Custom island and plaster hood take center stage in this kitchen remodel. Full-wall wine, coffee and smoothie station on the right perimeter. Cabinets are white oak. Design by: Alison Giese Interiors

O'Brien Harris Walnut Kitchen

O'Brien Harris LLC

This custom new construction home located in Fox Trail, Illinois was designed for a sizeable family who do a lot of extended family entertaining. There was a strong need to have the ability to entertain large groups and the family cooks together. The family is of Indian descent and because of this there were a lot of functional requirements including thoughtful solutions for dry storage and spices. The architecture of this project is more modern aesthetic, so the kitchen design followed suit. The home sits on a wooded site and has a pool and lots of glass. Taking cues from the beautiful site, O’Brien Harris Cabinetry in Chicago focused the design on bringing the outdoors in with the goal of achieving an organic feel to the room. They used solid walnut timber with a very natural stain so the grain of the wood comes through. There is a very integrated feeling to the kitchen. The volume of the space really opens up when you get to the kitchen. There was a lot of thoughtfulness on the scaling of the cabinetry which around the perimeter is nestled into the architecture. obrienharris.com

Expansive Traditional in Scarsdale

Bilotta Kitchen & Home

For this project, the entire kitchen was designed around the “must-have” Lacanche range in the stunning French Blue with brass trim. That was the client’s dream and everything had to be built to complement it. Bilotta senior designer, Randy O’Kane, CKD worked with Paul Benowitz and Dipti Shah of Benowitz Shah Architects to contemporize the kitchen while staying true to the original house which was designed in 1928 by regionally noted architect Franklin P. Hammond. The clients purchased the home over two years ago from the original owner. While the house has a magnificent architectural presence from the street, the basic systems, appointments, and most importantly, the layout and flow were inappropriately suited to contemporary living. The new plan removed an outdated screened porch at the rear which was replaced with the new family room and moved the kitchen from a dark corner in the front of the house to the center. The visual connection from the kitchen through the family room is dramatic and gives direct access to the rear yard and patio. It was important that the island separating the kitchen from the family room have ample space to the left and right to facilitate traffic patterns, and interaction among family members. Hence vertical kitchen elements were placed primarily on existing interior walls. The cabinetry used was Bilotta’s private label, the Bilotta Collection – they selected beautiful, dramatic, yet subdued finishes for the meticulously handcrafted cabinetry. The double islands allow for the busy family to have a space for everything – the island closer to the range has seating and makes a perfect space for doing homework or crafts, or having breakfast or snacks. The second island has ample space for storage and books and acts as a staging area from the kitchen to the dinner table. The kitchen perimeter and both islands are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Paper White. The wall cabinets flanking the sink have wire mesh fronts in a statuary bronze – the insides of these cabinets are painted blue to match the range. The breakfast room cabinetry is Benjamin Moore’s Lampblack with the interiors of the glass cabinets painted in Paper White to match the kitchen. All countertops are Vermont White Quartzite from Eastern Stone. The backsplash is Artistic Tile’s Kyoto White and Kyoto Steel. The fireclay apron-front main sink is from Rohl while the smaller prep sink is from Linkasink. All faucets are from Waterstone in their antique pewter finish. The brass hardware is from Armac Martin and the pendants above the center island are from Circa Lighting. The appliances, aside from the range, are a mix of Sub-Zero, Thermador and Bosch with panels on everything.

Custom Kitchens

Elegant Woodwork & Construction Ltd.

Calbridge Homes Lorry Home Jean Perron Photography
Photo of a large contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Calgary with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, coloured appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Home Extension

Smith & Sons Renovations & Extensions Australia

This little fibro home in Mermaid Beach has undergone a huge transformation! Smith & Sons Gold Coast Central have extended the home giving our clients a new laundry, kid’s playroom, open plan kitchen, dining and living room that seamlessly flows onto the beautiful new deck. The new kitchen and butler’s pantry boast beautiful fish scale tiles, Velux skylights and Quantum Quartz bench tops in ‘Michelangelo’.

The Stunning Shaker Kitchen

Sustainable Kitchens

Shaker style oak cabinets are painted in Farrow & Ball Strong White. The Falcon range cooker is visible with a cornice fitted around the extractor hood above. The hanging pendant light adds a subtle industrial touch. Photography Credit - Charles O'Beirne

Rear Extension, Holly Road, Richmond

50 Degrees North Architects

Overview Simple extension in Twickenham. The Brief The primary aim of this project was to create a space to cook and eat in while repositioning the ground floor bathroom. Our Solution The clients blend of vintage and crisp modern architecture meant the scheme could be a little industrial in its aesthetic. We have combined several key features – An oversized rooflight to flood the kitchen with sun; a feature pivot door to the garden and a simple wrapped zinc roof. With the clients fantastic garden to look onto and a reclaimed gym floor to add a bit of reclaimed chic, this has created some striking, crisp architecture. Category

Park City Kitchen Reno

DFS Construction Inc.

Photo of a large transitional open plan kitchen in Salt Lake City with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, stone slab splashback, coloured appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Milano Collection New Construction in Panama City Beach, FL

Marquis Fine Cabinetry

Project Number: M1175 Design/Manufacturer/Installer: Marquis Fine Cabinetry Collection: Milano Finishes: Cafe + Bianco Lucido Features: Under Cabinet Lighting, Adjustable Legs/Soft Close (Standard), Toe-Kick LED Lighting, Floating Shelves, Pup Up Electrical Outlet Cabinet/Drawer Extra Options: GOLA Handleless System, Trash Bay Pullout, Maple Cutlery Insert, Maple Utility Insert, Chrome Tray Sliders

Park Slope Brownstone 4

Ben Herzog

Small transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite benchtops, coloured appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Asheville Rustic Ranch and Farmhouse Style Homes

Towery Builders, Inc.

Design ideas for a mid-sized country u-shaped separate kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, coloured appliances, dark hardwood floors and no island.

Maple City | New Modern Custom Home

kbh architects, ltd.

New Modern Lake House: Located on beautiful Glen Lake, this home was designed especially for its environment with large windows maximizing the view toward the lake. The lower awning windows allow lake breezes in, while clerestory windows and skylights bring light in from the south. A back porch and screened porch with a grill and commercial hood provide multiple opportunities to enjoy the setting. Michigan stone forms a band around the base with blue stone paving on each porch. Every room echoes the lake setting with shades of blue and green and contemporary wood veneer cabinetry.

Oak Frame Shaker Kitchen painted Light Grey and Stained Carbon.

Oliver Green Kitchens Ltd

Characterised by its wide frame and deep profile, this chunky shaker-style door makes a robust statement with its formidable appearance. This Clonmel kitchen is truly timeless and is enhanced by the inclusion of its many exclusive accessories.

Oak Farm || Aged Oak Porcelain

Floors of Stone

Floors of Stone The earthy tones in this deVOL Shaker kitchen are complemented by the Aged Oak Wood Effect Porcelain on the floor.
Expansive country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, coloured appliances, porcelain floors, with island and brown floor.

Gifford Custom Kitchen

That Design Studio

Mid-sized traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, stone tile splashback, coloured appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Manhattan Apartment

Eberlein Design Consultants Ltd.

Kitchen Photo credit: Tom Crane
Photo of a mid-sized traditional l-shaped separate kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, brown floor, recessed-panel cabinets, coloured appliances, cork floors and no island.

The Surrey Kitchen by deVOL

deVOL Kitchens

deVOL Kitchens
Photo of a mid-sized country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Surrey with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, brick splashback, coloured appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

2023 Decorators' Show House

Cabinetry Ideas

Custom kitchen mixes walnut and painted cabinetry. A cooks dream with professional appliances. Seating at island is great for family life or entertaining.

Berlin CT Kitchen Remodel

Fine Home Contracting LLC

Kitchen remodel in Berlin Connecticut, Compete gut to studs with new layout, electrical, plumbing, flooring, window, backsplash
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Bridgeport with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, coloured appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Bradley Beach Retro Kitchen

Coastal Kitchens & Baths, LLC

Design ideas for a small eclectic galley eat-in kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops and coloured appliances.

Kitchen with Quartzite Benchtops and Coloured Appliances 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!