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.

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

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.

Washington Residence

KitchenLab Interiors

Industrial separate kitchen in Chicago with white splashback, subway tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, an integrated sink, open cabinets and stainless steel benchtops.

Newtown House

Jasmin Latona Photography

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Hobart with a double-bowl sink, open cabinets, light wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and concrete floors.

Kitchen Island with Custom Wine Storage

General Assembly

Open plan kitchen and living room with custom kitchen island that includes wine storage. Open shelving mounted on steel brackets support dishes and provide for light from above.

Waterfront Cottage

b Architecture Studio

Small beach style l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Boston with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, green splashback, porcelain splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Historic Piano Factory AirBnB

HouseHome

Built in 1896, the original site of the Baldwin Piano warehouse was transformed into several turn-of-the-century residential spaces in the heart of Downtown Denver. The building is the last remaining structure in Downtown Denver with a cast-iron facade. HouseHome was invited to take on a poorly designed loft and transform it into a luxury Airbnb rental. Since this building has such a dense history, it was our mission to bring the focus back onto the unique features, such as the original brick, large windows, and unique architecture. Our client wanted the space to be transformed into a luxury, unique Airbnb for world travelers and tourists hoping to experience the history and art of the Denver scene. We went with a modern, clean-lined design with warm brick, moody black tones, and pops of green and white, all tied together with metal accents. The high-contrast black ceiling is the wow factor in this design, pushing the envelope to create a completely unique space. Other added elements in this loft are the modern, high-gloss kitchen cabinetry, the concrete tile backsplash, and the unique multi-use space in the Living Room. Truly a dream rental that perfectly encapsulates the trendy, historical personality of the Denver area.

Bouldin Pied-Á-Terre

Ashby Collective

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in Austin with a drop-in sink, open cabinets, light wood cabinets, limestone benchtops, white splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and beige benchtop.

Lewiston ADU

HDR Remodeling Inc.

Photo of a small industrial u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with open cabinets, wood benchtops, brown benchtop, an undermount sink, coloured appliances, grey floor, vaulted and a peninsula.

Pantry

Distinctive Interiors

Photo of a large transitional kitchen pantry in Boston with white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, with island, white benchtop and open cabinets.

Barwon Heads II

Stonehouse + Irons Architecture

Inspiration for a beach style kitchen in Geelong with an integrated sink, open cabinets, light wood cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, metallic splashback and with island.

The Lakes

Field Day Studio

Lobster and Swan
Country l-shaped kitchen in London with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, green cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, with island and grey floor.

Modern Farmhouse

Sita Montgomery Interiors

Country eat-in kitchen in Salt Lake City with open cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Alamo Square Beautiful Home

Hayasa Flooring Design, Inc

Photo of a large modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and grey benchtop.

Coastal Sliding French Doors and Windows

D.K. Boos Glass Inc

Inspiration for a beach style l-shaped kitchen in Orange County with a double-bowl sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, blue splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and with island.

Santa Cruz Spectacular Transitional Kitchen

Design Matters

Crisp, clean, lines of this beautiful black and white kitchen with a gray and warm wood twist~
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in San Francisco with white cabinets, quartz benchtops, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, an undermount sink, open cabinets, white splashback and light hardwood floors.

Contemporary Kitchen

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped separate kitchen in Other with open cabinets, light wood cabinets, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and brown floor.

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

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.

All Islands 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!