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.

Alberta Kitchen Remodel--Holliston, Massachusetts

Masters Touch Design Build

Inspiration for a large transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island and grey floor.

White Kitchen Appliances

KraftMaster Renovations

Blueberry english kitchen with white kitchen appliances, slate floor tile and zellige tile backsplash.
Photo of a small u-shaped separate kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, white appliances, slate floors, no island, grey floor and black benchtop.

Waitsfield Renovation

Sweeney Designbuild

Apron front sink, leathered granite, stone window sill, open shelves, cherry cabinets, radiant floor heat.
Inspiration for a mid-sized country galley kitchen in Burlington with a farmhouse sink, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, black splashback, granite splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, no island, grey floor, black benchtop, vaulted and shaker cabinets.

Lowland Farm Kitchen

Kristina Crestin Design

Jared Kuzia Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped separate kitchen in Boston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Encinitas Kitchen Remodel

M Prevost Design

Photo of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Diego with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, quartzite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, with island, grey benchtop, white cabinets, white splashback, slate floors and grey floor.

Maine Cottage

Leslie Saul & Associates

Craftsman kitchen in lake house, Maine. Bead board island cabinetry with live edge wood counter. Metal cook top hood. Seeded glass cabinetry doors. Trent Bell Photography Crownpoint Cabinetry

Jack Trench Bespoke Kitchen - Highgate Village

Jack Trench Bespoke Kitchens & Furniture

We wanted to design a kitchen that would be sympathetic to the original features of our client's Georgian townhouse while at the same time function as the focal point for a busy household. The brief was to design a light, unfussy and elegant kitchen to lessen the effects of the slightly low-ceilinged room. Jack Trench Ltd responded to this by designing a hand-painted kitchen with echoes of an 18th century Georgian farmhouse using a light Oak and finishing with a palette of heritage yellow. The large oak-topped island features deep drawers and hand-turned knobs. Photography by Richard Brine

Kitchen - Haddonfield , NJ

Cipriani Remodeling Solutions

Mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, marble benchtops and slate floors.

The Silverdale Shaker Kitchen by deVOL

deVOL Kitchens

deVOL Kitchens
This is an example of a mid-sized country u-shaped kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances and slate floors.

Handmade Bespoke Kitchen - Gray's 'Shaker'

Baker & Baker Bespoke Kitchens & Furniture

Award winning, this new-build won Best Timber Frame and Best Interior 2012 and it's easy to see why. A modern open plan interior with an abundance of glass, timber and metalwork, our clients chose the simple Baker & Baker ‘Shaker’ design for the kitchen cabinetry. Dark grey paintwork and brushed steel fittings go together beautifully with the solid oak worktops and dark stone floor. A long narrow island with breakfast bar runs parallel to the wall cabinets and a built in fridge freezer cupboard with steel clad doors adds to the overall contemporary feel

Kitchen + Dining + Staircase

Rethink Design Studio

Designer, Joel Snayd. Beach house on Tybee Island in Savannah, GA. This two-story beach house was designed from the ground up by Rethink Design Studio -- architecture + interior design. The first floor living space is wide open allowing for large family gatherings. Old recycled beams were brought into the space to create interest and create natural divisions between the living, dining and kitchen. The crisp white butt joint paneling was offset using the cool gray slate tile below foot. The stairs and cabinets were painted a soft gray, roughly two shades lighter than the floor, and then topped off with a Carerra honed marble. Apple red stools, quirky art, and fun colored bowls add a bit of whimsy and fun. Wall Color: SW extra white 7006 Stair Run Color: BM Sterling 1591 Floor: 6x12 Squall Slate (local tile supplier)

Kitchen and Bath In Chestnut Hill

Airy Kitchens

Photo of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, grey floor, black benchtop and white cabinets.

Historic Takoma Park additon

Grossmueller's Design Consultants

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.

Brookline

Lisa Davis Interiors

Custom Made Shaker/ Contemporary Built-In Wall Storage System
Design ideas for a mid-sized country l-shaped kitchen pantry in Boston with shaker cabinets, brown cabinets, stainless steel appliances, with island, black benchtop, an undermount sink, red splashback, brick splashback, slate floors and multi-coloured floor.

Dunmore Lake House

Nancy Leary Design

Vermont made Hickory Cabinets, Danby Vermont Marble counters and slate floors. Photo by Caleb Kenna
Mid-sized country u-shaped kitchen in Burlington with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, slate floors and green floor.

Mountain Traditional 1

Jensen Design

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.

Barton Creek Custom

Design Visions of Austin

This is an example of a country galley kitchen in Austin with with island, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances and slate floors.

Handpainted In-Frame Shaker Kitchen with Aga

Planet Furniture

Handpainted grey and pink in-frame shaker kitchen with quartz worksurfaces and a beautiful Pearl Ashes Aga.
Mid-sized country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Hertfordshire with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, glass sheet splashback, slate floors and with island.

Mercer Island

Jefferson Fine Home Builders

This is an example of a transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, black splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors and with island.

Kitchen with Shaker Cabinets and Slate Floors 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!