Design ideas for a transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, marble splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

What is Cooking - Kitchen Renovation

Comma Design Studio

The client came to comma design in need of an upgrade to their existing kitchen to allow for more storage and cleaner look. They wanted to swap their laminate bench to a sleek stone bench tops that can provide a luxurious loo to their space. Comma design worked closely with the trades on site to achieve the results.

Tahmour: Kitchen NSW 2573

The Renovation Broker

This luxurious Hamptons design offers a stunning kitchen with all the modern appliances necessary for any cooking aficionado. Featuring an opulent natural stone benchtop and splashback, along with a dedicated butlers pantry coffee bar - designed exclusively by The Renovation Broker - this abode is sure to impress even the most discerning of guests!

Green & White kitchen

Renovation Capital

This is an example of a transitional u-shaped kitchen in Perth with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, turquoise cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, white appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Wiley Park

Alamay Constructions Pty Ltd

Part of a massive open planned area which includes Dinning, Lounge,Kitchen and butlers pantry. Polished concrete through out with exposed steel and Timber beams.

Burnsville Cherry Kitchen

HearthWood Kitchens

Neil Photography
Inspiration for a transitional l-shaped kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Kitchen and Bathroom renovation, Albemarle County, VA

Weston Construction Company, LLC

Mid-sized modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, an undermount sink and white benchtop.

Dunwoody Kitchen and Family Room

Anastasia Alkema Photography

Anastasia Alkema Photography
Photo of a beach style l-shaped kitchen in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Rustic Flooring

Duncan Flooring Specialist

Inspiration for a large country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Chicago with white cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, brick splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, an undermount sink, shaker cabinets and brown floor.

Tracey Stephens Interior Design Inc

A small addition made all the difference in creating space for cooking and eating. Environmentally friendly design features include recycled denim insulation in the walls, a bamboo floor, energy saving LED undercabinet lighting, Energy Star appliances, and an antique table. Photo: Wing Wong

Farmhouse Country Custom Home

Chosen Interiors

Transitional l-shaped kitchen in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

New Smyrna Beach Residence

Turning Leaf Construction

Photo of a mid-sized beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Orlando with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Vintage Kitchen Remodel

TKS Design Group

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW The homeowners came to us looking to update the kitchen in their historic 1897 home. The home had gone through an extensive renovation several years earlier that added a master bedroom suite and updates to the front façade. The kitchen however was not part of that update and a prior 1990’s update had left much to be desired. The client is an avid cook, and it was just not very functional for the family. The original kitchen was very choppy and included a large eat in area that took up more than its fair share of the space. On the wish list was a place where the family could comfortably congregate, that was easy and to cook in, that feels lived in and in check with the rest of the home’s décor. They also wanted a space that was not cluttered and dark – a happy, light and airy room. A small powder room off the space also needed some attention so we set out to include that in the remodel as well. See that arch in the neighboring dining room? The homeowner really wanted to make the opening to the dining room an arch to match, so we incorporated that into the design. Another unfortunate eyesore was the state of the ceiling and soffits. Turns out it was just a series of shortcuts from the prior renovation, and we were surprised and delighted that we were easily able to flatten out almost the entire ceiling with a couple of little reworks. Other changes we made were to add new windows that were appropriate to the new design, which included moving the sink window over slightly to give the work zone more breathing room. We also adjusted the height of the windows in what was previously the eat-in area that were too low for a countertop to work. We tried to keep an old island in the plan since it was a well-loved vintage find, but the tradeoff for the function of the new island was not worth it in the end. We hope the old found a new home, perhaps as a potting table. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Swedish Modern

Aidan Design

This is an example of a large transitional u-shaped kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Mountain Modern in Martis Camp

Heslin Construction

Country eat-in kitchen in Sacramento with shaker cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, matchstick tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and medium hardwood floors.

Everest Gray Kitchen

Miramar Kitchen and Bath

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Diego with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, no island, grey floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Springdale 2016 Renovation 2

Soorikian Architecture

Jeff Herr
Inspiration for a transitional l-shaped kitchen in Atlanta with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and dark hardwood floors.

Summit, NJ Modern Kitchen Renovation

DPH Designs, LLC

Beach style l-shaped kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Steel Windows & Doors by FireRock

FireRock Building Materials

This is an example of a large country l-shaped kitchen in Dallas with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, with island, multi-coloured splashback, black floor, white benchtop, a farmhouse sink, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, slate floors and window splashback.

West Loop Kitchen Rehab

Green Home Chicago Design Center

Mike Kaskel
Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and shaker cabinets.

Kitchen with Shaker Cabinets and Multi-Coloured 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!