construction - Great Lakes builders photography - Christopher barrett-Hedrich blessing; Bruce Van Inwegen
Design ideas for a contemporary kitchen in Chicago with stainless steel appliances, an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, red cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback and wood benchtops.

Dyna - Portage Bay

Dyna Builders

Clean and simple define this 1200 square foot Portage Bay floating home. After living on the water for 10 years, the owner was familiar with the area’s history and concerned with environmental issues. With that in mind, she worked with Architect Ryan Mankoski of Ninebark Studios and Dyna to create a functional dwelling that honored its surroundings. The original 19th century log float was maintained as the foundation for the new home and some of the historic logs were salvaged and custom milled to create the distinctive interior wood paneling. The atrium space celebrates light and water with open and connected kitchen, living and dining areas. The bedroom, office and bathroom have a more intimate feel, like a waterside retreat. The rooftop and water-level decks extend and maximize the main living space. The materials for the home’s exterior include a mixture of structural steel and glass, and salvaged cedar blended with Cor ten steel panels. Locally milled reclaimed untreated cedar creates an environmentally sound rain and privacy screen.

House for a chef

Gort Scott

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in London with a double-bowl sink, red cabinets, concrete benchtops, metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances and no island.

Tiny House Camper

CK Architects

Russell Campaigne
Photo of a small modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, red cabinets, solid surface benchtops, metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances, cork floors and no island.

Cinnamon & Spice and Everything Nice

EHL Kitchens

Cozy up in this extra large kitchen: Beaded Inset Cabinetry by EHL Kitchens with a custom red glazed perimeter and black island and distressed finish. (#7817)

MAISON DOREE

Architectures Stéphane DELIGNY

Design ideas for a mid-sized industrial galley eat-in kitchen in Toulouse with flat-panel cabinets, red cabinets, concrete benchtops, metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors and with island.

Vibrant Kitchen Remodel

Kohler Signature Store by Supply New England

Photography by Erin Little
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, red cabinets, quartzite benchtops, metallic splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and white benchtop.

Yorktown Kitchen Revival

The Remodeling Company

When they said “a picture speaks a thousand words”, they must have been referring to those shown here of the Toole family’s finished kitchen remodel. By updating & upgrading all of the kitchen’s features to an elegant state, they created a space where, not only will everyone want to congregate, but will never want to leave! Although the general layout remained the same, each element of the kitchen was replaced by luxury. Where once stood white-washed cabinets with a matching island, you now find cherry wood with a darker stain on the island. The sophisticated mismatching of wood is tied together by the color pattern in the glass tile backsplash. The polished look of granite countertops is kicked up a notch with the new under-the-cabinet lighting, which is both a visual additive as well as functional for the work space. Bland looking vinyl flooring that blended into the rest of the kitchen was replaced by pre-finished hardwood flooring that provides a visual break between the floor & cabinets. All new stainless steel appliances are modern upgrades that tie nicely together with the brushed nickel cabinet hardware and plumbing fixtures. One significant alteration to the kitchen’s design is the wall of cabinets surrounding the refrigerator. The home originally held a closet style double-door pantry. By shifting the refrigerator over several inches and adding ceiling-to-floor cabinets around it, the Toole’s were able to add quite a bit more storage space and an additional countertop. Through the doorway to the right, a wet bar was added for entertaining – complete with built-in wine bottle storage, an under-the-cabinet stemware rack, storage drawers and a wine chiller.

Pop-up outlets (in the down position)

User

Universal Design in a sleek, new Poggenpohl kitchen. Many features of Universal Design are not obvious to the eye but definitely noticeable to the user, and in a very good way. These features make the kitchen friendly for most people to use whether it be the owner, the family or guests. The island contains two pop-up outlets which tuck away neatly when not in use. Cabinetry: Poggenpohl, Counters: Black Beauty, Fixtures: Grohe and Blanco, Flooring: Porcelain Wood, Appliances: Thermador, GE Monogram, Bosch, U-Line and Fisher-Paykel, Designer: Michelle Turner, UDCP and Brian Rigney, Builder: BY DESIGN Builders

Toe kick step ladder

Poggenpohl Kitchens Hawaii

European style Poggenpohl kitchen offers a roomy island with induction cooktop and beverage refrigerator, wet wall with single dish drawer, Grohe fixtures and lift-up cabinet doors, and full-height wall including refrigeration, ovens and plenty of pantry space. All drawers and lift-up doors open at a gentle touch due to the Servo-drive installation. The lift-up doors may be lowered manually or with the touch of a recessed button. The roomy kitchen includes many Universal Design features like wide paths, dimmable lighting, roll-up cooktop and sink area, dish drawer, automatic drawer openers, pull-down shelves, pull-out pantries, and taller toe kick areas. Photo Credit: Michelle Turner, UDCP

Siperek Kitchen

Matt's Home Construction & Renovations

Cindy McKinnis
Design ideas for a mid-sized modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, red cabinets, laminate benchtops, metallic splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and a peninsula.

Frigidaire Appliances

AJ Madison

This modern design utilizes a rolling island to keep the space free and open when not in use. The black appliances and deep burgundy cabinetry complement each other perfectly.

A Pro's Home Kitchen

Atwood: Fine Architectural Cabinetry

Galley Kitchen boasts concrete countertops and stainless steel backsplashes. Cabinetry is Wood-Mode cinnabar on Oak. Appliances and hood are all stainless steel.

Private Penthouse

Kindred Construction Ltd.

Eclectic galley separate kitchen in Vancouver with wood benchtops, a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, red cabinets and metallic splashback.

Modern Red Kitchen in a Log Cabin

Sandy Mackay
Contemporary kitchen in Toronto with metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, metallic splashback, red cabinets, flat-panel cabinets and an undermount sink.

casa vacanza

RAFFAELE CARUSO ARCHITETTO

Cucina
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Rome with flat-panel cabinets, red cabinets, metallic splashback, metal splashback, black appliances and medium hardwood floors.

Art Deco Inspired Riverside Flat : Bermondsey

Cassidy Hughes Interior Design

Steve Davies
This is an example of a contemporary u-shaped separate kitchen in London with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, red cabinets, solid surface benchtops, metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island and brown floor.

Pull-out pantry and roll-out drawer pantry

Poggenpohl Kitchens Hawaii

Tiny House Camper

CK Architects

Russell Campaigne
Design ideas for a small modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, red cabinets, solid surface benchtops, metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances, cork floors and no island.

Vibrant Kitchen Remodel

Kohler Signature Store by Supply New England

Kitchen with Red Cabinets and Metallic 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!