Photo of a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Ultimate Entertaining Space

Justina Auer

Secondary work sink and dishwasher for all the dishes after a night of hosting a dinner party.
This is an example of an expansive contemporary galley kitchen pantry in Boston with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and no island.

Interior Paint Projects

Nolan Painting Inc.

Photo credit: Nolan Painting Interior Design: Raindrum Design
This is an example of a large contemporary eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, glass tile splashback, with island, an undermount sink, soapstone benchtops, black benchtop and shaker cabinets.

Saucon Valley Classic

Jarrett Design

This is an example of a large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and grey benchtop.

2019 NARI CotY Award-Winning Kitchens

National Association of the Remodeling Industry

Craftsman Design & Renovation, LLC, Portland, Oregon, 2019 NARI CotY Award-Winning Residential Kitchen $100,001 to $150,000
Large arts and crafts galley separate kitchen in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, soapstone benchtops, green splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, medium wood cabinets, brown floor and black benchtop.

Pleasant River Farmhouse

MGM Builders

Rustic and modern design elements complement one another in this 2,480 sq. ft. three bedroom, two and a half bath custom modern farmhouse. Abundant natural light and face nailed wide plank white pine floors carry throughout the entire home along with plenty of built-in storage, a stunning white kitchen, and cozy brick fireplace. Photos by Tessa Manning

Transitional

Candelaria Design Associates

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in Phoenix with raised-panel cabinets, beige splashback, with island, white cabinets, a farmhouse sink, soapstone benchtops, ceramic splashback, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Shades of Gray

SV Design

This once modest beach cottage was slowly transformed over the years into a grand estate on one of the North Shore's best beaches. Siemasko + Verbridge designed a modest addition while reworking the entire floor plan to meet the needs of a large family. Photo Credit: Michael Rixon

Cottage Kitchen

Divine Custom Homes

Home built by Divine Custom Homes Photos by Spacecrafting
Photo of a mid-sized traditional l-shaped separate kitchen in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, soapstone benchtops, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and shaker cabinets.

The Woodshop of Avon

Matt Schmitt Photography
Mid-sized traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with soapstone benchtops, a double-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, light hardwood floors and with island.

Wolfe Stovetop

Lasley Brahaney Architecture + Construction

The range hood is beautifully hidden within custom recessed cabinetry surrounded by white subway tile and white bead board layered surfaces.
This is an example of a large traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, soapstone benchtops, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

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.

Westlake Remodel

Ariel Bleich Design

Butlers Kitchen Remodel, painted patterned wood floor planks
Inspiration for a large transitional galley separate kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, terra-cotta splashback, stainless steel appliances, painted wood floors, no island and grey benchtop.

Big Fir Vineyard

Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects

The custom beech cabinetry and Milestone inset contrast nicely with the dark soapstone counters and backsplash. Photography: Andrew Pogue Photography.

Lakeside Cottage

The Kennebec Company

Simply Kennebec Cabinets in Benjamin Moore "Tarrytown Green" with a satin finish/
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped kitchen in Portland Maine with a single-bowl sink, green cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, shaker cabinets, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and black benchtop.

Picturesque Parkside

M-Squared Contracting Inc.

Inspiration for an expansive transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Toronto with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Scandinavian Inspired Kitchen

2B Design, LLC

A colorful bright Scandinavian inspired kitchen with great details! Solid Alabaster pendant lighting, acrylic bar stools, soapstone counter tops and natural red birch ship lap island. Dining accented with purple velvet end chairs and lambs wool seats on bent wood chairs. A rolling table on the extra long bench provides a drop space for refreshments or laptop. All of this backed with Thibaut wallpaper and contemporary sconce lighting.

Coastal Cottage in Oklahoma

Design Directions

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Parkside

Hello Kitchen

Inspiration for a mid-sized scandinavian galley open plan kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and black benchtop.

Chestnut Hill

Diane Murphy Interiors, LLC.

Kitchen, Chestnut Hill, MA
Design ideas for a large transitional kitchen in Boston with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and black benchtop.

Kitchen with 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!