A transitional kitchen where the marriage of white oak and warm white cabinetry, adorned with elegant bronze accents, sets the stage. The grand island, featuring a soapstone waterfall end on one side and an inviting open side on the other, takes center stage. Completing the ensemble are the striking black metal hutch doors, chic open shelving, and the warm glow of pendant lighting.

Oh Hey O'Hill

Morrison Interiors

This is an example of a large mediterranean u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Orange County with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, limestone benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, travertine floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Lexington Bungalow

Small Batch Kitchens

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, green splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors and no island.

Eclectic Kitchen

Inspiration for an eclectic kitchen in Chicago with subway tile splashback, soapstone benchtops, a single-bowl sink, dark wood cabinets, white splashback and open cabinets.

Alterman

The Cousins

This small space demanded attention to detail and smart solutions, starting with the table and chairs. Too tiny for a standard kitchen table, we added a table that folds down against the wall with foldable chairs that can be hung on the wall when not in use. Typically neglected space between the refrigerator and the wall was turned into spice cabinets, ceiling height uppers maximize storage, and a mirrored backsplash creates the illusion of more space. But small spaces don't have to be vacant of character, as proven by the distressed aqua cabinetry and mismatched knobs.

Past Meets Present

Judith Wright Design

Saving the original stained glass picture window from 1916, we created a focal point with a custom designed arch alcove with dentil molding. Leaded glass upper cabinets add ambiance and sparkle to the compact kitchen.

Ruxton

Elizabeth Lawson Design

Photo of a large transitional eat-in kitchen in Baltimore with an integrated sink, shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, soapstone benchtops, black splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, limestone floors, with island, beige floor and black benchtop.

Pine Needle Cove

Jarrett Design

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, soapstone benchtops, black splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Elevation Road

Massey Design Group

This home's plentiful views of San Diego Bay provided much inspiration for the colors, tones and textures in this kitchen. Design details include porcelain tile backsplash, soapstone countertops, floating wood shelves and a custom butcher block top for the island.

Küchenblock Bateig Azul

Steinmanufaktur Gross GmbH

Naturstein hat eine besondere Wirkung, wenn er eine gewisse, massive Stärke zeigt. Auch bei Küchenarbeitsplatten ist dies möglich. Ist es technisch nicht möglich, massive Stücke einzubauen, kann die massive Optik durch Verkleben dünnerer Platten erreicht werden. Hier wurde die Wirkung des Blocks noch durch den flächenbündigen Einsatz von Spüle, Kochfeld und Steckdoseneinsatz unterstützt. Das Material Bateig Azul, einen spanischen Kalksandstein, könnte man fast für Beton halten, wenn nicht die fein geschliffene Oberfläche diesen speziellen warme Sandstein-Touch hätte.

Black and Walnut Modern Industrial Design Kitchen in DC

USA Cabinet Store Fairfax

Inspiration for a mid-sized industrial galley eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, soapstone benchtops, black splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and black benchtop.

New Farmhouse - In Law Apartment

DeBaker Design Group, Ltd.

First floor of In-Law apartment with Private Living Room, Kitchen and Bedroom Suite.
Photo of a small country u-shaped open plan kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Mid-Century Modern Kitchen with Yellow & Green

Model Remodel

© Cindy Apple Photography
Mid-sized midcentury l-shaped separate kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and black benchtop.

Ocean Views Condo | Small Luxury Kitchen

Liza Nicole Interiors

Small kitchen big on storage and luxury finishes. When you’re limited on increasing a small kitchen’s footprint, it’s time to get creative. By lightening the space with bright, neutral colors and removing upper cabinetry — replacing them with open shelves — we created an open, bistro-inspired kitchen packed with prep space.

Surfside Farmhouse

interiorstyle

Tile: ARTO BRICK Custom Mix RANGE TILE: MICHAEL ARAM MOLTEN BRONZE Gloss 6" X 12" X 5/8" Ceramic Field Tile WHITE FIELD TILE: A TRAIN WHITE Gloss 5" X 10" X 3/8" Ceramic Field Tile Custom Island with Walnut wood top Perimeter Countertops: Black Soapstone

Transitional Kitchen

Photo of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Indianapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, soapstone benchtops, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Oh Hey O'Hill

Morrison Interiors

Photo of a large mediterranean u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Orange County with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, limestone benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, travertine floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Walk Street Manhattan Beach

Norman Design Group, Inc.

Large beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and black benchtop.

White Kitchen with Reclaimed Wood Accents and Dash of Blue

Normandy Remodeling

This white painted kitchen features a splash of color in the blue backsplash tile and reclaimed wood beams that add more character and a focal point to the entire kitchen.

Modern Farmhouse Kitchen and Home Bar

Leslie Hutchison Interiors, LLC

This is an example of a large country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Kitchen with Soapstone Benchtops and Limestone 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!