Photo of a beach style l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Orange County with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Ashton Woods Bellagio Model

Ashton Woods

Inspiration for a transitional l-shaped kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and brown floor.

Elkton Waterfront Home

Avalon Associates, Inc.

This is an example of a large country u-shaped kitchen in Baltimore with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, mosaic tile splashback, panelled appliances, with island, brown floor, medium hardwood floors, a farmhouse sink and granite benchtops.

Kitchens

d2 interieurs

Design ideas for a transitional u-shaped kitchen in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and beige floor.

Reborn Cabinets Kitchen Reface - Irvine, CA

Reborn Cabinets Inc.

“We want to redo our cabinets…but my kitchen is so small!” We hear this a lot here at Reborn Cabinets. You might be surprised how many people put off refreshing their kitchen simply because homeowners can’t see beyond their own square footage. Not all of us can live in a big, sprawling ranch house, but that doesn’t mean that a small kitchen can’t be polished into a real gem! This project is a great example of how dramatic the difference can be when we rethink our space—even just a little! By removing hanging cabinets, this kitchen opened-up very nicely. The light from the preexisting French doors could flow wonderfully into the adjacent family room. The finishing touches were made by transforming a very small “breakfast nook” into a clean and useful storage space.

Beach Street Residence

TINEKE TRIGGS

Suzanne Scott
Mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with with island, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, grey splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and a farmhouse sink.

Traditional Transformation

Compass Studio

Inspiration for a traditional l-shaped kitchen in Cleveland with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, panelled appliances, with island and brown floor.

Gossling

Gossling Woodworking

Photo of a mid-sized arts and crafts u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Cedar Rapids with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, mosaic tile splashback, ceramic floors, with island, stainless steel appliances and beige floor.

Tranquil Meadow Home

Donald P. Blake Jr., Inc.

Susan Teare
This is an example of a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Burlington with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and beige floor.

Kitchen

Fratantoni Luxury Estates Design/Build/Remodeling

We absolutely adore this kitchen's arched entryways, the integrated appliances (built-in fridge!), white painted cabinets, ceiling design, and granite countertops.

Organic Pueblo at Privada

Urban Design Associates

Southwestern style kitchen with rustic wood island and limestone counters. Architect: Urban Design Associates Builder: R-Net Custom Homes Interiors: Billie Springer Photography: Thompson Photographic

White Transitional Kitchen

Maureen's LLC

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional galley eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, metallic splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula and brown floor.

Kitchen Remodel - Annandale, VA

Case Architects & Remodelers

Designer Elena Eskandari http://www.houzz.com/pro/eeskandari/elena-eskandari-case-design-remodeling-inc Photography by Stacy Zarin Goldberg

The Perfect Triangle

Rick's Cabinet Tree

Low profile Shaker style doors and drawers front in solid maple wood with MDF center panels painted in natural white. Stainless steel pulls compliment the appliances.

Kitchen Project - Cheltenham

Contour

Lisa Lodwig Photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped separate kitchen in Gloucestershire with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, beige splashback, mosaic tile splashback, panelled appliances and porcelain floors.

Kitchen Remodel Dated to WOW

S Interior Design

The kitchen was stuck in the 1980s with builder stock grade cabinets. It did not have enough space for two cooks to work together comfortably, or to entertain large groups of friends and family. The lighting and wall colors were also dated and made the small kitchen feel even smaller. By removing some walls between the kitchen and dining room, relocating a pantry closet,, and extending the kitchen footprint into a tiny home office on one end where the new spacious pantry and a built-in desk now reside, and about 4 feet into the family room to accommodate two beverage refrigerators and glass front cabinetry to be used as a bar serving space, the client now has the kitchen they have been dreaming about for years. Steven Kaye Photography

Ocean Dunes

Richard Moody & Sons Construction LLC

Design ideas for a transitional single-wall open plan kitchen in Portland Maine with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and granite benchtops.

Ranch Bungalow Renovation

Susan Rea Interior Design

This is an example of a large contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Orange County with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors and with island.

The New American Home 2016

By Design

Photo of a contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sacramento with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, metallic splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and with island.

Case Study: Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

Insidesign

Anthony-Masterson
Inspiration for a large beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and beige floor.

All Backsplash Materials Kitchen with Mosaic Tile 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!