Clean-lined, Transitional Kitchen in White & Grey

This clean profile, streamlined kitchen embodies today's transitional look. The white painted perimeter cabinetry contrasts the grey stained island, while perfectly blending cool and warm tones.

Fence Post Lane Model

Cotner Building & Remodeling Company, LLC

Photo of a mid-sized country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Boise with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Fence Post Lane Model

Cotner Building & Remodeling Company, LLC

Design ideas for a mid-sized country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Boise with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Beach Style Kitchen

This is an example of a large beach style galley kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

2015 PUR-FS TOPOS

Leicht Westchester-Greenwich

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern open plan kitchen in New York with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, with island, an integrated sink and concrete floors.

Cole

Deco Design

Closeup of the door to the hidden pantry. False panels and hardware to match the rest of the bank of cabinets. We custom made all of the kitchen cabinetry and shelving. The kitchen was a small area so maximizing usable space with function and design was crucial. The transitional design features a pantry wall with the Sub Zero all glass door refrigerator and oven cabinet centered and equal size pantry cabinets to either side with 3 large storage drawers below and rollout shelves and work surfaces behind the door cabinets above in each with a hidden walk-in pantry door next to the Sub Zero. The cabinets on the range wall all have large storage drawers with wood organizers in the top drawer for spices and utensils. The client also wanted floating shelves to either side of the steel hood which were made from re-sawn maple to look like cut pieces from an old beam, each shelf is lit from the underside with LED flush mounted puck lights. The island was our biggest challenge. It needed to house several appliances of different size, a farmhouse sink and be able to have function from all 4 sides and still have room for seating space on the backside. The sink side has the farmhouse sink centered with storage drawers to the right that feature wood organizers and a double middle drawer to help hold all the small utensils and still maintain the 3 drawer look from the front view that matches the integrated dishwasher to the left. The right side contains both the integrated soft close trash unit and an icemaker with a third false panel door to maintain the size balance for all three. The left side houses the Sub Zero undercounter freezer. I wanted the face to look like six equal sized drawers, which left the integrated drawer fronts for the freezer overlapping the side panel for the dishwasher. The back of the island has storage tucked up under the seating space. The quartz countertop meets up against the maple butcher block to create a stunning island top. All in all the end result of this kitchen is a beautiful space with wonderful function. We finished the false beams in our exclusive hand-rubbed cappuccino stain. Photos: Kimball Ungerman

East Bay Kitchen

Rochelle Silberman Design

This traditional home contained an outdated kitchen, eating area, powder room, pantry and laundry area. The spaces were reconfigured so that the kitchen occupied all of the space. What was once an opening into an under utilized hallway, became a pantry closet. A full bathroom was tucked behind the pantry into space from the breezeway.

The Lund Project

The Plumbery

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional single-wall eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Elk Country Estate_French Country_Walk in Pantry

Cascade Builders & Associates Inc.

Mid-sized u-shaped kitchen pantry in Other with a drop-in sink, grey cabinets, medium hardwood floors, no island, open cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback and subway tile splashback.

West University - Kitchen

Edwards Interiors and Design, LLC

French Blue Photography www.frenchbluephotography.com
This is an example of a large traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and subway tile splashback.

Modern Urban Kitchen Renovation

Design Build Duluth

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with blue splashback, with island, an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, marble floors, grey floor and white benchtop.

Venice Micro Apartment

Vertebrae Art and Architecture

Art Gray
Photo of a small contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, concrete floors, grey cabinets, metallic splashback, panelled appliances, solid surface benchtops, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Roll-Out Shelves

Shelf Confident

Photo of a mid-sized traditional galley open plan kitchen in Austin with raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white appliances, travertine floors, solid surface benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback and multiple islands.

Kitchen Island and Breakfast Nook

Lauren Shadid Architecture + Interiors

Island color was custom. Countertops are Princess White Quartzite. Light fixtures over island are from Rejuvenation (exact type has been discontinued) Photos by Holly Lepere

Contemporary Condo Kitchen Conversion - Chicago, IL

Drury Design

Like most high rises in the city, this kitchen was lacking in square footage. To give the illusion of more space, super white cabinetry from Grabill Cabinet Company and Arabascato quartzite countertops were installed. Perfect for entertaining, dual peninsulas comfortably provide seating for four people. The multi-tiered ceiling provides both general task lighting & ambient cove lighting accentuating the architectural details in this kitchen. The Wolf induction cooktop and single oven, along with the Broan ventilation system, fit perfectly on limited available wall space. Neutral arabesque glass backsplash tile was used on the wall behind the hood to create an eye-catching focal point.

Rosenwald House

Flavin Architects

This remodel of a mid century gem is located in the town of Lincoln, MA a hot bed of modernist homes inspired by Gropius’ own house built nearby in the 1940’s. By the time the house was built, modernism had evolved from the Gropius era, to incorporate the rural vibe of Lincoln with spectacular exposed wooden beams and deep overhangs. The design rejects the traditional New England house with its enclosing wall and inward posture. The low pitched roofs, open floor plan, and large windows openings connect the house to nature to make the most of its rural setting. Photo by: Nat Rae Photography

Oak Park Kitchen by TZS Design

Marcel Page Photography

Marcel Page Photography Design by TZS Design
Photo of a traditional kitchen in Chicago with subway tile splashback and quartzite benchtops.

GREEN with Envy: LEED Certified Whole House Renovation

Harry Braswell Inc.

LEED Certified renovation of existing house.
Traditional kitchen in DC Metro with mosaic tile splashback, quartzite benchtops, a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, blue splashback and white benchtop.

Black in the 'Stow

PlaceDesign Kitchens and Interiors

The view from the sofa into the kitchen. A relatively small space but good coming has meant the area feels uncluttered yet still has a lot of storage.

Trevaylor Cottage

Lydia Allen Interiors

Small eclectic u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Cornwall with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, yellow cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, terra-cotta floors, no island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen with Quartzite 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!