This kitchen took a tired, 80’s builder kitchen and revamped it into a personalized gathering space for our wonderful client. The existing space was split up by the dated configuration of eat-in kitchen table area to one side and cramped workspace on the other. It didn’t just under-serve our client’s needs; it flat out discouraged them from using the space. Our client desired an open kitchen with a central gathering space where family and friends could connect. To open things up, we removed the half wall separating the kitchen from the dining room and the wall that blocked sight lines to the family room and created a narrow hallway to the kitchen. The old oak cabinets weren't maximizing storage and were dated and dark. We used Waypoint Living Spaces cabinets in linen white to brighten up the room. On the east wall, we created a hutch-like stack that features an appliance garage that keeps often used countertop appliance on hand but out of sight. The hutch also acts as a transition from the cooking zone to the coffee and wine area. We eliminated the north window that looked onto the entry walkway and activated this wall as storage with refrigerator enclosure and pantry. We opted to leave the east window as-is and incorporated it into the new kitchen layout by creating a window well for growing plants and herbs. The countertops are Pental Quartz in Carrara. The sleek cabinet hardware is from our friends at Amerock in a gorgeous satin champagne bronze. One of the most striking features in the space is the pattern encaustic tile from Tile Shop. The pop of blue in the backsplash adds personality and contrast to the champagne accents. The reclaimed wood cladding surrounding the large east-facing window introduces a quintessential Colorado vibe, and the natural texture balances the crisp white cabinetry and geometric patterned tile. Minimalist modern lighting fixtures from Mitzi by Hudson Valley Lighting provide task lighting over the sink and at the wine/ coffee station. The visual lightness of the sink pendants maintains the openness and visual connection between the kitchen and dining room. Together the elements make for a sophisticated yet casual vibe-- a comfortable chic kitchen. We love the way this space turned out and are so happy that our clients now have such a bright and welcoming gathering space as the heart of their home!

Elegant Modern Black, White and Wood Kitchen and Family Room

J Rider Construction

Elegant timeless style Kitchen with black marble countertop, range hood, white cabinets and stainless accents. Farmhouse sink build in the island.
This is an example of an expansive transitional u-shaped kitchen in Tampa with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, black benchtop, an undermount sink, with island and brown floor.

Vancouver - Shaughnessy Condo Kitchen

Alair Homes Vancouver

IKEA kitchen marvel: Professional consultants, Dave & Karen like to entertain and truly maximized the practical with the aesthetically fun in this kitchen remodel of their Fairview condo in Vancouver B.C. With a budget of about $55,000 and 120 square feet, working with their contractor, Alair Homes, they took their time to thoughtfully design and focus their money where it would pay off in the reno. Karen wanted ample wine storage and Dave wanted a considerable liquor case. The result? A 3 foot deep custom pullout red wine rack that holds 40 bottles of red, nicely tucked in beside a white wine fridge that also holds another 40 bottles of white. They sourced a 140-year-old wrought iron gate that fit the wall space, and re-purposed it as a functional art piece to frame a custom 30 bottle whiskey shelf. Durability and value were themes throughout the project. Bamboo laminated counter tops that wrap the entire kitchen and finish in a waterfall end are beautiful and sustainable. Contrasting with the dark reclaimed, hand hewn, wide plank wood floor and homestead enamel sink, its a wonderful blend of old and new. Nice appliance features include the European style Liebherr integrated fridge and instant hot water tap. The original kitchen had Ikea cabinets and the owners wanted to keep the sleek styling and re-use the existing cabinets. They spent some time on Houzz and made their own idea book. Confident with good ideas, they set out to purchase additional Ikea cabinet pieces to create the new vision. Walls were moved and structural posts created to accommodate the new configuration. One area that was a challenge was at the end of the U shaped kitchen. There are stairs going to the loft and roof top deck (amazing views of downtown Vancouver!), and the stairs cut an angle through the cupboard area and created a void underneath them. Ideas like a cabinet man size door to a hidden room were contemplated, but in the end a unifying idea and space creator was decided on. Put in a custom appliance garage on rollers that is 3 feet deep and rolls into the void under the stairs, and is large enough to hide everything! And under the counter is room for the famous wine rack and cooler. The result is a chic space that is comfy and inviting and keeps the urban flair the couple loves. http://www.alairhomes.com/vancouver ©Ema Peter

Transitional Kitchen Renovation in Washington, DC

BOWA

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, light wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, white benchtop, exposed beam and recessed-panel cabinets.

Navy is a Neutral Ranch Remodel & Addition

KBG Design

Photo of a large beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, brown floor and white benchtop.

Beautiful Santa Barbara Residential Remodel

DesignArt Studios

Beautiful grand kitchen, with a classy, light and airy feel. Each piece was designed and detailed for the functionality and needs of the family.
Design ideas for an expansive transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Santa Barbara with white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, marble benchtops, marble splashback, medium hardwood floors and coffered.

Kitchen

Laurie S Woods, ASID

Mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, black benchtop and stainless steel appliances.

Avon Hill Cambridge

Elms Interior Design

Michael J. Lee
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, marble benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, shaker cabinets, white cabinets and brown floor.

Contemporary Kitchen Design Ideas

Everingham Design

Design ideas for a large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Columbus with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets, marble benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Oak Hill Addition

The Kingston Group - Remodeling Specialists

Design ideas for a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in Nashville with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and medium hardwood floors.

Modern Condo with Rustic Touch

Home Style

This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen in Salt Lake City with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Une cuisine pièce à vivre hausmanienne

SYNESTHESIES

Comment imaginer une cuisine sans denaturer l'esprit d'une maison hausmanienne ? Un pari que Synesthesies a su relever par la volonté delibérée de raconter une histoire. 40 m2 de couleurs, fonctionnalité, jeux de lumière qui évoluent au fil de la journée.

Shadow Creek Drive

Osinoff General Contractors

Roberto Garcia Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped kitchen in Los Angeles with with island, a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, white benchtop, grey splashback and subway tile splashback.

Bienville Transition Kitchen

Jackson Construction, Inc.

Large transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in New Orleans with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

TWO TONE KITCHEN- SCHROCK ENTRA

Cabinetry Of Pinehurst

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen

Coastal Signature Homes

Cabinets: Centerpoint Black splash: Savannah Surfaces Perimeter: Caesarstone Island Countertop: Precision Granite & Marble- Cygnus Leather Appliances: Ferguson, Kitchenaid

Mashpee Shingle Style

ArchiPlicity, LLC

Katherine Jackson Architectural Photography
Large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Boston with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

lint kitchen

JamesFurniture

ITS COPPER TONES ALLOWED FOR THE USE OF BLACK WALNUT AS A COMPLEMENTARY MATERIAL FOR HANDLES, BREAKFAST BAR AND CUPBOARD DOORS.
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sussex with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Modern Charm in Highland Park

Glenbrook Remodeling

The kitchen, butler’s pantry, and laundry room uses Arbor Mills cabinetry and quartz counter tops. Wide plank flooring is installed to bring in an early world feel. Encaustic tiles and black iron hardware were used throughout. The butler’s pantry has polished brass latches and cup pulls which shine brightly on black painted cabinets. Across from the laundry room the fully custom mudroom wall was built around a salvaged 4” thick seat stained to match the laundry room cabinets.

Remodel Project

Insidesign

Design ideas for a mid-sized country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Atlanta with glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, white splashback, subway tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, a farmhouse sink, marble benchtops and brown floor.

Kitchen with Stainless Steel Appliances and Brown Floor 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!