Older condos have so many restrictions. This project is a great example how within the compounds of a space you can make a kitchen feel larger, open it up to the surrounding areas to create better sight lines and create more storage. Staying true to the clients love for older materials like slate flooring and beautiful antiques from their past. Combining existing older elements with fresh new keeps the charm of a space, yet a fresh updated look. Classic herringbone patterns in marble backsplashes is a great way to tie in the slate and a soft white quartz counter tops for better function. A success of a design!

Custom Transitional Estate

Kimberly Butchko Designs, LLC

Guest house kitchen with breakfast bar.
Mid-sized contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, grey cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, grey floor, shaker cabinets, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, a peninsula and white benchtop.

Armstrong - Stones & Naturals

Bethlehem Gallery of Floors

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, stainless steel appliances, slate floors and a peninsula.

Rossi Kitchen

Rudy Polwin Architects

Photographer: Michael Heeney
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Burlington with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, black splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors and a peninsula.

Blue, White, Orange Kitchen

Tracey Stephens Interior Design Inc

Wing Wong/Memories TTL
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, brick splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors, a peninsula and grey floor.

Modern Transformation of Century-old Belmont MA House

Reverse Architecture

Kitchen in the owner's unit of a multi-family house renovation in Belmont, Massachusetts. Light filters down from a skylight above the exposed beams of the kitchen. This space above the beams rises up to another skylight at the peak of the roof which can be opened to induce natural airflow throughout the house. Because of an intentionally designed passive ventilation system, in which the form of the interior is shaped around air flow, the home can be comfortably ventilated with cool night air and does not require air conditioning. Photo by Reverse Architecture

Viking Appliances

AJ Madison

Large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, green cabinets, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors and a peninsula.

Outdoor Kitchen in Rye

Bilotta Kitchen & Home

This client needed a place to entertain by the pool. They had already done their “inside” kitchen with Bilotta and so returned to design their outdoor space. All summer they spend a lot of time in their backyard entertaining guests, day and night. But before they had their fully designed outdoor space, whoever was in charge of grilling would feel isolated from everyone else. They needed one cohesive space to prep, mingle, eat and drink, alongside their pool. They did not skimp on a thing – they wanted all the bells and whistles: a big Wolf grill, plenty of weather resistant countertop space for dining (Lapitec - Grigio Cemento, by Eastern Stone), an awning (Durasol Pinnacle II by Gregory Sahagain & Sons, Inc.) that would also keep bright light out of the family room, lights, and an indoor space where they could escape the bugs if needed and even watch TV. The client was thrilled with the outcome - their complete vision for an ideal outdoor entertaining space came to life. Cabinetry is Lynx Professional Storage Line. Refrigerator drawers and sink by Lynx. Faucet is stainless by MGS Nerhas. Bilotta Designer: Randy O’Kane with Clark Neuringer Architects, posthumously. Photo Credit: Peter Krupenye

Brooklyn Victorian Remodel

Studio 511

Craftsman style kitchen with mahogany cabinets, slate tile floor, and marble counter. The bead board ceiling is painted a pale sea-foam green to compliment the green tone of the slate floor.

School House Lane Kitchen

Jordan and Son's Construction, LLC

Mid-sized midcentury kitchen in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, a peninsula, black floor, black benchtop and soapstone benchtops.

Bethesda, MD Contemporary Galley Kitchen

FineCraft Contractors, Inc.

Location: Bethesda, MD, USA We completely revamped the kitchen and breakfast areas and gave these spaces more natural light. They wanted a place that is both aesthetic and practical and we achieved this by having space for sitting in the breakfast space and the peninsulas on both sides of the kitchen, not to mention there is extra sitting space along the bay window with extra storage. Finecraft Contractors, Inc. Soleimani Photography

Charlestown Tiny Kitchen

Divine Design Center

Charlestown, MA Tiny Kitchen Designer: Samantha Demarco Photography by Keitaro Yoshioka
Small contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, a peninsula and multi-coloured floor.

Contemporary and Compact - Naperville, IL

PB Kitchen Design

Tru Fig outlet in backsplash. Flush mounted. The vignette within Barrett Technology’s Design Center is one of its kind in the industry. Built to inspire and inform, this kitchen showcases today’s most innovative solutions in real world settings. All the technology (video, audio, lighting, security and HVAC) is controlled through a single app on the iPad. Even the motorized window shades, task & accent lighting are controlled via the Lutron Lighting Control System. It allows for lighting scene selection at the touch of a single button – including a “Cook” scene which when pressed will activate the lighting to an optimal 100% over the kitchen sink & island areas and will also drop the motorized spice rack from behind the wall cabinet. Project specs: Thermador appliances, Caesarstone countertops in honed Pebble. Single app control system by Savant.

Ardmore by Molly

Beatty Lumber Company

Plain & Fancy cabinetry. The far cabinets can be seen from the dining room and were designed to match the client's dining room set. Not seen in this photo, the base cabinet was built on foot-high legs to not hide the boarder on the wood floor. The base cabinet in the foreground is only 12" deep. Beneath the drawer, the doors tilt out together to reveal double trash bins, side-by-side.

Aberdeen Remodel

Triple A Interior Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized modern u-shaped kitchen in Vancouver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, a peninsula, multi-coloured floor and blue benchtop.

Arts and Crafts

Richard Leggin Architects

Anice Hoachlander, Hoachlander Davis Photography
Design ideas for a large arts and crafts u-shaped eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, stainless steel appliances, a farmhouse sink, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, slate floors and a peninsula.

Mukilteo Gem

Interiors by Popov

When we drove out to Mukilteo for our initial consultation, we immediately fell in love with this house. With its tall ceilings, eclectic mix of wood, glass and steel, and gorgeous view of the Puget Sound, we quickly nicknamed this project "The Mukilteo Gem". Our client, a cook and baker, did not like her existing kitchen. The main points of issue were short runs of available counter tops, lack of storage and shortage of light. So, we were called in to implement some big, bold ideas into a small footprint kitchen with big potential. We completely changed the layout of the room by creating a tall, built-in storage wall and a continuous u-shape counter top. Early in the project, we took inventory of every item our clients wanted to store in the kitchen and ensured that every spoon, gadget, or bowl would have a dedicated "home" in their new kitchen. The finishes were meticulously selected to ensure continuity throughout the house. We also played with the color scheme to achieve a bold yet natural feel.This kitchen is a prime example of how color can be used to both make a statement and project peace and balance simultaneously. While busy at work on our client's kitchen improvement, we also updated the entry and gave the homeowner a modern laundry room with triple the storage space they originally had. End result: ecstatic clients and a very happy design team. That's what we call a big success! John Granen.

Studio Transformation

DAS Studio

Small scandinavian u-shaped open plan kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, a peninsula, grey floor and brown benchtop.

Blue, White, Orange Kitchen

Tracey Stephens Interior Design Inc

Wing Wong/Memories TTL
Mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, brick splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors, a peninsula and grey floor.

Connie

Tango Design Studio

Photo of a mid-sized transitional galley eat-in kitchen in Toronto with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, quartzite benchtops, a peninsula, an undermount sink, grey splashback, ceramic splashback and slate floors.

Kitchen with Slate Floors and a Peninsula 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!