Photo of a mid-sized arts and crafts l-shaped open plan kitchen in Denver with black splashback, a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors and no island.

Westchester Kitchen Transformation

Transformed Interiors, LLC

Mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Cincinnati with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island and grey floor.

Singhko Kitchen Renovations

Singhko Inc.

After: Kitchen
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Ottawa with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Walnut Cove Residence

Allard + Roberts Interior Design, Inc

Interior Designer: Allard & Roberts Interior Design, Inc. Builder: Glennwood Custom Builders Architect: Con Dameron Photographer: Kevin Meechan Doors: Sun Mountain Cabinetry: Advance Custom Cabinetry Countertops & Fireplaces: Mountain Marble & Granite Window Treatments: Blinds & Designs, Fletcher NC

Sagle Mountain Hideaway

Selle Valley Construction, Inc.

View of the kitchen from the living room. You can also see the front entrance to the right, along with the Master Suite on the left. Kitchen cabinets are wood in a shaker style, stained dark brown. Backsplash is a honed natural stone mosaic, kitchen counters are 3cm of Crema Bordeaux granite. Photography by Marie-Dominique Verdier.

Poinsettia Place, Hancock Park CA

Builtworks Inc.

Victor Boghossian Photography www.victorboghossian.com 818-634-3133
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, an undermount sink and travertine floors.

Windermere Tuscan

Brannon Construction Company

Photo of a large country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Orlando with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, beige splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors and a peninsula.

Emser Tile Kitchens

Emser Tile - Minneapolis MN

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, matchstick tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, marble floors, with island and white floor.

Custom 2-Story Signature Bali on the Big Island

Bamboo Living Homes

Jonathan Davis: www.photokona.com
Photo of a tropical l-shaped open plan kitchen in Hawaii with stainless steel appliances, bamboo floors, with island, an undermount sink, shaker cabinets and dark wood cabinets.

Genesee Colorado Kitchen Renovation Project

JM Kitchen & Bath Design

Full Kitchen Renovation project with Omega Custom cabinetry. Master: Custom Cabinets by Omega Maple wood, Dunkirk Door, Smokey Hills Stain with Iced top coat.

Sleek Kitchen

New Creations Custom Kitchen and Bath

The living room side of the peninsula was initially designed to be a desk area. During construction, the client decided that installing shelves in the leg area of the desk would be more useful. The cabinet finish was applied underneath the shelves to achieve a finished-furniture look on this side of the peninsula.

midwayhomesolutions’s ideas

Midway Home Solutions

Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and a peninsula.

Dark Shaker Kitchen

Strobel Design Build

This open plan kitchen design features an asymmetrical bar height island, dark wood shaker style cabinets, a mosaic glass tile backsplash, and undercabinet lighting with a plug mold.

My kitchen

Andy Sermonia

Contemporary l-shaped separate kitchen in Other with dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, black splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances and shaker cabinets.

Mahogany Gourmet Kitchen with White Glazed Center Island

Pridecraft Inc.

Mahogany Gourmet Kitchen with White Glazed Center Island. Photos by Donna Lind Photography.
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, stainless steel appliances, limestone floors, with island and beige floor.

Kitchen shelving & cabinets

Andre Rothblatt Architecture

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback and stone tile splashback.

Mercer Island Kitchen w/ Banquette

Nip Tuck Remodeling

Photos by: John Willbanks
Photo of a mid-sized traditional galley eat-in kitchen in Seattle with stainless steel appliances, subway tile splashback, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, grey splashback, no island and an undermount sink.

Golf Course Oasis - 2013 Parade of Homes Model

Rautmann Custom Homes

This is an example of a large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Milwaukee with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Cultural Monumnet Historic Kitchen

STUDIO ALLEN ARCHITECTS, INC

This is an example of a large arts and crafts u-shaped kitchen in Los Angeles with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Cultural Monumnet Historic Kitchen

STUDIO ALLEN ARCHITECTS, INC

Kitchen with Shaker Cabinets and Dark Wood 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!