Photo of a large transitional kitchen pantry in Orange County with an undermount sink, white cabinets, granite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, subway tile splashback and open cabinets.

Roselle Renovation

Briggs Design Associates, Inc.

The new pantry is located where the old pantry was housed. The exisitng pantry contained standard wire shelves and bi-fold doors on a basic 18" deep closet. The homeowner wanted a place for deocorative storage, so without changing the footprint, we were able to create a more functional, more accessible and definitely more beautiful pantry! Alex Claney Photography, LauraDesignCo for photo staging

The Old Fish Cellar Mousehole

Camilla Banks Interior Design

Black Shaker Kitchen with Granite Worktops Chris Yacoubian
Photo of a small industrial l-shaped kitchen in Cornwall with a farmhouse sink, black cabinets, granite benchtops, cement tile splashback and open cabinets.

Slow life　琵琶湖を望む別荘に緑を感じ住む

COLOR LABEL DESIGN OFFICE / 殿村明彦

Large industrial galley open plan kitchen in Other with an integrated sink, open cabinets, black cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, black appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

pantry customized

Interior Changes home design & consulting

This pantry is just off the kitchen and so the additional counter space is ideal for more prep space if needed. The interior was customized with hand shaped corbels and slide out trays.

Fairfax Station Kitchen - Base Shelves

Synergy Design & Construction

Mimicking a commercial kitchen, open base cabinetry both along the wall and in the island makes accessing items a snap for the chef. Metal cabinetry is more durable for throwing around pots and pans.

Custer Net Zero

Bellingham Bay Builders

Design by Haven Design Workshop Photography by Jim Smith Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Outdoor Kitchen

Fossil Creek Pools

This is an example of a mid-sized modern u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Austin with a single-bowl sink, open cabinets, stainless steel cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors and no island.

Noe Valley

MurphyMcKenna Construction

Architect: Feldman Architercture Interior Design: Regan Baker
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with granite benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, an undermount sink, open cabinets, dark wood cabinets and brown benchtop.

Modern Day Showpiece

Staged by Design

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped kitchen pantry in Melbourne with a drop-in sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, black splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, beige floor and white benchtop.

Grand Prato Estate

Design West

Guest House Living Room and Kitchen
Photo of an expansive traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Miami with a drop-in sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Luxury Country Living

Collins Builders

Inspiration for a large country single-wall kitchen pantry in Jacksonville with a double-bowl sink, white cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, with island, brown floor, beige benchtop and open cabinets.

South Austin Ranch

Shilshole and Company

Carol Zimmerman
Inspiration for a mid-sized country galley eat-in kitchen in Austin with a double-bowl sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and no island.

Rustic Private Lodge

Hamish Anderson Custom Homes

Inspiration for a large country l-shaped kitchen in Seattle with open cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, stone tile splashback, porcelain floors, with island and medium wood cabinets.

Sutton Place Home, NYC

Tom John Associates

David Battel
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, black splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Parsons Green. Herringbone in colour Thistle

Cheville Parquet

White herringbone floor with a silver oil in the grain. The client wanted a white floor to give a clean, contemporary feel to the property, but wanted to incorporate a light element of grey, The oversize herringbone block works well in a modern living space. All the blocks are engineered, bevel edged, tongue and grooved on all 4 sides. Compatible with under floor heating.

Craftsman cottage

CH Architects

Compact Craftsman kitchen
Small arts and crafts galley kitchen in Raleigh with a drop-in sink, open cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and green benchtop.

Kitchen Granite Countertops

Granite House Inc.

Granite color Mossalaris Kitchen
Large modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Detroit with an undermount sink, open cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Oldfield Custom Home

Coastal Signature Homes

Gorgeous, functional, dream kitchen.
Design ideas for a large country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Atlanta with open cabinets, beige cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Custom tile mural

BonTon Tile

Custom handmade tile by BonTon tile. Hand painted field tiles and a lovely mural behind the stove
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, open cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances, light hardwood floors and a peninsula.

Kitchen with Open Cabinets and Granite Benchtops 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!