Design ideas for a mid-sized beach style galley open plan kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, beige benchtop and brown floor.

The Art of Modern Kitchen Design

Nest n Style Design

Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sydney with white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, with island, white benchtop, a double-bowl sink, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, brown floor, flat-panel cabinets and dark hardwood floors.

Brighton Villa

rosstang architects

Design ideas for a contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and white benchtop.

Evergreen

The Glade Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized eclectic galley eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, pink cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, laminate floors, with island, yellow floor and yellow benchtop.

Palm Beach

Blackburne Designs

Open kitchen, dining, living
Inspiration for a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Gold Coast - Tweed with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, multi-coloured floor and white benchtop.

Belrose House Renovation NSW 2085

The Renovation Broker

Modern kitchen, with dark timber grain joinery, large kitchen island, with walk in pantry that has a barn door. Two sinks and fridges one integrated to service the outdoor BBQ area, lots of bench space plus 3 ovens and a warming drawer

Southbank Apartment

Jasmine McClelland Design

Fresh, clean, white apartment kitchen with living room in mirrored reflection.
Inspiration for a small contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Leura - Farmer Doors with Natural Stone

Kitchen Envy - Custom Kitchens

Beautifully crafted doors from Farmer's doors. The benchtop is Blue Roma Brazilian Quartzite. This amazing natural stone takes centre stage in this Blue Mountains home. Nature knows no bounds with vibrant colours and unique patterns. The dark, moody shade of blue complements the rich texture of the flat panel cabinet doors and adds a contemporary look to a farmhouse style

Wallan Dwelling

Dawes Design & Drafting Group

Design ideas for a contemporary kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Bay Pearl

Kirsten Johnstone Architecture

Photo of a large modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, grey floor, white benchtop and timber.

Kingswood Residence

MH-YL Studio

Contemporary take on a traditional shaker style kitchen with reeded glass doors, timber accents and large island.
Inspiration for a large contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Adelaide with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Paddington Terrace

Sonya Vidic Interiors & Styling

Inspiration for a contemporary single-wall kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, grey floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Contemporary Kitchen, Whitebridge

Vista Kitchens Newcastle

This is an example of a small beach style galley eat-in kitchen in Newcastle - Maitland with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, window splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and white benchtop.

Caulfield House

User

White walls and ceiling are combined with wood and sand tones to create this beautiful open plan kitchen.
Design ideas for a large country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Naremburn

Sartorial Interiors

Photo of a large contemporary kitchen in Sydney with a double-bowl sink, green cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Crafers Living Renovation

Plush Design Interiors

Three small rooms were demolished to enable a new kitchen and open plan living space to be designed. The kitchen has a drop-down ceiling to delineate the space. A window became french doors to the garden. The former kitchen was re-designed as a mudroom. The laundry had new cabinetry. New flooring throughout. A linen cupboard was opened to become a study nook with dramatic wallpaper. Custom ottoman were designed and upholstered for the drop-down dining and study nook. A family of five now has a fantastically functional open plan kitchen/living space, family study area, and a mudroom for wet weather gear and lots of storage.

GEELONG 06

Ed Ewers Architecture

Photo of a contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Geelong with flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, blue splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Coburg Frieze

Mihaly Slocombe

Coburg Frieze is a purified design that questions what’s really needed. The interwar property was transformed into a long-term family home that celebrates lifestyle and connection to the owners’ much-loved garden. Prioritising quality over quantity, the crafted extension adds just 25sqm of meticulously considered space to our clients’ home, honouring Dieter Rams’ enduring philosophy of “less, but better”. We reprogrammed the original floorplan to marry each room with its best functional match – allowing an enhanced flow of the home, while liberating budget for the extension’s shared spaces. Though modestly proportioned, the new communal areas are smoothly functional, rich in materiality, and tailored to our clients’ passions. Shielding the house’s rear from harsh western sun, a covered deck creates a protected threshold space to encourage outdoor play and interaction with the garden. This charming home is big on the little things; creating considered spaces that have a positive effect on daily life.

Bradleys Head Road

LivingLot

Mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Passive house addition

APL Construction Pty Ltd

Modern open plan kitchen in Perth with white cabinets, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

All Backsplash Materials Kitchen with Stainless Steel Appliances 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!