Franke sink and another Quooker Flex Boiling Water Tap with the new Cube function, for filtered boiling, hot, cold and sparkling water. A further Gaggenau microwave oven is installed within the unit and cupboards beneath feature Intuo fronts in matt glass, as before.

Sea Cliff Huntington Beach

Remodel Experts, Inc.

Design ideas for a large tropical l-shaped separate kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Хюгге

MAKEdesign

Design ideas for a scandinavian l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, grey floor, grey benchtop, mirror splashback and no island.

Stepped shaker inframe Foxrock

Savvy Kitchens

Rory Corrigan
Inspiration for a transitional kitchen in Other with recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, mirror splashback, with island, grey floor and grey benchtop.

It started at Grand Designs

The Myers Touch

Keith met this couple from Hastings at Grand Designs who stumbled upon his talk on Creating Kitchens with Light Space & Laughter. A contemporary look was their wish for the new kitchen extension and had been disappointed with previous kitchen plan/designs suggested by other home & kitchen retailers. We made a few minor alterations to the architecture of their new extension by moving the position of the utility room door, stopped the kitchen island becoming a corridor and included a secret bookcase area which they love. We also created a link window into the lounge area that opened up the space and allowed the outdoor area to flow into the room with the use of reflected glass. The window was positioned opposite the kitchen island with cushioned seating to admire their newly landscaped garden and created a build-down above. The design comprises SieMatic Pure S2 collection in Sterling Grey, Miele appliances with 12mm Dekton worktops and 30mm Spekva Breakfast Bar on one corner of the Island for casual dining or perching.

Kingswood Road

Maria Pennington Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized eclectic l-shaped open plan kitchen in London with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, zinc benchtops, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured floor and grey benchtop.

Pond Place

Juliette Byrne

This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen in London with grey floor, an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, with island and grey benchtop.

The Voyager - Bushmead WA

User

D-Max Photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Perth with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, with island, grey floor, grey benchtop, solid surface benchtops, stainless steel appliances and ceramic floors.

Bracken House

GOATER JONES London Ltd

Inspiration for a traditional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Surrey with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, marble benchtops, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, limestone floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Anne Crescent, Brighton

Key Piece

Adrienne Bizzarri Photography
Beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, mirror splashback and grey benchtop.

GemCore

BC Flooring

GemCore Seacliff
Design ideas for a large modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Orange County with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Modern Classic Painted Kitchen

Greenhill Handmade Kitchens

Photo of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen in Other with with island, a double-bowl sink, grey cabinets, mirror splashback, white appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, grey benchtop and shaker cabinets.

The Voyager - Bushmead WA

User

D-Max Photography
Mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Perth with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, solid surface benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Cotswold Country House Project

Humphrey Munson

The kitchen of a large country house is not what it used to be. Dark, dingy and squirrelled away out of sight of the homeowners, the kitchen was purely designed to cater for the masses. Today, the ultimate country kitchen is a light, airy open room for actually living in, with space to relax and spend time in each other’s company while food can be easily prepared and served, and enjoyed all within a single space. And while catering for large shooting parties, and weekend entertaining is still essential, the kitchen also needs to feel homely enough for the family to enjoy themselves on a quiet mid-week evening. This main kitchen of a large country house in the Cotswolds is the perfect example of a respectful renovation that brings an outdated layout up to date and provides an incredible open plan space for the whole family to enjoy together. When we design a kitchen, we want to capture the scale and proportion of the room while incorporating the client’s brief of how they like to cook, dine and live. Photo Credit: Paul Craig

Kitchen with Mirror Splashback and Grey Benchtop 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!