Colin Conces
Design ideas for a small midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in Omaha with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, glass sheet splashback, panelled appliances, porcelain floors, a peninsula, black floor and white benchtop.

Terrace Avenue

Burmeister Woodwork

Reagen Taylor Photography
Photo of a large contemporary u-shaped separate kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Dark shaker style kitchen

Alice Cabinetry

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Santaluz Project

Anne Rae Design

Photography: Jenny Siegwart
Inspiration for a large transitional kitchen in San Diego with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, travertine floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

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.

Westlake Contemporary New Construction

Laura Burton Interiors

An Indoor Lady
Inspiration for an expansive contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Austin with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

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.

The Tower Bridge Kitchen

Naked Kitchens

Andy Langley
Inspiration for a small scandinavian galley kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, quartzite benchtops, ceramic floors, beige floor, white benchtop, an undermount sink, black appliances, turquoise cabinets and a peninsula.

Upcycled grey kitchen with quartz and walnut surfaces

Stoneham Kitchens

The kitchen island with solid walnut worktop sets it apart from the white quartz of surfaces of the other units from Stoneham's traditional Scotney collection hand-painted in Farrow and Ball's Dove Tale Grey. Sensio lighting under the cabinets and in the chimney breast area above the oven keeps the kitchen looking light in the more enclosed areas.

Wanstead

Classic Kitchens

Large modern open plan kitchen in London with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, with island and white benchtop.

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

Glasscock

Clearcut Construction, Inc.

Love how this kitchen renovation creates an open feel for our clients to their dining room and office and a better transition to back yard!
Large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Raleigh with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Kenmare Studio Green

The Design Yard

Classic shaker kitchen hand painted in Farrow & Ball Studio Green estate eggshell. Range cooker by Lacanche Silestone Lagoon quartz work surface with polished brass handles & pendant lights

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.

Cherry Creek French Country

Heirloom Wood Studio

Whether you're preparing a Thanksgiving feast or grabbing breakfast on the go as you whirl out the door to work, having a highly functional kitchen requires an upfront attention to design detail that borders on fanatical. That's why Colorado Fine Woodworks' kitchen cabinet projects include an in-depth discussion about how you actually use your kitchen. Left-handed or right-handed? Doors or drawers? Concealing or revealing? We ask all the questions, listen to your answers, take our own measurements onsite, create 3D drawings, manage installation, and collaborate with you to ensure even the smallest elements are carefully considered. And, of course, we also make it beautiful, whether your tastes tend toward traditional or contemporary, incorporating influences from elegant to rustic to reclaimed. Our work is: - exclusively custom, built EXACTLY to the specifications of your kitchen - designed to optimize every square inch, with no fillers or dead spaces - crafted to highlight or hide any feature you wish - including your appliances - thoughtfully and thoroughly plotted, from hinges to hardware

Industrial Kitchen

This is an example of a mid-sized industrial galley separate kitchen in Sussex with shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite benchtops, slate floors, white benchtop, brown splashback, brick splashback, panelled appliances, a peninsula and brown floor.

Beautiful, light and spacious Shaker kitchen in Farnham

Chisholm Design

This beautiful, solid wood, in-frame Shaker kitchen was part of a complete house renovation. The client wanted a light, airy and practical kitchen. It includes large island, American-style fridge/freezer framed by built-in larder units providing plenty of food storage and a bi-fold butler unit neatly houses all the tea and coffee making equipment. An electric/induction hob range cooker is complemented by a Quooker boiling water tap, providing plenty of instant boiling water. The units were were supplied by The White Kitchen Company and hand-painted in Farrow and Ball Railings on the island and Drop Cloth for the remainder. The light quartz worktop is Silestone 'Lagoon'.

Kitchen with Quartzite Benchtops and White Benchtop 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!