Alberta Kitchen Remodel--Holliston, Massachusetts

Photo of a large transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island and grey floor.

Deer Hollow Drive Napa CA

Jane Ellison

“With the open-concept floor plan, this kitchen needed to have a galley layout,” Ellison says. A large island helps delineate the kitchen from the other rooms around it. These include a dining area directly behind the kitchen and a living room to the right of the dining room. This main floor also includes a small TV lounge, a powder room and a mudroom. The house sits on a slope, so this main level enjoys treehouse-like canopy views out the back. The bedrooms are on the walk-out lower level.“These homeowners liked grays and neutrals, and their style leaned contemporary,” Ellison says. “They also had a very nice art collection.” The artwork is bright and colorful, and a neutral scheme provided the perfect backdrop for it. They also liked the idea of using durable laminate finishes on the cabinetry. The laminates have the look of white oak with vertical graining. The galley cabinets are lighter and warmer, while the island has the look of white oak with a gray wash for contrast. The countertops and backsplash are polished quartzite. The quartzite adds beautiful natural veining patterns and warm tones to the room.

Aliso Viejo- Hollyleaf

Streamline Construction

This is an example of a small transitional l-shaped kitchen in Orange County with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, a peninsula, brown floor and white benchtop.

Narragansett Bay Whole House Remodel

RIKB Design Build

By adding a small addition to the right side of the home we were able to enlarge the client's kitchen and dining room. Several interior walls were also relocated to accommodate a first floor guest suite.

Mike & Brooke's Kitchen

Sterling Construction, Inc.

Our biggest remodel yet! We removed a wall & some windows to create this beautiful space at Lake Norman. We also tried something new- using chemicals to bleach out the redness in the Brazilian Cherry floors.

Bellerose Kitchen/Powder Room

EL Design Studio

Our Bellerose Project was a combination of a kitchen and powder room remodel. Our work was inspired by our client's career- an arborist who wanted to bring her love of nature in. In doing so, we incorporated subtle color changes, movement, and reclaimed wood elements. We moved the powder room from the center of the space and were able to combine two spaces to create a functional and more spacious kitchen.

Class Romantic Ranch

KBG Design

Inspiration for a large scandinavian u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Handmade Classic Contemporary Kitchen

Kitchen Connection of Ascot (KCA)

This handmade, hand painted Davenport kitchen is designed with a blend of contemporary and traditional features. The L shaped island maximises this large space and provides ample surface area for food preparation. The breakfast bar seating area features a stone column and adds a contemporary twist to this Shaker kitchen.

Contemporary Modern Custom Home in Bellaire, Texas

Purser Architectural

Purser Architectural Custom Home Design built by Tommy Cashiola Custom Homes.
This is an example of a large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Houston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Farmhouse Kitchen

Photo of a large country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

East Greenlake Residence - AS SEEN ON RUE

Michelle Dirkse Interior Design

Photos by Alex Hayden Photography
This is an example of a contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartzite benchtops, marble splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, dark wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback and beige floor.

Wooded Retreat

Scott Christopher Homes

Ashley Avilla
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary kitchen in Grand Rapids with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Clubview Court

SR Design Group, Inc.

This kitchen's timeless look will outlast the trends with neutral cabinets, an organic marble backsplash and brushed gold fixtures. We included ample countertop space for this family of four to invite friends and entertain large groups. Ten foot ceilings allowed for higher wall cabinets for a more dramatic space.

Fairfax - U Shaped Kitchen w/ Island

Ready 2 Remodel

We Removed one of the entry walls to open up the floor plan and expanded the U-shaped kitchen. Remodeled the entire Kitchen and added an island with a small coffee bar area. Kitchen cabinets includes custom crown and base Cabinet molding. Custom Marble mosaic backsplash illuminated with Cabinet Lighting. Check out the custom accessories!!

Truehart

Clearcut Construction, Inc.

Washing dishes with a view is so much better than staring at a wall. Not only does this large window give us a pretty view, but provides lots of natural light to come into the kitchen.

Memorial Park

MMI Design

Mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and beige benchtop.

Kitchen - Western Springs

Nail It Innovations, Inc.

Design ideas for a large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Eastchester Kitchen

A&B Contracting Co.

Chastity Cortijo
Photo of a small traditional u-shaped kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, marble splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and white splashback.

A not just white kitchen

Think Chic Interiors

A kitchen that was part of a home extension, features custom made cabinetry. The cabinets are painted with Benjamin Moore decorators white and the island is painted in Benjamin Moore hale navy, the counter tops are a Calcutta quartz, and the backsplash is a marble and brass herringbone. The appliances are stainless steel while the hardware and faucets are brass. The eat in kitchen area has a bit of a farmhouse feel and looks out to the backyard through large double French doors. photography by: Hulya Kolabas

Appartamento Monteverde

zero6studio

Paolo Fusco
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Rome with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, painted wood floors, a peninsula and white floor.

Kitchen with Quartzite Benchtops and Marble Splashback 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!