Design ideas for a traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Columbus with stainless steel appliances, a farmhouse sink, brown splashback, beaded inset cabinets, distressed cabinets, mosaic tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured benchtop and exposed beam.

Charming and Spacious Kitchen, Lafayette

Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins, Inc.

Design ideas for a mid-sized country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Park Grove

Italkraft

Inspiration for a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Miami with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, white floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Mountain Chalet

Basso Interiors Inc

Walnut and white painted cabinets create the casual, inviting kitchen. Bianco antico countertops keep that mountain feel and add warmth. Custom vintage inspired white woodwork wrap the accent walls and banquette.

Nougat inspired terrazzo kitchen

Diespeker Terrazzo & Marble

Peter Kociha
Design ideas for a large contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in London with terrazzo benchtops, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, multi-coloured benchtop, flat-panel cabinets, an undermount sink and blue cabinets.

The Grove

Minchew Construction

Expansive beach style u-shaped open plan kitchen in Miami with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, marble benchtops, blue splashback and multi-coloured benchtop.

The Santa Barbara

KC Drafting & Design

Mediterranean eat-in kitchen in Kansas City with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, beige splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Fairfield Avenue

P. Scinta Designs, LLC

This beautiful new kitchen features white cabinetry paired with a dark walnut island and warm toned hardwood flooring. Italian marble porcelain island counter top. Statement lighting by Visual Comfort along with pale pink iron counter stools.

Green Goods

Design by Heather Tissue; construction by Green Goods Kitchen remodel featuring carmelized strand woven bamboo plywood, maple plywood and paint grade cabinets, custom bamboo doors, handmade ceramic tile, custom concrete countertops

Martinez Residence

Truss Interiors & Renovations

Contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Denver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, beige floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Contemporary Kitchen

Design ideas for a contemporary kitchen in Houston with flat-panel cabinets, black splashback, with island, grey floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Plush Purple. Trowbridge Wiltshire

Shaker & May

This is an example of a transitional u-shaped kitchen in Other with shaker cabinets, purple cabinets, stainless steel appliances, with island, grey floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

New Traditional Style Kitchen Remodel

Pullman West

This new traditional kitchen with an earth-tone palette, boasts a large island with cooktop, oven and surround seating. Whether it's family or friends, all can gather around to enjoy the cooking and dining experience. Starmark shaker-style custom cabinets, herringbone backsplash and Rosslyn Cambria quartz adorn the perimeter walls. The island boasts Starmark shaker-style custom cabinets and Windermere Cambria quartz. Hardware, faucet and sink selections have oil-rubbed bronze finishes. Photography by Michael Giragosian

Custom Transitional Kitchen - St. Charles, IL

Drury Design

Arched valances above the window and on the island bookshelf, along with the curved custom metal hood above the stainless steel range, contrast nicely with the overall linear design of the space. The leaded glass cabinet doors not only create a spot to display the homeowner’s favorite glassware, but visually it helps prevent the white cabinets from being overbearing. By installing recessed can lights uniformly throughout the space instead of decorative pendants above the island, the kitchen appears more open and spacious.

Cypress

HW Interiors

Design ideas for a beach style kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, multiple islands and multi-coloured benchtop.

Sand Point House

Lane Williams Architects

Maple cabinets and marble counters in the kitchen, with porcelain tile backsplash. Custom seating in breakfast nook overlooking back yard.
Inspiration for a large contemporary eat-in kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured benchtop, marble benchtops, metal splashback and brown floor.

Cottage on the Bay

MLR Images

Country l-shaped kitchen in Baltimore with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, medium wood cabinets, green splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Poway Remodel

Lars Remodeling & Design

Details, details, details! This traditional kitchen remodel is full of them! Though soft and neutral, the use of dark cabinetry in unexpected places lends warmth and depth to the space. Our eyes are drawn to the custom hood and rich island cabinetry. The corners of these cabinets have a beautifully carved post detailing. The pendant lights add the perfect touch of glam, creating a sparkle when lit that highlights the hint of color in the mosaic design of the backsplash. What do you think of this design?

Sea Change - Custom Coastal-Inspired Kitchen

Woodhull of Maine

This custom Maine kitchen features exposed posts and beams and a large island. Trent Bell Photography
This is an example of a beach style galley open plan kitchen in Portland Maine with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured benchtop, an undermount sink and beige floor.

New Home Construction Venice Beach Kitchen

Goldenline Construction Inc.

Photo of a large beach style u-shaped open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, granite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured benchtop, an undermount sink, grey splashback, cement tile splashback and beige floor.

Two Tone Kitchen Cabinets Kitchen with Multi-Coloured 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!