Our clients wanted to update their kitchen and create more storage space. They also needed a desk area in the kitchen and a display area for family keepsakes. With small children, they were not using the breakfast bar on the island, so we chose when redesigning the island to add storage instead of having the countertop overhang for seating. We extended the height of the cabinetry also. A desk area with 2 file drawers and mail sorting cubbies was created so the homeowners could have a place to organize their bills, charge their electronics, and pay bills. We also installed 2 plugs into the narrow bookcase to the right of the desk area with USB plugs for charging phones and tablets. Our clients chose a cherry craftsman cabinet style with simple cups and knobs in brushed stainless steel. For the countertops, Silestone Copper Mist was chosen. It is a gorgeous slate blue hue with copper flecks. To compliment this choice, I custom designed this slate backsplash using multiple colors of slate. This unique, natural stone, geometric backsplash complemented the countertops and the cabinetry style perfectly. We installed a pot filler over the cooktop and a pull-out spice cabinet to the right of the cooktop. To utilize counterspace, the microwave was installed into a wall cabinet to the right of the cooktop. We moved the sink and dishwasher into the island and placed a pull-out garbage and recycling drawer to the left of the sink. An appliance lift was also installed for a Kitchenaid mixer to be stored easily without ever having to lift it. To improve the lighting in the kitchen and great room which has a vaulted pine tongue and groove ceiling, we designed and installed hollow beams to run the electricity through from the kitchen to the fireplace. For the island we installed 3 pendants and 4 down lights to provide ample lighting at the island. All lighting was put onto dimmer switches. We installed new down lighting along the cooktop wall. For the great room, we installed track lighting and attached it to the sides of the beams and used directional lights to provide lighting for the great room and to light up the fireplace. The beautiful home in the woods, now has an updated, modern kitchen and fantastic lighting which our clients love.

Kitchen

MartinPatrick 3

Traditional open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, beige splashback, stainless steel appliances and slate splashback.

Palmer Pointe Road Residence Kitchen

O’Hara Interiors

2010 ASID Award Winning Design In this space, our goal was to create a rustic contemporary, dog friendly home that brings the outside in through thoughtfully designed floor plans that lend themselves to entertaining. We had to ensure that the interior spaces relate to the outdoors, combine the homeowners’ two distinct design styles and create sophisticated interior spaces with durable furnishings. To do this, we incorporated a rustic design appeal with a contemporary, sleek furnishings by utilizing warm brown and taupe tones with pops of color throughout. We used wood and stone materials to lend modern spaces warmth and to relate to the outdoors. The floor plans throughout the home ensure that windows and views are focal points and that the rooms are natural conduits to the outdoors whenever doorways are available. For entertaining, we maximized seating throughout the first floor and kept walkways open for ease of flow. Finally, we selected fabrics with extended lifetimes, durability and stain resistance. Special features of the home include, the Marvin Ultimate Lift and Slide doors, which we placed along the dining, kitchen, and family room. These floor-to-ceiling windows recede into the home’s walls and include full screen protection. In addition, the custom designed stairway uses a metal framework to create a sleek, modern feel. The thick wooden steps offer substance and give the staircase a rustic aesthetic. Interior Design & Furniture by Martha O'Hara Interiors Architecture by Eskuche Architecture Built by Denali Custom Homes Photography by Susan Gilmore

Cherry shaker kitchen

The Cabinetworks

Beautifully remodeled kitchen in southern NH., furniture style cherry shaker inset cabinetry with an antique distress island. Multifuntional kitchen designed for entertaining, family get togethers and every use.

Kitchen

Harrell Design + Build

Contemporary l-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, granite benchtops and slate splashback.

Ranch Kitchen Remodel

Sheila Mayden Interiors

Photography: Christian J Anderson. Contractor & Finish Carpenter: Poli Dmitruks of PDP Perfection LLC.
Design ideas for a mid-sized country l-shaped separate kitchen in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, slate splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island and grey floor.

Kitchen/Great Room Remod

remodelhopeful

Rassan Grant
Inspiration for a small transitional open plan kitchen in Orlando with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown splashback and slate splashback.

Cliffhanger Cabin

Quiniscoe Homes 20/20 Ltd.

Inspiration for a traditional kitchen in Calgary with multi-coloured splashback, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets and slate splashback.

Flynn

Marengo Morton Architects

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Diego with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, panelled appliances, with island, slate splashback, slate floors and beige floor.

Traditional Kitchen

Photo of a traditional l-shaped kitchen in Philadelphia with shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, grey splashback and slate splashback.

South Lake WA Remodel

Soundesign Group Architects, PLLC

Inspiration for a large arts and crafts galley open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, slate splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors, a peninsula, multi-coloured floor and black benchtop.

Kitchen, mud room and Laundry renovation

Glickman Design Build

Major kitchen Renovation in Mclean, VA Photo Credit: Felicia Evans
Large transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in DC Metro with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, slate splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and multiple islands.

Feathertop Chalet

Weninger Construction & Design Ltd

Beautiful kitchen with rustic features and copper accents. A custom copper hood fan creates a stunning feature for the home. A slate backsplash, thick countertops, and copper farmhouse sink elevate this kitchen's final look.

Transitional Kitchen

Photo of a transitional eat-in kitchen in Other with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, panelled appliances and slate splashback.

Early California Hacienda

Mark Sullivan Fine Custom Homes Inc.

Design ideas for a mid-sized mediterranean single-wall eat-in kitchen in San Luis Obispo with shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, limestone benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, slate splashback, stainless steel appliances, travertine floors, with island and beige floor.

Green Mountain Family Remodel

Gretchen Lyons

Libbie Martin
Inspiration for a large country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, brown cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, slate splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Hillcrest Kitchen Remodel

G. Christianson Construction, Inc.

Design ideas for a small country galley eat-in kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, slate splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, no island, blue benchtop and wood.

Judicious

MIREWORKS

This is an example of a large contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New Orleans with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, slate splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, black floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Luxury Living

K&W Audio

Control4 lighting control of this space accents the adjacent kitchen buttlers pantry. Music in this space is via in ceiling speakers by Martin Logan.
Expansive contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Calgary with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, slate splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Warm and Rustic Remodel

Kristin Petro Interiors, Inc.

Designer: Kristin Petro; Photographer: kellyallison photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, multi-coloured floor and slate splashback.

Kitchen with Shaker Cabinets and Slate 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!