Photo of a midcentury single-wall eat-in kitchen in Kansas City with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, granite splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors, with island, black floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

A Modern Kitchen for a Retreat in the Woods

Amazing Spaces

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

Water Mill Refurbishment

Woodford Architecture and Interiors

Photo of a large country u-shaped kitchen in Devon with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, blue cabinets, solid surface benchtops, brown splashback, stone slab splashback, slate floors, no island, grey floor, white benchtop and panelled appliances.

Blue, White, Orange Kitchen

Tracey Stephens Interior Design Inc

Wing Wong/Memories TTL
Mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, brick splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors, a peninsula and grey floor.

FOR SALE - Dream Home in Mont-Tremblant

BROKEREDBYJOSH - Josh Jagermann

Design ideas for a large country u-shaped open plan kitchen in Montreal with shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, slate floors, with island, vaulted, wood, a farmhouse sink, grey splashback, panelled appliances, multi-coloured floor and black benchtop.

Fitler Square Trinity

Kaminski + Pew

Pantry wall of compact kitchen. Slate tile flooring, hand-glazed ceramic tile backsplash, custom walnut cabinetry, and quartzite countertop.
Design ideas for a small contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, green splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors, a peninsula, grey floor and white benchtop.

le charme parisien

atelier daaa

Photo : BCDF Studio
Design ideas for a mid-sized scandinavian u-shaped separate kitchen in Paris with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors, no island, a single-bowl sink, grey floor and beige benchtop.

Springlake Ave. Hinsdale Kitchen

Plain & Posh

When these homeowners first approached me to help them update their kitchen, the first thing that came to mind was to open it up. The house was over 70 years old and the kitchen was a small boxed in area, that did not connect well to the large addition on the back of the house. Removing the former exterior, load bearinig, wall opened the space up dramatically. Then, I relocated the sink to the new peninsula and the range to the outside wall. New windows were added to flank the range. The homeowner is an architect and designed the stunning hood that is truly the focal point of the room. The shiplap island is a complex work that hides 3 drawers and spice storage. The original slate floors have radiant heat under them and needed to remain. The new greige cabinet color, with the accent of the dark grayish green on the custom furnuture piece and hutch, truly compiment the floor tones. Added features such as the wood beam that hides the support over the peninsula and doorway helped warm up the space. There is also a feature wall of stained shiplap that ties in the wood beam and ship lap details on the island.

Arts & Crafts Kitchen

David Heide Design Studio

Architecture & Interior Design: David Heide Design Studio -- Photos: Susan Gilmore
Design ideas for an arts and crafts u-shaped separate kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, red splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors and with island.

Rénovation Appartement Scandinave (en cours)

Mimi's Home design- Décoratrice d'intérieur Ufdi

didier guillot-Meero
This is an example of a small scandinavian l-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets, wood benchtops, green splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors and grey floor.

Dogwood Ct

Valia Design

This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Detroit with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, slate floors, with island, multi-coloured floor and panelled appliances.

Woodridge Residence

The Designers

This is an example of a mid-sized country l-shaped separate kitchen in Omaha with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, slate splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors, with island and grey floor.

Kalorama House

Cliff Elmore Architects PLLC

Catherine Tighe
Photo of a large traditional galley separate kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors, with island and grey floor.

Olathe MCM

Stumpff HomeWorks, LLC

Inspiration for a large midcentury single-wall kitchen in Kansas City with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, orange cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, granite splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors, with island, black floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Création de la cuisine. Travail de la couleur et des matières.

ATELIER DES TUILERIES

Inspiration for an expansive modern open plan kitchen in Paris with flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite benchtops, metal splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors, no island and black benchtop.

Barton Creek Custom

Design Visions of Austin

This is an example of a country galley kitchen in Austin with with island, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances and slate floors.

Alcaraz kitchen

Sebastian Eilert Architecture

Glass breakfast counter for everyday use. Slate floor. Integrated paneled fridge and freezer. Light by Artemide.
This is an example of a contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Miami with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, panelled appliances, slate floors and glass benchtops.

Industrial Chic

Cabri inc

Photo of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen in New York with white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, slate floors, with island, an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, panelled appliances and grey floor.

Fitler Square Trinity

Kaminski + Pew

Detail of small kitchen with compact range. Slate tile flooring, hand-glazed ceramic tile backsplash, custom walnut cabinetry, and quartzite countertop.

French Farmhouse

JEFFERY ROBERTS DESIGN

Inspiration for a country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Grand Rapids with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, distressed cabinets, soapstone benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, terra-cotta splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors and a peninsula.

Kitchen with Panelled Appliances and Slate Floors 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!