Photo of a large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Phoenix with a double-bowl sink, dark wood cabinets, shaker cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, a peninsula and beige floor.

Territorial Update - Kitchen

Ernesto Garcia Interior Design, LLC

The efficient concentration of functions in the center of the kitchen rendered vast available space, expanding circulation all around the island and its surrounds.

OXB STUDIO Architects

Kasten Builders

Paul Dyer
Design ideas for a large contemporary l-shaped separate kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, grey splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, soapstone benchtops, light hardwood floors and grey benchtop.

Old World Tradition

Salem and Associates

This is an example of an expansive traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Dallas with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback, panelled appliances, travertine floors and multiple islands.

W Residence

Floor to Ceiling Carpet One Floor & Home

Robb Siverson Photography
Design ideas for a large modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Simple Elegance - New Kitchen Project in Buffalo - Williamsville, NY

Artisan Kitchens and Baths

Steven Paul Whitsitt
Mid-sized traditional single-wall eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Bluestone Manor House

Ward Jewell Architect AIA

These clients came to my office looking for an architect who could design their "empty nest" home that would be the focus of their soon to be extended family. A place where the kids and grand kids would want to hang out: with a pool, open family room/ kitchen, garden; but also one-story so there wouldn't be any unnecessary stairs to climb. They wanted the design to feel like "old Pasadena" with the coziness and attention to detail that the era embraced. My sensibilities led me to recall the wonderful classic mansions of San Marino, so I designed a manor house clad in trim Bluestone with a steep French slate roof and clean white entry, eave and dormer moldings that would blend organically with the future hardscape plan and thoughtfully landscaped grounds. The site was a deep, flat lot that had been half of the old Joan Crawford estate; the part that had an abandoned swimming pool and small cabana. I envisioned a pavilion filled with natural light set in a beautifully planted park with garden views from all sides. Having a one-story house allowed for tall and interesting shaped ceilings that carved into the sheer angles of the roof. The most private area of the house would be the central loggia with skylights ensconced in a deep woodwork lattice grid and would be reminiscent of the outdoor “Salas” found in early Californian homes. The family would soon gather there and enjoy warm afternoons and the wonderfully cool evening hours together. Working with interior designer Jeffrey Hitchcock, we designed an open family room/kitchen with high dark wood beamed ceilings, dormer windows for daylight, custom raised panel cabinetry, granite counters and a textured glass tile splash. Natural light and gentle breezes flow through the many French doors and windows located to accommodate not only the garden views, but the prevailing sun and wind as well. The graceful living room features a dramatic vaulted white painted wood ceiling and grand fireplace flanked by generous double hung French windows and elegant drapery. A deeply cased opening draws one into the wainscot paneled dining room that is highlighted by hand painted scenic wallpaper and a barrel vaulted ceiling. The walnut paneled library opens up to reveal the waterfall feature in the back garden. Equally picturesque and restful is the view from the rotunda in the master bedroom suite. Architect: Ward Jewell Architect, AIA Interior Design: Jeffrey Hitchcock Enterprises Contractor: Synergy General Contractors, Inc. Landscape Design: LZ Design Group, Inc. Photography: Laura Hull

Outside Inside House

Neil Cownie Architect Pty Ltd

A strong relationship between internal and external areas was sought for the main everyday living areas of the house, being the kitchen, meals area and dining room. Devices such as the highlight windows within these spaces allow a constant glimpse to the sky, the blurring of internal and external boundaries through the use of external materials within the house and the large openings making visual connections. The stone walls used externally have also been used internally to the south wall of the meals area and the copper soffit lining to the upper terrace runs internally in the bulkhead and ceiling to the kitchen, meals and dining room thereby blurring the internal and external areas. The ceilings within the dining room and kitchen / meals area are lined with timber battens. Along with providing warmth and detail to these spaces the timber battens also conceal acoustic insulation to assist with deadening the reverberant noise. The design and usability of the upper terrace itself was pivotal to the success of the house. It is the external area of the upper terrace that connects to extend the internal areas with the boundary between the two being blurred. A balance was reached between solar access and protection from the rain while maintaining a non-restricted view to the sky from internal areas through the use of glass roofs and automated awnings. Photo by Angelita Bonetti

Taj Mahal Quartzite in a Contemporary Kitchen

Granite Grannies

Taj Mahal Quartzite with a clean eased edge in a luxurious modern Annapolis, Maryland home. Quartzite is a 100% natural, quarried stone that looks like marble, but is durable and scratch resistant like granite. Taj Mahal Quartzite is one of the hardest natural countertop stones on the market.

Houston Wooded Bayou Home

Newberry Architecture

Trey Hunter Photography
Photo of a large traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Houston with with island, a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and limestone floors.

PentalQuartz - Borghini

Architectural Surfaces

Island countertop is PentalQuartz in Borghini
Photo of a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen pantry in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, concrete floors, with island and grey floor.

Tribeca Loft

Henrybuilt

Henrybuilt
This is an example of a large modern galley eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, black splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

NAVA | Custom Blown Glass Kitchen Pendant Lights | Modern Contemporary Lighting

Shakuff

A capsule of solid clear glass preserves it's inner core comprised of a delicate tube of drizzled blown glass with bouncing flecks of warm, amber light with our Nava blown glass pendant lights. Photo Credit: Sean Litchfield Photography

Spacious Transitional Kitchen with Dark Cabinetry

Lustig Custom Cabinets

Gorgeous decorative hood soars to the tall ceiling allowing a recessed area for display. Portraits by Mandi
Photo of an expansive transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors and a peninsula.

Gateway Residence

Constructive Solutions, Inc.

Photo: Mike Wiseman
Mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors and with island.

Natural Bungalow

Interior Design by Julie Johnson-Holland

Design ideas for a country u-shaped kitchen in Sacramento with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Short Hills Home

PORCELANOSA Group

kitchen: Roble ahumado wood laminate and gloss cream white lacquer floor: aston acero Designer/Architect: Simonian Rosenbaum photographer: Douglas Holt

Traditional dark cherry kitchen remodel features a huge custom cherry hood

Bay Area Kitchens

Custom cabinetry and Custom Hood Designed by Scott Haig, CKD of Bay Area Kitchens. Custom cabinets are Wood-Mode "Barcelona" door style with our "Esquire" finish on cherry, and feature heavy styling and intricate moldings. Hood was custom built by Wood-Mode, and has a Vent-A-Hood stainless steel liner. Countertops are Crema Bordeaux 3cm Backsplash tile from Architectural Design Resources (ADR) in Houston.

ST. JUDE HOUSE 2015 the dominion san antonio texas

OSCAR E. FLORES DESIGN STUDIO, LLC

This is an example of a contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, dark wood cabinets, orange splashback, mosaic tile splashback and with island.

Kitchen Remodel

Nixon Construction

Mid-sized traditional u-shaped separate kitchen in Tampa with a double-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, beige splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island and multi-coloured floor.

Kitchen with Orange Cabinets and Dark Wood 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!