Design ideas for a large transitional open plan kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Willow Vale Farm

Habitat Studio Architects

Inspiration for a country kitchen pantry in Other with a double-bowl sink, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Sylvania

Clinton Built Pty Ltd

Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, white cabinets, granite benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, black appliances, laminate floors, brown floor and black benchtop.

City Beach

Glenda Roff

Photo of a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Perth with an integrated sink, white cabinets, limestone benchtops, white splashback, cement tile splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Mt Macedon

Lume Architecture

Inspiration for a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Melbourne with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Kitchen Remodeling in Washington, D.C

Reno Maryland

Large eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, with island, white benchtop, granite splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and brown floor.

Traditional kitchen nestled in Franklin

Terri Sears, Kitchen and Bath Designer

Photo of a large traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Nashville with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Taylor Residence

John Bynum Custom Homes, Inc.

Inspiration for a large traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Atlanta with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, with island, an undermount sink, granite benchtops and limestone floors.

Watersound

Design and Dwell Homes LLC

Photo of a mid-sized beach style eat-in kitchen in Miami with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, quartzite benchtops, stone tile splashback and light hardwood floors.

White Christmas

Delphinium Design

Beautiful U-shape white kitchen with frameless custom cabinetry, white herringbone subway tile backsplash, stainless steel SubZero-Wolf appliances, quartzite countertops including a mitered edge island, glass pendant lights, and polished nickel plumbing and hardware in the Ballantyne Country Club Neighborhood of Charlotte, NC

A Graceful White Kitchen in Encinitas

Hamilton-Gray Design, Inc.

Transitional l-shaped kitchen pantry in San Diego with open cabinets, white cabinets, blue splashback, no island, beige floor and white benchtop.

On the Coast #42

Kitchens By Clay

Beach style l-shaped kitchen in Miami with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and recessed.

Edgemont Village New Build 2018/9

McCabe Design & Interiors

Photography by Tracey Ayton
Large contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Vancouver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, white benchtop, white cabinets and beige floor.

South Bodin Street, Hinsdale

Plain & Posh

This home’s kitchen isn’t large and needed to somehow hold a mudroom area as the detached garage enters into the space. I carefully planned out all storage needs and we were able to add a wide, double door cabinet closet by the back door. The upper area holds coats and clutter. The lower doors have hooks and boot trays for backpacks and shoes. Paneling the Subzero fridge helps with softening the weight of the large appliance, as does the panel on the dishwasher. Little details like the skirt on the toe area and the beautiful hood and island posts make this smaller work space truly special!

Cedar Shores Lake Cottage

Jethany Lee, CKD

Open floor plan with kitchen and dining in this lake cottage
Photo of a mid-sized beach style l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Grand Rapids with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Modern Spanish Courtyard on the Lake

Wyrick Residential Design

Photo of a large modern u-shaped open plan kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Cove Remodel

Studio McGee

Photo of a large beach style l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Salt Lake City with white cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, marble splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island and multi-coloured benchtop.

Modern Farmhouse

Old Hillsboro Building Company

This is an example of a large country single-wall kitchen pantry in Nashville with wood benchtops, a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Lavalette Kitchen

Rob Rasmussen

Designed by & photo taken by Rob Rasmussen
Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Custom Kitchen with Large Island

DK Homes

Uniquely situated on a double lot high above the river, this home stands proudly amongst the wooded backdrop. The homeowner's decision for the two-toned siding with dark stained cedar beams fits well with the natural setting. Tour this 2,000 sq ft open plan home with unique spaces above the garage and in the daylight basement.

Kitchen with Red Cabinets and White Cabinets 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!