Photo of a mid-sized beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, distressed cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback, shiplap splashback, coloured appliances, light hardwood floors, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Engawa House, Ivanhoe

Inbetween Architecture

Inspiration for an asian single-wall open plan kitchen in Melbourne with open cabinets, wood benchtops, medium hardwood floors and exposed beam.

Elk Country Estate_French Country_Walk in Pantry

Cascade Builders & Associates Inc.

Mid-sized u-shaped kitchen pantry in Other with a drop-in sink, grey cabinets, medium hardwood floors, no island, open cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback and subway tile splashback.

Walk-in Pantry

Lustig Custom Cabinets

Light & bright this spacious pantry has space for it all! Roll out drawers make it easy to reach everything. Appliances can stay on the counter space. Mandi B Photography

Kitchen Organization

Neat Method San Diego

Mid-sized traditional kitchen pantry in San Diego with open cabinets and white cabinets.

Pantry

Dwellings Design Group

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.

2018 Artisan Home Tour

Housing First Minnesota

2018 Artisan Home Tour Photo: LandMark Photography Builder: City Homes, LLC
Photo of a traditional l-shaped kitchen pantry in Minneapolis with open cabinets, white cabinets, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Dutch Colonial Charm

Cummings Architecture + Interiors

Joyelle West Photography
Mid-sized traditional kitchen pantry in Boston with open cabinets, white cabinets, light hardwood floors, a farmhouse sink, marble benchtops, stainless steel appliances and with island.

Large Walk-In Kitchen Pantry with Custom Baking Racks in Royersford, PA

Victory Closets

Large walk-in kitchen pantry with rounded corner shelves in 2 far corners. Installed to replace existing builder-grade wire shelving. Custom baking rack for pans. Wall-mounted system with extended height panels and custom trim work for floor-mount look. Open shelving with spacing designed around accommodating client's clear labeled storage bins and other serving items and cookware.

Oakland Ave

EuroCraft Interiors Custom Cabinetry

This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen pantry in Detroit with open cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Desco Project

Faulkner Perrin Custom Homes

Transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in Dallas with open cabinets, white cabinets, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

High-Contrast Luxury Home

Cambria

This large, open-concept home features Cambria Swanbridge in the kitchen, baths, laundry room, and butler’s pantry. Designed by E Interiors and AFT Construction. Photo: High Res Media

W. Creekside Residence

Dillon Kyle Architects (DKA)

Casey Dunn Photography
Inspiration for a large beach style l-shaped kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and timber splashback.

Rustic Eclecticism Kitchen Remodel: Chester Springs, PA

HomeTech Renovations, Inc.

A dynamic and multifaceted entertaining area, this kitchen is the center for family gatherings and its open floor plan is conducive to entertaining. The kitchen was designed to accomodate two cooks, and the small island is the perfect place for food preparation while family and guests interact with the host. The informal dining area was enlarged to create a functional eating area, and the space now incorporates a sliding French door that provides easy access to the new rear deck. Skylights that change color on demand to diminish strong, unwanted sunlight were also incorporated in the revamped dining area. A peninsula area located off of the main kitchen and dining room creates a great space for additional entertaining and storage. Character cherry cabinetry, tiger wood hardwood flooring, and dry stack running bond slate backsplash make bold statements within the space. The island top is a 3" thick Brazilian cherry end grain top, and the brushed black ash granite countertops elsewhere in the kitchen create a beautiful contrast against the cabinetry. A buffet area was incorporated into the adjoining family room to create a flow from space to space and to provide additional storage and a dry bar. Here the character cherry was maintained in the center part of the cabinetry and is flanked by a knotty maple to add more visual interest. The center backsplash is an onyx slate set in a basketweave pattern which is juxtaposed by cherry bead board on either side. The use of a variety of natural materials lends itself to the rustic style, while the cabinetry style, decorative light fixtures, and open layout provide the space with a contemporary twist. Here bold statements blend with subtle details to create a warm, welcoming, and eclectic space.

Douro Road

Garsden and Clarke Kitchens

Design ideas for a contemporary l-shaped kitchen pantry in Brisbane with open cabinets, black cabinets, cement tile splashback, no island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Milton Home #2

Keystone Millworks Inc

Photo of a transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in Atlanta with open cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, light hardwood floors, no island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Chestnut Hill

J. Stewart Designs

Large country u-shaped kitchen pantry in Jackson with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island and grey floor.

Urban Farmhouse

DK Homes

This home is full of clean lines, soft whites and grey, & lots of built-in pieces. Large entry area with message center, dual closets, custom bench with hooks and cubbies to keep organized. Living room fireplace with shiplap, custom mantel and cabinets, and white brick.

Kitchen

Murphy & Co. Design

Photos by Susan Gilmore
Traditional kitchen in Minneapolis with open cabinets, blue cabinets and black benchtop.

Mountain-Inspired Living

Rufty Custom Built Homes and Remodeling

Country l-shaped kitchen pantry in Raleigh with an undermount sink, open cabinets, grey cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and multi-coloured benchtop.

Kitchen with Open Cabinets 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!