Red birch cabinetry, Soapstone countertops and recycled fir flooring contribute to the natural feel of the project.
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Elliot Ave. Kitchen addition

Ohana Home & Design

This house had a tiny little galley kitchen. We added an addition off the back of the home which gave the family a nice sized kitchen and a family room.

Hudson Woods

Lang Architecture

Inspiration for a country single-wall kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, green splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and with island.

Sunny Kitchen Remodel

Bryhn Design/Build

Here you can see the full kitchen space. The black & blue island is a nice accent to break up the natural brown hues of the flooring, cabinets, and granite counter top. High set pendant lights add function and beauty without being obstructive when working on the island.

Making Home Dreams Real

Benson Builders LLC

Design ideas for a mid-sized country l-shaped separate kitchen in Other with a double-bowl sink, beaded inset cabinets, light wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback, panelled appliances, ceramic floors, with island and grey floor.

WoodHouse

Misiaszek Turpin pllc

To optimize the views of the lake and maximize natural ventilation this 8,600 square-foot woodland oasis accomplishes just that and more. A selection of local materials of varying scales for the exterior and interior finishes, complements the surrounding environment and boast a welcoming setting for all to enjoy. A perfect combination of skirl siding and hand dipped shingles unites the exterior palette and allows for the interior finishes of aged pine paneling and douglas fir trim to define the space. This residence, houses a main-level master suite, a guest suite, and two upper-level bedrooms. An open-concept scheme creates a kitchen, dining room, living room and screened porch perfect for large family gatherings at the lake. Whether you want to enjoy the beautiful lake views from the expansive deck or curled up next to the natural stone fireplace, this stunning lodge offers a wide variety of spatial experiences. Photographer: Joseph St. Pierre

Rustic Arts and Crafts Kitchen

Main Line Kitchen Design

Shaker Rustic Alder, Whitewash finish. Granite tops, Main Line Kitchen Design specializes in creative design solutions for kitchens in every style. Working with our designers our customers create beautiful kitchens that will be stand the test of time.

Buena Vista Residence

Schwartz and Architecture

Typical of many San Francisco Victorians, this home’s kitchen had evolved over the years out of an enclosed porch. The centerpiece of the new light-filled space is a custom island / drop-leaf table that converts from a casual family dining area to an ample area for the children’s art projects, or seating for twelve. Open shelving and a series of custom ledges for the family’s seasonal canning efforts intensify the casual, working feel to the kitchen, which is both modern, yet appropriate to the essence of the home. Photography: Matthew Millman

White Oak Kitchen with Black Metal Countertop Hutches

Chervin Kitchen & Bath Inc.

A streamlined countertop hutch, featuring sleek black metal doors, offers convenient storage for dishware, kitchen necessities, and decor. Integrated lighting elegantly illuminates the items on the shelves, making it an inviting display. The bold black metal doors create a striking contrast against the warm white and stained white oak cabinetry. The focus of the countertop hutch design was to create a practical grab-and-go storage solution, with the powder-coated metal doors taking center stage.

Kitchens

Powell Brower Interiors

Photo by Helen Norman, Styling by Charlotte Safavi
Design ideas for a large country l-shaped open plan kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, green splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, green benchtop, brown floor and medium hardwood floors.

Martis Camp Calm

Hills & Grant

Lisa Petrole
Inspiration for a contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Sacramento with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors and with island.

Stone/Cohn

Gary Earl Parsons, Architect

Muffy Kibbey, Photographer Carlen and Company, General Contractor
Eclectic kitchen in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances and dark hardwood floors.

Mission Transition

Renovisions

This kitchen had not been renovated since the salt box colonial house was built in the 1960’s. The new owner felt it was time for a complete refresh with some traditional details and adding in the owner’s contemporary tastes. At initial observation, we determined the house had good bones; including high ceilings and abundant natural light from a double-hung window and three skylights overhead recently installed by our client. Mixing the homeowners desires required the skillful eyes of Cathy and Ed from Renovisions. The original kitchen had dark stained, worn cabinets, in-adequate lighting and a non-functional coat closet off the kitchen space. In order to achieve a true transitional look, Renovisions incorporated classic details with subtle, simple and cleaner line touches. For example, the backsplash mix of honed and polished 2” x 3” stone-look subway tile is outlined in brushed stainless steel strips creating an edgy feel, especially at the niche above the range. Removing the existing wall that shared the coat closet opened up the kitchen to allow adding an island for seating and entertaining guests. We chose natural maple, shaker style flat panel cabinetry with longer stainless steel pulls instead of knobs, keeping in line with the clients desire for a sleeker design. This kitchen had to be gutted to accommodate the new layout featuring an island with pull-out trash and recycling and deeper drawers for utensils. Spatial constraints were top of mind and incorporating a convection microwave above the slide-in range made the most sense. Our client was thrilled with the ability to bake, broil and microwave from GE’s advantium oven – how convenient! A custom pull-out cabinet was built for his extensive array of spices and oils. The sink base cabinet provides plenty of area for the large rectangular stainless steel sink, single-lever multi-sprayer faucet and matching filtered water dispenser faucet. The natural, yet sleek green soapstone countertop with distinct white veining created a dynamic visual and principal focal point for the now open space. While oak wood flooring existed in the entire first floor, as an added element of color and interest we installed multi-color slate-look porcelain tiles in the kitchen area. We also installed a fully programmable floor heating system for those chilly New England days. Overall, out client was thrilled with his Mission Transition.

Arlington kitchen

aMortonDesign

Robert Umenhofer Photography
This is an example of a transitional u-shaped kitchen in Boston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, green splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, black benchtop and soapstone benchtops.

Broad Cove Residence

BRIBURN – Architecture for Life

Photo of a country kitchen in Portland Maine with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Carter Road

Arcata Cabinet & Design Company

Nicolette Patton, CKD
Design ideas for a large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and stone tile splashback.

Woodland Kitchen

Schmidt Homes, Inc.

This kitchen features updated appliances, fixtures, and completely new finishes. We eliminated the uppers at the peninsula to open the kitchen to the eat-in nook as well as to let light in from the bay window area

Contemporary Kitchen

Cynthia Bennett & Associates

Mid-sized contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, glass tile splashback, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, soapstone benchtops and stainless steel appliances.

The Deerhorn Residence

Arbor South Architecture

Mike Dean
Large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, brown splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

8th Place Renovation

Cherry Hill Custom Homes

The main floor of this mid-century split level home was completely opened up when we removed the only two walls separating the kitchen from the family and dining rooms. The much needed update was taken to the next level with book-matched natural cherry slab door cabinets. The modern detailing was warmed up with natural slate tile on the backsplash and in the box window, as well as soapstone countertops.

Kitchen with Light Wood Cabinets and Soapstone Benchtops 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!