Modern Minimalism - Ground Floor Renovation

Light and airy contemporary kitchen with minimalist features. The large, stone clad island and expansive skylight hero the space.
Photo of a large modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Sydney with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, black appliances, laminate floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

So much storage

Collaroy Kitchen Centre

This renovation included kitchen, laundry, powder room, with extensive building work.
Inspiration for an expansive transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Sydney with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, black appliances, laminate floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

The Art of Modern Kitchen Design

Nest n Style Design

Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sydney with white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, with island, white benchtop, a double-bowl sink, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, brown floor, flat-panel cabinets and dark hardwood floors.

COASTAL HAMPTONS LUXE HOME | Stephanie & David

INNOVATIVE KITCHENS

Inspiration for a large beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Adelaide with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, ceramic splashback, black appliances, laminate floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Cremorne Residence

Jodie Carter Design

Coastal Luxe style kitchen in our Cremorne project features cabinetry in Dulux Blue Rapsody and Snowy Mountains Quarter, and timber veneer in Planked Oak.

Lindsay Court Stage 2

Lisa Cannon Interior Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Melbourne with flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, black appliances, a peninsula and white benchtop.

Links Road

Santamaria Design

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary galley kitchen in Sydney with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, with island, white benchtop, window splashback, panelled appliances and grey floor.

Oh What A Ceiling!

Green Sheep Collective

‘Oh What A Ceiling!’ ingeniously transformed a tired mid-century brick veneer house into a suburban oasis for a multigenerational family. Our clients, Gabby and Peter, came to us with a desire to reimagine their ageing home such that it could better cater to their modern lifestyles, accommodate those of their adult children and grandchildren, and provide a more intimate and meaningful connection with their garden. The renovation would reinvigorate their home and allow them to re-engage with their passions for cooking and sewing, and explore their skills in the garden and workshop.

Kitchen

Dennehy Builders Pty Ltd

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Geelong with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, white benchtop, wood and grey floor.

Extension | The Ponds

iBuild Group Pty Ltd

Design ideas for a large contemporary eat-in kitchen in Sydney with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, black appliances, vinyl floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Attadale Project

Western Cabinets

Polished aggregate flooring, with satin lacquered slabbed doors warmed with stained oak timber paneling and marbled benches.
Expansive contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Perth with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Pi_Pad

Mcmahon and Nerlich

Light filled kitchen and dining space, with bespoke dining table and featuring Australian artists.
Mid-sized contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, green splashback, glass sheet splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Palm Beach

Blackburne Designs

Open kitchen, dining, living
Inspiration for a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Gold Coast - Tweed with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, multi-coloured floor and white benchtop.

What is Cooking - Kitchen Renovation

Comma Design Studio

The client came to comma design in need of an upgrade to their existing kitchen to allow for more storage and cleaner look. They wanted to swap their laminate bench to a sleek stone bench tops that can provide a luxurious loo to their space. Comma design worked closely with the trades on site to achieve the results.

Minimalist White Queenslander Renovation

Ethos Interiors

Lovingly called the ‘white house’, this stunning Queenslander was given a contemporary makeover with oak floors, custom joinery and modern furniture and artwork. Creative detailing and unique finish selections reference the period details of a traditional home, while bringing it into modern times.

Bradleys Head Road

LivingLot

Mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Periscope House

Mihaly Slocombe

Periscope House draws light into a young family’s home, adding thoughtful solutions and flexible spaces to 1950s Art Deco foundations. Our clients engaged us to undertake a considered extension to their character-rich home in Malvern East. They wanted to celebrate their home’s history while adapting it to the needs of their family, and future-proofing it for decades to come. The extension’s form meets with and continues the existing roofline, politely emerging at the rear of the house. The tones of the original white render and red brick are reflected in the extension, informing its white Colorbond exterior and selective pops of red throughout. Inside, the original home’s layout has been reimagined to better suit a growing family. Once closed-in formal dining and lounge rooms were converted into children’s bedrooms, supplementing the main bedroom and a versatile fourth room. Grouping these rooms together has created a subtle definition of zones: private spaces are nestled to the front, while the rear extension opens up to shared living areas. A tailored response to the site, the extension’s ground floor addresses the western back garden, and first floor (AKA the periscope) faces the northern sun. Sitting above the open plan living areas, the periscope is a mezzanine that nimbly sidesteps the harsh afternoon light synonymous with a western facing back yard. It features a solid wall to the west and a glass wall to the north, emulating the rotation of a periscope to draw gentle light into the extension. Beneath the mezzanine, the kitchen, dining, living and outdoor spaces effortlessly overlap. Also accessible via an informal back door for friends and family, this generous communal area provides our clients with the functionality, spatial cohesion and connection to the outdoors they were missing. Melding modern and heritage elements, Periscope House honours the history of our clients’ home while creating light-filled shared spaces – all through a periscopic lens that opens the home to the garden.

Warriewood Kitchen + Laundry

Northern Beaches Kitchens and Bathrooms

Small contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Sydney with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and beige splashback.

Fairway Project

Dion Group Projects

This is an example of a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Sydney with turquoise cabinets, quartz benchtops, engineered quartz splashback, with island, white benchtop, a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white splashback, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Crafers Living Renovation

Plush Design Interiors

Three small rooms were demolished to enable a new kitchen and open plan living space to be designed. The kitchen has a drop-down ceiling to delineate the space. A window became french doors to the garden. The former kitchen was re-designed as a mudroom. The laundry had new cabinetry. New flooring throughout. A linen cupboard was opened to become a study nook with dramatic wallpaper. Custom ottoman were designed and upholstered for the drop-down dining and study nook. A family of five now has a fantastically functional open plan kitchen/living space, family study area, and a mudroom for wet weather gear and lots of storage.

All Cabinet Styles Kitchen with Quartz 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!