THE SETUP Imagine how thrilled Diana was when she was approached about designing a kitchen for a client who is an avid traveler and Francophile. ‘French-country’ is a very specific category of traditional design that combines French provincial elegance with rustic comforts. The look draws on soothing hues, antique accents and a wonderful fusion of polished and relic’d finishes. Her client wanted to feel like she was in the south of France every time she walked into her kitchen. She wanted real honed marble counters, vintage finishes and authentic heavy stone walls like you’d find in a 400-year old château in Les Baux-de-Provence. Diana’s mission: capture the client’s vision, design it and utilize Drury Design’s sourcing and building expertise to bring it to life. Design Objectives: Create the feel of an authentic vintage French-country kitchen Include natural materials that would have been used in an old French château Add a second oven Omit an unused desk area in favor of a large, tall pantry armoire THE REMODEL Design Challenges: Finding real stone for the walls, and the craftsmen to install it Accommodate for the thickness of the stones Replicating château beam architecture Replicating authentic French-country finishes Find a spot for a new steam oven Design Solutions: Source and sort true stone. Utilize veteran craftsmen to apply to the walls using old-world techniques Furr out interior window casings to adjust for the thicker stone walls Source true reclaimed beams Utilize veteran craftsmen for authentic finishes and distressing for the island, tall pantry armoire and stucco hood Modify the butler’s pantry base cabinet to accommodate the new steam oven THE RENEWED SPACE Before we started work on her new French-country kitchen, the homeowner told us the kitchen that came with the house was “not my kitchen.” “I felt like a stranger,” she told us during the photoshoot. “It wasn’t my color, it wasn’t my texture. It wasn’t my style… I didn’t have my stamp on it.” And now? “I love the fact that my family can come in here, wrap their arms around it and feel comfortable,” she said. “It’s like a big hug.”

Ralls Residence

Aspen White Star, LLC

Photo of a large country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Denver with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, green cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, brick floors, with island, orange floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Silver Maple

SCM Design Group

Beautiful kitchen!! We are so proud of how it turned out. #scmdesigngroup #dreamkitchen #mykitchenisbetterthanyours #lifestyledesign SCM Design Group
Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional galley eat-in kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Museum Tower Residence

William S. Briggs Architect p.l.l.c.

Stephen Reed
Design ideas for a large traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Dallas with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Foothills Road Whole Home Renovation

TVL Creative Ltd.

This project is one of the most extensive TVL scopes to date! This house sits in a phenomenal site location in Golden and features a number of incredible and original architectural details. However, years of shifting had caused massive structural damage to the home on both the main and basement levels, resulting in shifting door frames, split drywall, and sinking floors. These shifts prompted the clients to seek remodeling assistance in the beginning of their renovation adventure. At first, the scope involved a new paint and lighting scheme with a focus on wall repair and structural improvement. However, the scope eventually evolved into a re-design of the entire home. Few spaces in this house were left untouched, with the remodeling scope eventually including the kitchen, living room, pantry, entryway and staircase, master bedroom, master bathroom, full basement, and basement bedrooms and bathrooms. Expanding the scope in this way allowed for a design that is cohesive space to space, and creates an environment that captures the essence of the family's persona at every turn. There are many stunning elements to this renovation, but a few favorites include the insanely gorgeous custom steel elements at the front entry, Tharp custom cabinetry in the kitchen and pantry, and unique stone in just about every room of the house. Our clients for this project are both geologists. This alone opened an entire world of unique interest in material that we have never explored before. From natural quartzite countertops that mimic mountain ranges to silky metallic accent tiles behind the bathtub, this project does not shy away from unique stone finds and accents. Conceptually, the clients' love for stone and natural elements is present just about everywhere: the dining room chandelier conceptually takes the form of stalactite, the island pendants are formed concrete, stacked stone adorns the large back wall of the shower, and a back-lit onyx art piece sits in a dramatic niche at the home's entry. We love the dramatic result of this renovation and are so thrilled that our clients can enjoy a home that truly reflects their passions for years to come!

Traditional Downstairs Bar / Serving Room

Hierarchy Architecture + Design, PLLC

Traditional serving area with a small sink and minibar complete with a wine fridge built in to the cabinets.
Photo of a mid-sized traditional galley eat-in kitchen in New York with a drop-in sink, raised-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, medium hardwood floors, multi-coloured splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and brown floor.

Prospect Project

Mike Smith / Artistic Kitchens

One of my favorite Smith"s.. :)
Photo of a mid-sized traditional single-wall kitchen pantry in Louisville with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances and medium hardwood floors.

Traditional Kitchen

This is an example of an expansive traditional u-shaped separate kitchen in St Louis with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, white appliances, porcelain floors and with island.

High Rise

Susan Smith Designs

Photo of a transitional u-shaped kitchen in Dallas with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, a peninsula and brown floor.

Beekman

Ronnette Riley Architect

Frank Oudeman
Photo of a large modern single-wall separate kitchen in New York with a single-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, multiple islands and brown floor.

Chapman Trail, Lake Keowee, SC

Markalunas Architecture Group

Rachael Boling
Inspiration for a country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, black splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors and multiple islands.

Fluharty Residence

Khrysten Taylor & Departure Industries

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional galley open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, black splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, porcelain floors, raised-panel cabinets and beige floor.

Kitchens

Premier Kitchens

Large traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and multiple islands.

Patagonia

Craft Countertops, LLC

This is a Patagonia Quartzite which garners a beautiful glass finish.
Inspiration for an expansive mediterranean u-shaped eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, multiple islands and multi-coloured benchtop.

Kitchen Remodel

Mayne Construction, LLC

Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design Connecticut Kitchen and Bath, Inc. Large kitchen area with open space and dining area. Black cabinetry lining the wall of the kitchen. Under cabinet lighting brightens up the white backsplash and the white walls give it an open, airy feeling. .

Private Client

Joslyn Fine Metalwork Inc

Design ideas for a mid-sized country separate kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Simple and elegant on a small apartment

Scavolini Kitchen, Living and Bathroom

Scavolini, the best selling kitchen in Italy, works on providing solutions for all types of spaces and design trends. On this case we had to deal with a compact space to integrate all the services for the laundry, kitchen and the living room spaces. Scavolini's solutions allowed us to integrated all the facilities and keep the beautiful lines and clean style of design.

Marble

Town Granite

Mid-sized traditional u-shaped separate kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, black cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

La Casa De Piedra

Carmel Realty Company

This is an example of an expansive mediterranean open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, limestone benchtops, beige splashback, stone slab splashback, medium hardwood floors and light wood cabinets.

Wilderness Softened

B.C.D. Interiors

Mike Gullion
Inspiration for a country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, black cabinets, wood benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone slab splashback and stainless steel appliances.

Kitchen with Raised-panel Cabinets and Stone Slab 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!