This kitchen in a 1911 Craftsman home has taken on a new life full of color and personality. Inspired by the client’s colorful taste and the homes of her family in The Philippines, we leaned into the wild for this design. The first thing the client told us is that she wanted terra cotta floors and green countertops. Beyond this direction, she wanted a place for the refrigerator in the kitchen since it was originally in the breakfast nook. She also wanted a place for waste receptacles, to be able to reach all the shelves in her cabinetry, and a special place to play Mahjong with friends and family. The home presented some challenges in that the stairs go directly over the space where we wanted to move the refrigerator. The client also wanted us to retain the built-ins in the dining room that are on the opposite side of the range wall, as well as the breakfast nook built ins. The solution to these problems were clear to us, and we quickly got to work. We lowered the cabinetry in the refrigerator area to accommodate the stairs above, as well as closing off the unnecessary door from the kitchen to the stairs leading to the second floor. We utilized a recycled body porcelain floor tile that looks like terra cotta to achieve the desired look, but it is much easier to upkeep than traditional terra cotta. In the breakfast nook we used bold jungle themed wallpaper to create a special place that feels connected, but still separate, from the kitchen for the client to play Mahjong in or enjoy a cup of coffee. Finally, we utilized stair pullouts by all the upper cabinets that extend to the ceiling to ensure that the client can reach every shelf.

Lynne & Alex's 1909 Colonial Revival

Arciform

New cabinetry in the kitchen was crafted to closely match the originals in the butler's pantry, which connects the kitchen and dining room. - Photo Art Portraits

Red Energy Kitchen

Boss Design Center

Inspiration for a large traditional kitchen in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and green benchtop.

The Relatives Are Coming, the Relatives Are Coming...

McCabe By Design LLC

The kitchen island is multi-purposed with seating for socializing, storage, and a microwave oven shelf. An integrated panelized refrigerator gives this kitchen a tailored look.

Beckenham - Beautiful Villa

Sandy Eagle Design Ltd

Villa with Granite benchtop - Stainless steel - Linen finish benchtop to eitherside of oven and into pantry Coffee Station, Onbench corner pantry, HWA doors on main pantry by Hafele, Pressed metal splashback , Wrought Iron Feature

Green Lightning Granite Countertop

Stone Pros Marble and Granite, Inc.

Granite kitchen countertop. Material: Polished Golden Lightning
Large transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, beige floor and green benchtop.

Queen Anne Craftsman

Kevin Spence Architect, AIA

Arts and crafts kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and green benchtop.

Ultimate Bungalow

Tyner Construction Co Inc

David Dietrich
Arts and crafts u-shaped kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, green splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and green benchtop.

Compact Kitchens - Several Examples

San Luis Kitchen Co.

Design ideas for a small arts and crafts u-shaped kitchen in San Luis Obispo with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and green benchtop.

Kitchen Peninsula with Custom Hood

Eclectic Designs LLC

Photo of a mid-sized arts and crafts galley open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and green benchtop.

CUBRO / Calella II

pfronts

Design ideas for a small scandinavian single-wall open plan kitchen in Madrid with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, laminate benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, no island, grey floor and green benchtop.

Kitchen Remodel in Vienna, VA

GBC Kitchen and Bath

Modern Kitchen Remodel in Vienna, VA.
Large modern galley eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, green splashback, glass tile splashback, black appliances, porcelain floors, with island, brown floor and green benchtop.

Mountain Artisan

TKP Architects

Living Images
This is an example of a large country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Denver with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, green splashback, stone tile splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and green benchtop.

Custom Kitchen Cabinetry- Detail

Eclectic Designs LLC

This is an example of a mid-sized arts and crafts galley open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and green benchtop.

Beverage Center

Design by the Jonathans

Inspiration for a large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Bridgeport with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, brown splashback, with island, brown floor, green benchtop, an undermount sink, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors and mosaic tile splashback.

Coastal Kitchen

The RoseBelle Remodeling Company

The original kitchen was dark, boring and very "builder grade"- While the layout was not changed very much the way this kitchen functions did. With removing the wall it made this kitchen feel much larger and less closed in. It is light and airy and our client loves her new kitchen.

Historic Takoma Park Kitchen

Grossmueller's Design Consultants

Design ideas for a large transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, green splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, black floor and green benchtop.

Deep Forest Green Shaker Kitchen

Kitchen Ergonomics

Design ideas for a traditional kitchen in London with shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite benchtops, with island and green benchtop.

Cook Park Kitchen Remodel

Northland Design & Build

Design ideas for a country open plan kitchen in Portland with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, multiple islands, brown floor and green benchtop.

Retirement Dreams - Kitchen Pedal Faucet

Urbana Design Studio

The hands free pedal Faucet by Principle Faucets.
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and green benchtop.

Kitchen with Shaker Cabinets and Green 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!