Design ideas for a transitional u-shaped kitchen in Wollongong with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, grey benchtop and vaulted.

Modern Farmhouse Kitchen with Blackwood Timber Features

Transform-A-Space

Design ideas for a large country u-shaped kitchen pantry in Adelaide with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, metal splashback, black appliances, ceramic floors, a peninsula, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Manly Vale Kitchen

Northern Beaches Kitchens and Bathrooms

Large beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured floor, grey benchtop and coffered.

Coogee Residence

Jodie Carter Design

Family Kitchen in Coogee Home
Design ideas for a mid-sized beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sydney with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, window splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula and grey benchtop.

New Build Transitional Style Kitchen

Svelte Kitchens

This kitchen was a perfect blend of modern and traditional. Shaker doors contrasting with modern fixtures gave the space the timeless elegance the client wanted.

What is Cooking - Kitchen Renovation

Comma Design Studio

The client came to comma design in need of an upgrade to their existing kitchen to allow for more storage and cleaner look. They wanted to swap their laminate bench to a sleek stone bench tops that can provide a luxurious loo to their space. Comma design worked closely with the trades on site to achieve the results.

Park Orchards

Direct Kitchens

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.

Stonebridge Stunner

Design Studio West

Step into a kitchen that exudes both modern sophistication and inviting warmth. The space is anchored by a stunning natural quartzite countertop, its veined patterns reminiscent of a sun-drenched landscape. The countertop stretches across the kitchen, gracing both the perimeter cabinetry and the curved island, its gentle curves adding a touch of dynamism to the layout. White oak cabinetry provides a grounding contrast to the cool quartzite. The rich, natural grain of the wood, paired with a crisp white paint, create a sense of airiness and visual lightness. This interplay of textures and tones adds depth and dimension to the space. Breaking away from the traditional rectilinear lines, the island features curved panels that echo the countertop's gentle sweep. This unexpected detail adds a touch of whimsy and softens the overall aesthetic. The warm vinyl flooring complements the wood cabinetry, creating a sense of continuity underfoot.

DeMellow Res.

Berg Construction

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Diego with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop, marble benchtops and medium hardwood floors.

Spruce Ave.

Ashley Martin Home

Design ideas for a large transitional galley open plan kitchen in Orlando with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, green cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances and grey benchtop.

Port Aransas Beach House

Kimball Bonamici Designs

Port Aransas Beach House, kitchen
Expansive beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, with island, brown floor, grey splashback, mosaic tile splashback and grey benchtop.

Clairmont, Home Remodel

Audry Cordero, NKBA at Design Studio West

This beautiful kitchen is perfect for friends and family to gather around, cook meals together, or to simply enjoy an afternoon of baking with the kids. The large central island has plenty of storage including a mixer lift, a microwave drawer, and trash/recycle bins. Easy maintenance and kid friendly with plenty of storage were on top of our list. Cabinets: Sollera Cabinets, Custom Colors

Farmhouse Style

Studio KW Photography

Studio KW Photography Designed by: Masterpiece Design Group
Photo of a country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Orlando with white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and shaker cabinets.

Moody Beach, Wells MAine

Statires Development

Photo of a beach style kitchen in Portland Maine with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, grey benchtop and granite benchtops.

Osmond Home

OSMOND DESIGNS

Photo of a large transitional single-wall separate kitchen in Salt Lake City with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, grey benchtop and multiple islands.

Elegant Painted Shaker Kitchen

Dickinson Cabinetry

Mid-sized transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop, concrete benchtops and marble splashback.

Kitchens

Universal Marble & Granite, LLC

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary separate kitchen in Charleston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, matchstick tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

San Ramon Kitchen Project

Diablo Valley Cabinetry

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Grade II listed Islington Georgian Townhouse

Emilie Fournet Interiors

Basement Georgian kitchen with black limestone, yellow shaker cabinets and open and freestanding kitchen island. War and cherry marble, midcentury accents, leading onto a dining room.

Stonebridge Stunner

Design Studio West

Kitchen with Shaker Cabinets and Grey 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!