Photo of a kitchen in Perth with quartz benchtops, mirror splashback, concrete floors, with island and grey floor.

Mid-sized contemporary kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, mirror splashback, with island, an undermount sink, grey floor and porcelain 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.

WaterView Kitchen

Impala Kitchens and Bathrooms

The original kitchen was closed off from the rest of the apartment and didn't enjoy the penthouse water views. Impala complete redesign saw walls removed and a modern kitchen created that became the heart of the home.

Radlett Open Plan Kitchen

The Wood Works

Paul M Craig
This is an example of a large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Hertfordshire with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Cleveland Kitchen

Michael Christopher Design

Tony Dailo
Design ideas for a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen pantry in Brisbane with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, mirror splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, multi-coloured floor and white benchtop.

Cleveland Kitchen

Michael Christopher Design

Tony Dailo
Inspiration for a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen pantry in Brisbane with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, mirror splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, multi-coloured floor and white benchtop.

East Village

CM Natural Designs

These young hip professional clients love to travel and wanted a home where they could showcase the items that they've collected abroad. Their fun and vibrant personalities are expressed in every inch of the space, which was personalized down to the smallest details. Just like they are up for adventure in life, they were up for for adventure in the design and the outcome was truly one-of-kind. Photos by Chipper Hatter

Austin Penthouse

McWalters Collaborative

Inspiration for a large contemporary l-shaped separate kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, mirror splashback, with island, stainless steel cabinets, marble benchtops, metallic splashback, coloured appliances, light hardwood floors and brown floor.

Fitzroy North House

MMAD Architecture

The kitchen becomes another furniture piece morphing to become the stair and divides the dining and lounge. The void above is open the the study landing maintaining a connection between the floor levels. Image by: Jack Lovel Photography

Brisbane CBD - Apartment

Kim Duffin for Sublime Luxury Kitchens & Bathrooms

This sky home with stunning views over Brisbane's CBD, the river and Kangaroo Point Cliffs captures the maturity now found in inner city living in Brisbane. Originally from Melbourne and with his experience gain from extensive business travel abroad, the owner of the apartment decided to transform his home to match the cosmopolitan lifestyle he has enjoyed whilst living in these locations. The original layout of the kitchen was typical for apartments built over 20 years ago. The space was restricted by a collection of small rooms, two dining areas plus kitchen that did not take advantage of the views or the need for a strong connection between living areas and the outdoors. The new design has managed to still give definition to activities performed in the kitchen, dining and living but through minimal detail the kitchen does not dominate the space which can often happen in an open plan. A typical galley kitchen design was selected as it best catered for how the space relates to the rest of the apartment and adjoining living space. An effortless workflow is created from the start point of the pantry, housing food stores as well as small appliances, and refrigerator. These are within easy reach of the preparation zones and cooking on the island. Then delivery to the dining area is seamless. There are a number of key features used in the design to create the feeling of spaces whilst maximising functionality. The mirrored kickboards reflect light (aided by the use of LED strip lighting to the underside of the cabinets) creating the illusion that the cabinets are floating thus reducing the footprint in the design. The simple design philosophy is continued with the use of Laminam, 3mm porcelain sheets to the vertical and horizontal surfaces. This material is then mitred on the edges of all drawers and doors extenuate the seamless, minimalist, cube look. A cantilevered bespoke silky oak timber benchtop placed on the island creates a small breakfast/coffee area whilst increasing bench space and creating the illusion of more space. The stain and other features of this unique piece of timber compliments the tones found in the porcelain skin of the kitchen. The half wall built behind the sinks hides the entry point of the services into the apartment. This has been clad in a complimentary laminate for the timber benchtop . Mirror splashbacks help reflect more light into the space. The cabinets above the cleaning zone also appear floating due to the mirrored surface behind and the placement of LED strip lighting used to highlight the perimeter. A fully imported FALMAC Stainless Rangehood and flyer over compliments the plasterboard bulkhead that houses the air conditioning whilst providing task lighting to the island. Lighting has been used throughout the space to highlight and frame the design elements whist creating illumination for all tasks completed in the kitchen. Achieving "fluid motion" has been a major influence in the choice of hardware used in the design. Blum servo drive electronic drawer opening systems have been used to counter act any issues that may be encounter by the added weight of the porcelain used on the drawer fronts. These are then married with Blum Intivo soft close drawer systems. The devil is in the detail with a design and space that is so low profile yet complicated in it's simplicity. Steve Ryan - Rix Ryan Photography

Rochelle East

Signature Interior Designs

Large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors and with island.

White Kitchen with Calacatta Natura Counter-top

North Home Builders

First Class Marble and Granite
Photo of a large traditional l-shaped separate kitchen in Boston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, mirror splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Kentfield Home

Petersen Design Associates, LLC

Inspiration for a large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, solid surface benchtops, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Ticked all the boxes

Collaroy Kitchen Centre

Photo of a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen pantry in Sydney with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mirror splashback, black appliances, laminate floors, with island and multi-coloured benchtop.

Keeping Up with the Joneses

Custom Creative Remodeling

Photo of an expansive transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Phoenix with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors and with island.

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.

Traditionl Hand Painted Framed Kitchen

Tulip

This is an example of a large traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Surrey with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, limestone floors, with island, grey floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

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.

Basement kitchen

Poggenpohl Wigmore Kitchens

Design ideas for a contemporary kitchen in London with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and mirror splashback.

Kitchen with Mirror 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!