What was once a confused mixture of enclosed rooms, has been logically transformed into a series of well proportioned spaces, which seamlessly flow between formal, informal, living, private and outdoor activities. Opening up and connecting these living spaces, and increasing access to natural light has permitted the use of a dark colour palette. The finishes combine natural Australian hardwoods with synthetic materials, such as Dekton porcelain and Italian vitrified floor tiles

Storage aplenty with this well planned Walk In Pantry

Ultimate Kitchens & Bathrooms

Most people would relate to the typical floor plan of a 1980's Brick Veneer home. Disconnected living spaces with closed off rooms, the original layout comprised of a u shaped kitchen with an archway leading to the adjoining dining area that hooked around to a living room behind the kitchen wall. The client had put a lot of thought into their requirements for the renovation, knowing building works would be involved. After seeing Ultimate Kitchens and Bathrooms projects feature in various magazines, they approached us confidently, knowing we would be able to manage this scale of work alongside their new dream kitchen. Our designer, Beata Brzozowska worked closely with the client to gauge their ideals. The space was transformed with the archway wall between the being replaced by a beam to open up the run of the space to allow for a galley style kitchen. An idealistic walk in pantry was then cleverly incorporated to the design, where all storage needs could be concealed behind sliding doors. This gave scope for the bench top to be clutter free leading out to an alfresco space via bi-fold bay windows which acted as a servery. An island bench at the living end side creates a great area for children to sit engaged in their homework or for another servery area to the interior zone. A lot of research had been undertaken by this client before contacting us at Ultimate Kitchens & Bathrooms. Photography: Marcel Voestermans

White matt kitchens

LWK London Kitchens

Satin lacquer Polar white kitchen finish, with a Powder-coated white handleless channel to match the doors. Worktop: 20mm Designer White Corian
This is an example of a contemporary open plan kitchen in London with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, with island and light hardwood floors.

Richmond

Morph Interior Ltd

Alison Hammond
This is an example of a large modern galley kitchen in London with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Tri-Color Kitchen

Miyuki Yamaguchi Design Studio

Photo of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, recessed, wood and medium wood cabinets.

Barnes Family Home

Imperfect Interiors

Chris Snook
Design ideas for a transitional eat-in kitchen in London with shaker cabinets, solid surface benchtops, with island, grey floor, grey cabinets and white benchtop.

NICOLLET

Kate Roos Design LLC

A peak inside the hidden pantry
Design ideas for a large transitional single-wall open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, multiple islands, brown floor and white benchtop.

Transitional Two Toned Kitchen

UB Kitchens - San Antonio

Photo of a traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and shaker cabinets.

Oak Hill Addition

The Kingston Group - Remodeling Specialists

Design ideas for a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in Nashville with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and medium hardwood floors.

Pine Manor Residence

MLH Designs,Inc

Nancy Nolan Photograpy
This is an example of a large modern kitchen in Little Rock with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops and panelled appliances.

Open Floor Plan Single Family House Los Angeles

GAVIN GREEN HOME DESIGN LLC

Clean and fresh white contemporary transitional kitchen dining area stands the test of time. The space features marble backsplash, solid surface white kitchen countertop, white painted shaker style cabinets, custom-made dining chairs with contrast color welt and adjustable solid maple wood table. Blue/gray furniture and trims keep the classic white space in balance.

The New Traditional

Kitchens by Eileen

Donovan Roberts Witmer
Traditional kitchen in Philadelphia with glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, stone tile splashback and multi-coloured splashback.

Classic Newburyport

B&G Cabinet, LLC

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Franklin Park Custom Home

WINN Design+Build

This is an example of a large u-shaped open plan kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone tile splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Warm contemporary Kitchen and living room in Arcadia

Metropolis Drafting and Construction Inc

Complete overhaul of the common area in this wonderful Arcadia home. The living room, dining room and kitchen were redone. The direction was to obtain a contemporary look but to preserve the warmth of a ranch home. The perfect combination of modern colors such as grays and whites blend and work perfectly together with the abundant amount of wood tones in this design. The open kitchen is separated from the dining area with a large 10' peninsula with a waterfall finish detail. Notice the 3 different cabinet colors, the white of the upper cabinets, the Ash gray for the base cabinets and the magnificent olive of the peninsula are proof that you don't have to be afraid of using more than 1 color in your kitchen cabinets. The kitchen layout includes a secondary sink and a secondary dishwasher! For the busy life style of a modern family. The fireplace was completely redone with classic materials but in a contemporary layout. Notice the porcelain slab material on the hearth of the fireplace, the subway tile layout is a modern aligned pattern and the comfortable sitting nook on the side facing the large windows so you can enjoy a good book with a bright view. The bamboo flooring is continues throughout the house for a combining effect, tying together all the different spaces of the house. All the finish details and hardware are honed gold finish, gold tones compliment the wooden materials perfectly.

Pull Out Drawers for Dishware

Benvenuti and Stein

Vertical roll-out pantry shelves flank the refrigerator with Led lighting- storage for dishware and food staples. Norman Sizemore - photographer
Photo of a large transitional kitchen in Chicago with grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, beige floor and white benchtop.

Victorian Kitchen

Traditional u-shaped separate kitchen in Portland with a farmhouse sink, green cabinets, recessed-panel cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Award Winning Mid-Century Modern Deck House

The Design Gallery

This view shows the play of the different wood tones throughout the space. The different woods keep the eye moving and draw you into the inviting space. We love the classic Cherner counter stools. The nostalgic pendants create some fun and add sculptural interest. All track lighting was replaced and expanded by cutting through beams to create good task lighting for all kitchen surfaces.

Wonderfully Walnut

Studio M Kitchen & Bath

Behind these walnut doors is a warm and inviting coffee bar! Adding pocket doors to your design lends flexibility with use of your space.
Mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, quartz benchtops, with island, dark wood cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Painted Cabinets

Everingham Design

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Columbus with a farmhouse sink, green cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor, white benchtop and shaker cabinets.

Kitchen with Quartz Benchtops and Solid Surface 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!