This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Brisbane with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, window splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, grey floor, brown benchtop and exposed beam.

A Modern Kitchen for a Retreat in the Woods

Amazing Spaces

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

Steel Windows & Doors by FireRock

FireRock Building Materials

This is an example of a large country l-shaped kitchen in Dallas with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, with island, multi-coloured splashback, black floor, white benchtop, a farmhouse sink, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, slate floors and window splashback.

Contemporary Barn

Appalachian Antique Hardwoods

This contemporary barn is the perfect mix of clean lines and colors with a touch of reclaimed materials in each room. The Mixed Species Barn Wood siding adds a rustic appeal to the exterior of this fresh living space. With interior white walls the Barn Wood ceiling makes a statement. Accent pieces are around each corner. Taking our Timbers Veneers to a whole new level, the builder used them as shelving in the kitchen and stair treads leading to the top floor. Tying the mix of brown and gray color tones to each room, this showstopper dinning table is a place for the whole family to gather.

South Hill Renovation

Greg Robinson Architect

Haris Kenjar Photography and Design
Design ideas for an arts and crafts l-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, grey floor, grey benchtop, an undermount sink, subway tile splashback, slate floors and shaker cabinets.

Professor's Row Renovation

aamodt / plumb architects

New butler's pantry with slate floors and high-gloss cabinets.
Contemporary galley kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, concrete benchtops, white appliances, black floor, yellow benchtop and slate floors.

School House Kitchen

Kitchens By Design

Natural Stone Floor, Wood Counter Tops
Photo of a country kitchen in Philadelphia with flat-panel cabinets, wood benchtops, grey cabinets and slate floors.

Projet Felix Faure : un appartement familial à l’esprit cottage anglais

Atelier Germain

Une cuisine fonctionnelle et épurée. Le + déco : les 3 miroirs Atelier Germain au dessus du bar pour agrandir l’espace.
Inspiration for a small scandinavian single-wall separate kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, marble benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, red floor and white benchtop.

Conroe Lake House

Kennedy Architecture

Photo of a mid-sized modern single-wall open plan kitchen in Houston with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, black floor, black benchtop and wood.

Kitchen Transformation

Charles Vincent George Architects, Inc.

Hinsdale, IL kitchen renovation by Charles Vincent George Architects
Inspiration for a transitional eat-in kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

| craftsman farmhouse |

Amy Pearson Design

Photo of a mid-sized country u-shaped separate kitchen in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, multi-coloured floor and black benchtop.

Brookline

Lisa Davis Interiors

L Shaped Jewett Farms Kitchen, with Brick Walls
Inspiration for a country l-shaped kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, brown cabinets, red splashback, brick splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, multi-coloured floor and black benchtop.

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

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.

Pesos for your Thoughts

C K Cabinetry and Design, LLC

Photography by Jeff Volker
This is an example of a large u-shaped separate kitchen in Phoenix with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, a peninsula, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Forest Green - Harvey Reno

MMI Design

These clients retained MMI to assist with a full renovation of the 1st floor following the Harvey Flood. With 4 feet of water in their home, we worked tirelessly to put the home back in working order. While Harvey served our city lemons, we took the opportunity to make lemonade. The kitchen was expanded to accommodate seating at the island and a butler's pantry. A lovely free-standing tub replaced the former Jacuzzi drop-in and the shower was enlarged to take advantage of the expansive master bathroom. Finally, the fireplace was extended to the two-story ceiling to accommodate the TV over the mantel. While we were able to salvage much of the existing slate flooring, the overall color scheme was updated to reflect current trends and a desire for a fresh look and feel. As with our other Harvey projects, our proudest moments were seeing the family move back in to their beautifully renovated home.

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

Complete Home Renovation

Randal G. Winter Construction Inc.

Mel Carll
Inspiration for a large transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, no island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Toorak Gardens

Space Craft Joinery

Jonathan VDK
Photo of a large transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Adelaide with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island and multi-coloured floor.

Park Ave. Pre-war

SEK Architects

Mid-sized transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, no island, grey floor and black benchtop.

Kitchen with 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!