A traditional kitchen with touches of the farmhouse and Mediterranean styles. We used cool, light tones adding pops of color and warmth with natural wood.

Apartment Kitchen in Hartsdale, NY

Riemer Kitchens & Fine Cabinetry

Corner shot of kitchen perimeter in tiny apartment kitchen. White shaker doors and drawers. Stainless steel appliances. Subway tile to the ceiling.
Design ideas for a small modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

FOR SALE: Tanglewood Transitional Estate

Frankel Design Build

Photo of an expansive contemporary kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured benchtop, medium wood cabinets and stone slab splashback.

26th

Tracy Lynn Studio

Ryan Garvin
This is an example of a transitional kitchen in San Diego with glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, medium hardwood floors, with island, grey splashback, white appliances, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Repose Gray Starmark Inset Cabinetry

Kitchen Intuitions

Flush inset cabinetry gives a clean and simple look to any kitchen. This kitchen even has a flush refrigerator to keep with those clean lines throughout. Photos by VLG Photography

Modern, Grey V-Groove Kitchen with Butlers Pantry

Premier Kitchens

Large contemporary galley kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, with island, grey benchtop, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Hamilton Kitchen

Inspyre Home Design

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional galley separate kitchen in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Contemporary Home - Fremont

DMD General Construction, Inc.

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, cement tile splashback, white appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

New West Hills Residence

Otis Construction Inc.

Inspiration for a country l-shaped kitchen in Portland with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, medium hardwood floors, with island, beige benchtop, a farmhouse sink, beige splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Plano | Normandy Estates | Kitchen & Butler Cabinets (Partner)

Kitchen Design Concepts

The builder we partnered with for this beauty original wanted to use his cabinet person (who builds and finishes on site) but the clients advocated for manufactured cabinets - and we agree with them! These homeowners were just wonderful to work with and wanted materials that were a little more "out of the box" than the standard "white kitchen" you see popping up everywhere today - and their dog, who came along to every meeting, agreed to something with longevity, and a good warranty! The cabinets are from WW Woods, their Eclipse (Frameless, Full Access) line in the Aspen door style - a shaker with a little detail. The perimeter kitchen and scullery cabinets are a Poplar wood with their Seagull stain finish, and the kitchen island is a Maple wood with their Soft White paint finish. The space itself was a little small, and they loved the cabinetry material, so we even paneled their built in refrigeration units to make the kitchen feel a little bigger. And the open shelving in the scullery acts as the perfect go-to pantry, without having to go through a ton of doors - it's just behind the hood wall!

Sea Pearl Quartzite Countertops in Wayne PA

MacLaren Kitchen and Bath

Design, Fabrication, Install and Photography by MacLaren Kitchen and Bath Cabinetry: Centra/Mouser Square Inset style. Coventry Doors/Drawers and select Slab top drawers. Semi-Custom Cabinetry, mouldings and hardware installed by MacLaren and adjusted onsite. Decorative Hardware: Jeffrey Alexander/Florence Group Cups and Knobs Backsplash: Handmade Subway Tile in Crackled Ice with Custom ledge and frame installed in Sea Pearl Quartzite Countertops: Sea Pearl Quartzite with a Half-Round-Over Edge Sink: Blanco Large Single Bowl in Metallic Gray Extras: Modified wooden hood frame, Custom Doggie Niche feature for dog platters and treats drawer, embellished with a custom Corian dog-bone pull.

Refreshed Traditional Renovation in the Berkeley Hills

Lorin Hill, Architect

A traditional home in the Claremont Hills of Berkeley is enlarged and fully renovated to fit the lives of a young couple and their growing family. The existing partial upper floor was fully expanded to create three additional bedrooms, a hall bath, laundry room and updated master suite, with the intention that the expanded house volume harmoniously integrates with the architectural character of the existing home. A new central staircase brings in a tremendous amount of daylight to the heart of the ground floor while also providing a strong visual connection between the floors. The new stair includes access to an expanded basement level with storage and recreation spaces for the family. Main level spaces were also extensively upgraded with the help of noted San Francisco interior designer Grant K. Gibson. Photos by Kathryn MacDonald.

Contemporary in Chicago

Kitchen Design Partners, Inc.

Dennis Jourdan Photography
Photo of a small modern galley open plan kitchen in Chicago with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Gray and white transitional kitchen in Oakton, VA

Design Studio International

Large transitional u-shaped kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, mosaic tile splashback, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Modern Farmhouse Kitchen

State College Design & Construction

State College Design & Construction Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Wood beams from Pennsylvania Sawmill (Photo: Allen Mowrey)
Photo of a large country open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, grey benchtop and grey splashback.

Roswell Kitchen Reno

EK Interiors

This space was completely transformed from a U shaped 90s kitchen to an open concept & entertainer's dream. These empty nesters love to cook and have visions of grandkids lining up for lunch at the wood bartop. We worked to create great large workspaces while also directing the flow of traffic out of the major workspaces. The overall goals for the aesthetics were to keep it light and bright, anchoring it with the dark island.

Coastal Cottage

ADŌR Homes

reclaimed wood drawers Benjamin moore super white cabinets quartz countertops closet organizer in gray Smoke Gray tile with white grout Sub Zero glass front fridge Microwave with Trim Kit Image by @Spacecrafting

A Dynamic Make-over for a Busy Family!

Innovative Design Build

"I cannot say enough good things about the Innovative Construction team and work product. They remodeled our water-damaged, 1930s basement, and exceeded all of our expectations - before and after photos simply cannot do this project justice. The original basement included an awkward staircase in an awkward location, one bedroom, one bathroom, a kitchen and small living space. We had a difficult time imagining that it could be much more than that. Innovative Construction's design team was creative, and thought completely out of the box. They relocated the stairwell in a way we did not think was possible, opening up the basement to reconfigure the bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette, living space, but also adding an office and finished storage room. The end result is as functional as it is beautiful. As with all construction, particularly a renovation of an old house, there will be inconveniences, it will be messy, and plenty of surprises behind the old walls. The Innovative Construction team maintained a clean and safe work site for 100% of the project, with minimal disruption to our daily lives, even when there was a large hole cut into our main living room floor to accommodate new stairs down to the basement. The team showed creativity and an eye for design when working around some of the unexpected "character" revealed when opening the walls. The team effectively uses technology to keep everyone on the same page about changes, requests, schedules, contracts, invoices, etc. Everyone is friendly, competent, helpful, and responsive. I felt heard throughout the process, and my requests were responded to quickly and thoroughly. I recommend Innovative Construction without reservation."

Medina | Custom Home

John Buchan Homes

Inspiration for a large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Wilmette Kitchen

Ryder Homes LLC

This is an example of a small transitional eat-in kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen with Quartzite Benchtops and Medium Hardwood 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!