A Large walk - in pantry takes a big load off the kitchen storage needs in this near-net-zero custom built home built by Meadowlark Design + Build in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Architect: Architectural Resource, Photography: Joshua Caldwell

Glamorous Kitchen, Dining and Living Renovation with Entertaining in Mind

Corinthian Fine Homes

This young family began working with us after struggling with their previous contractor. They were over budget and not achieving what they really needed with the addition they were proposing. Rather than extend the existing footprint of their house as had been suggested, we proposed completely changing the orientation of their separate kitchen, living room, dining room, and sunroom and opening it all up to an open floor plan. By changing the configuration of doors and windows to better suit the new layout and sight lines, we were able to improve the views of their beautiful backyard and increase the natural light allowed into the spaces. We raised the floor in the sunroom to allow for a level cohesive floor throughout the areas. Their extended kitchen now has a nice sitting area within the kitchen to allow for conversation with friends and family during meal prep and entertaining. The sitting area opens to a full dining room with built in buffet and hutch that functions as a serving station. Conscious thought was given that all “permanent” selections such as cabinetry and countertops were designed to suit the masses, with a splash of this homeowner’s individual style in the double herringbone soft gray tile of the backsplash, the mitred edge of the island countertop, and the mixture of metals in the plumbing and lighting fixtures. Careful consideration was given to the function of each cabinet and organization and storage was maximized. This family is now able to entertain their extended family with seating for 18 and not only enjoy entertaining in a space that feels open and inviting, but also enjoy sitting down as a family for the simple pleasure of supper together.

Brilliant in Black

Rochon New York

Clean cut, modern, and magnificent! Rochon custom made black flat panel cabinets and center island set the tone for this open and airy contemporary kitchen and great room. The island lights add a touch of whimsical . The kitchen also features an extra large Frigidaire refrigerator and freezer and wall oven.

Four-Square Craftsman Classic

Sheila Mayden Interiors

Neatly outfitted pantry concealed behind furniture-style doors, resembling a built-in armoire.
Photo of a large arts and crafts u-shaped separate kitchen in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

North Oaks - Traditional Pantry Addition

Michels Homes

Builder: Michels homes Design: Megan Dent, Studio M Kitchen & Bath
Inspiration for a large l-shaped kitchen pantry in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, beige benchtop and exposed beam.

Oak Hills Mid Century Modern

Mosaik Design & Remodeling

This outdated kitchen came with flowered wallpaper, narrow connections to Entry and Dining Room, outdated cabinetry and poor workflow. By opening up the ceiling to expose existing beams, widening both entrys and adding taller, angled windows, light now steams into this bright and cheery Mid Century Modern kitchen. The custom Pratt & Larson turquoise tiles add so much interest and tie into the new custom painted blue door. The walnut wood base cabinets add a warm, natural element. A cozy seating area for TV watching, reading and coffee looks out to the new clear cedar fence and landscape.

Ranch House Great Room

Marin Design Co.

White kitchen with lots of layered elements. Part of the Ranch House Great Room.
Design ideas for a large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Sacramento with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and vaulted.

Stony Ford

Spruill Custom Homes, LLC

White kitchen with white subway tile and blue accent tile, white z-line range, brass fixtures and hardware.
Inspiration for a mid-sized beach style kitchen in Dallas with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, white appliances, multiple islands and white benchtop.

Dexter Colonial (Midcentury Modern Remodel)

exactly.

Inspiration for a large midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Detroit with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Mckenzie Residence

Uniik Design

This main floor space was a complete transformation! We had so much fun collaborating with our clients on their newly renovated kitchen. They had many problems with their existing kitchen as it was very tight, dated, and not enough storage space. We took down two walls to give them a more open floor plan, we doubled their storage, and created a flow throughout the kitchen that met all the clients needs and functionalities. For the aesthetics, we used a beautiful grey for the cabinetry, porcelain slabs with stunning veins to speak to the cabinets, and added a geometric cube pattern with a punch of blue in the backsplash.

Watertown MA - Kitchen Remodel & Addition

Rebel Builders

Industrial transitional English style kitchen. The addition and remodeling were designed to keep the outdoors inside. Replaced the uppers and prioritized windows connected to key parts of the backyard and having open shelvings with walnut and brass details. Custom dark cabinets made locally. Designed to maximize the storage and performance of a growing family and host big gatherings. The large island was a key goal of the homeowners with the abundant seating and the custom booth opposite to the range area. The booth was custom built to match the client's favorite dinner spot. In addition, we created a more New England style mudroom in connection with the patio. And also a full pantry with a coffee station and pocket doors.

World Traveler Kitchen

Signature Designs Kitchen | Bath | Interiors

The owner of this home wished to transform this builder basic home to a European treasure. Having traveled the world, moved from San Francisco and now living in wine country she knew that she wanted to celebrate The charm of France complete with an French range, luxury refrigerator and wine cooler.

Rénovation maison de bord de mer

Home by Marie

Espace cuisine et salle à manger
Inspiration for a mid-sized beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Nantes with a farmhouse sink, green cabinets, laminate benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors and white benchtop.

4x4 White Kitchen Tiles

Fireclay Tile

With a light and airy color palette, the glossy white backsplash tile in a timeless offset pattern takes center stage in this kitchen. DESIGN Caitlin Flemming PHOTOS Stephanie Russo Tile Shown: 4x4 in White Wash

Modern Kitchen Renovation

Blejer Architecture

Photo of a modern kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, laminate benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, black benchtop and vaulted.

| modern lodge |

Amy Pearson Design

While the majority of APD designs are created to meet the specific and unique needs of the client, this whole home remodel was completed in partnership with Black Sheep Construction as a high end house flip. From space planning to cabinet design, finishes to fixtures, appliances to plumbing, cabinet finish to hardware, paint to stone, siding to roofing; Amy created a design plan within the contractor’s remodel budget focusing on the details that would be important to the future home owner. What was a single story house that had fallen out of repair became a stunning Pacific Northwest modern lodge nestled in the woods!

Mid-Century Modern Kitchen with Yellow & Green

Model Remodel

Modern kitchen island with waterfall countertop; kitchen open shelving over white backsplash © Cindy Apple Photography
Inspiration for a 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.

Mulholland Drive- Bel Air

Rande Leaman Interior Design

The large state of the art kitchen was completely reconfigured in this renovation. We widened both doorways considerably and the family room is now very much a part of the kitchen area. Thermador and SubZero appliances are throughout the mostly white kitchen. A dark charcoal gray island and custom hood break up the white cabinetry. To the right, is a utility kitchen, laundry and pantry area.

Traditional Kitchen Design SW17

Chantel Elshout Studio

Kitchen & Dining space renovation in SW17. A traditional kitchen painted in Little Greene Company - Sage Green and complemented with gorgeous Antique Bronze accents.

Parkdale Lone Fir

Guggenheim Architecture + Design Studio

Photo of a large country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Portland with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Kitchen with Stone Tile Splashback and Ceramic 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!