Design ideas for a large modern u-shaped open plan kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, quartzite benchtops, beige splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, beige benchtop and exposed beam.

Upper Marlboro #122

Next Day Granites

White recessed paneled all wood cabinets with quartzite countertops and full height backsplash
This is an example of a large country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, blue splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, a peninsula, beige floor, blue benchtop and recessed.

Butcher's Hill Kitchen

One Source Contracting

This beautiful open concept kitchen and dining room area features white inset cabinetry, Wolf appliances, a honed Bohemian Gray Granite countertop, custom hood cover, gold lighting details and a full porcelain backsplash. This home retained it's Baltimore city charm whilst opening up the space by removing a wall separating the kitchen and dining room and refinishing the hardwood floors.

Kitchen Addition & Accessory Unit

Reliance Design Build

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors, multiple islands, white benchtop and vaulted.

The Club at Ravenna- Dante Project, Littleton, CO

Haven Design and Construction

The modern kitchen and scullery in this home has it all! Our team custom designed the sleek custom cabinetry to compliment the luxury suite of appliances. The luxury appliances in the kitchen and the scullery include-- a full height wine column, refrigerator and freezer columns, an ice maker, double ovens, a warming drawer, two dishwashers, a 48" gas rangetop, a microwave drawer, a beverage fridge, an undercounter microwave and a wine dispenser center. The kitchen and scullery also feature two undermount sinks, touch faucets, and an instant hot water faucet. The dark chocolate cabinets were designed to function without hardware to provide the streamlined look that we were after in this modern space. We created the channeled wood range hood to mimic the channeled fireplace wall design. Oversized marble-look porcelain slabs cover the walls and island in this expansive kitchen. The custom two-tier waterfall island features a wood bar top counter over a porcelain waterfall countertop. Our team encountered a particularly difficult challenge when designing the island. The architect had placed the AC air intake on the back of the island and the last thing that our design team wanted on the back of the island facing the living room was a large AC grille! So, we designed a "slot" all the way across the back of the island at the knee space to hide the AC air intake. The air intake is actually underneath the strip of porcelain that you see on the back of the island next to the barstools. This was the perfect marriage of function and style and we were thrilled with the sleek solution to this problem. Finally, we designed a custom spot in the corner of the kitchen with open shelves and built in appliances, specifically to house the owner's wine dispenser station and barware. The finishing touches on this beautiful sleek kitchen include geometric light fixtures and custom swivel barstools.

Contemporary Kitchen Chicago North Shore

Benvenuti and Stein

Mid- Century Makeover has walnut stained flat panel cabinetry, white quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances replacing the outdated dark countertops & golden oak cabinets. A light gray wide plank floor adds to the contemporary feel and linear lighting adds to the sleek look of the kitchen.

North Balgowlah Kitchen & Bathroom

Northern Beaches Kitchens and Bathrooms

Large contemporary l-shaped kitchen pantry in Sydney with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, multi-coloured benchtop and vaulted.

Arlington Kitchen Remodel

Alison Giese Interiors

A spacious kitchen with three "zones" to fully utilize the space. Full custom cabinetry in painted and stained finishes.
This is an example of a large transitional separate kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and timber.

Simply Seaside

Nikki Levy Interiors

A house that is geared to family and friends. Everything about this home is about beauty and practicality. Textural and cool, the organic vibe is leaning edgy and fun. A perfect blend for life

Saguaro Grove

AFT Construction

Large transitional galley open plan kitchen in Phoenix with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, multiple islands, beige floor, white benchtop and wood.

Crystal Lake Craftsman

Think Design

Walnut cabinets with natural finish, Taj Mahal counters and backsplash, porcelain farmhouse sink, timber beam ceiling
Design ideas for a large arts and crafts u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Milwaukee with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, beige splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, beige benchtop and exposed beam.

Looney Residence Wagga Wagga

Alatalo Bros

Design ideas for a large scandinavian l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Mid Century Modern Kitchen that's Connected to Nature

Normandy Remodeling

Natural walnut cabinetry, quartzite stone countertops and backsplash and a large picture window all make this mid-century modern kitchen a celebration of nature.

Greenwich Backcountry Estate

Rebecca Reynolds Design -New Canaan Kitchens

A complete makeover of a tired 1990s mahogany kitchen in a stately Greenwich back country manor. We couldn't change the windows in this project due to exterior restrictions but the fix was clear. We transformed the entire space of the kitchen and adjoining grand family room space by removing the dark cabinetry and painting over all the mahogany millwork in the entire space. The adjoining family walls with a trapezoidal vaulted ceiling needed some definition to ground the room. We added painted paneled walls 2/3rds of the way up to entire family room perimeter and reworked the entire fireplace wall with new surround, new stone and custom cabinetry around it with room for an 85" TV. The end wall in the family room had floor to ceiling gorgeous windows and Millowrk details. Once everything installed, painted and furnished the entire space became connected and cohesive as the central living area in the home.

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Century Bay Builders Inc.

Inspiration for a large country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, laminate floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Bailey Residence

Frederick + Frederick Architects

Inspiration for a beach style open plan kitchen in Atlanta with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and wood.

New Los Angeles Project

Surfaces USA

Mel Carll
Contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Los Angeles with recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stone slab splashback, white appliances and with island.

Maybell

Jay Andre Construction, Inc.

This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, with island, black floor, grey benchtop and exposed beam.

Lake Home Retreat

Projects Contemporary Furniture

This is an example of an expansive contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Other with with island, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, beige splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, beige floor, black benchtop and wood.

Arlington Home Remodel

Alison Giese Interiors

Custom island and plaster hood take center stage in this kitchen remodel. Design by: Alison Giese Interiors
Inspiration for a large transitional separate kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, coloured appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and timber.

All Ceiling Designs Kitchen with Stone Slab Splashback 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!