For a client with an enthusiastic appreciation of retro design, this sunny ode to kitchens of the past is a cheerful and comforting retreat for today. The client wanted a kitchen that creatively expressed her fun, unconventional taste while providing all the modern conveniences of a contemporary home. Space was borrowed from an existing office to provide more open area and easier navigation in the kitchen. Bright, optimistic yellow sets the tone in the room, with retro-inspired appliances in buttery yellow chosen as key elements of the design. A generous apron-front farm sink gleams with clean white enameled cast iron and is outfitted with a rare retro faucet with spray and scrub brush attachments. Black trim against the yellow ceramic tile countertops defines the kitchen’s lines. Simple maple cabinetry painted white with black ceramic knobs provides a modern level of storage. Playful positioning of contrasting tiles on the floor presents a modern, quirky interpretation of the traditional checkerboard pattern in this classic kitchen with an original point of view.

Kitchen 1 Queen Anne Bungalow

Seattle Custom Cabinets

photography by Tim Schultz
This is an example of a traditional kitchen in Seattle with tile benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback and white appliances.

Kitchen

Sara Ingrassia Interiors

Photo of a traditional separate kitchen in Los Angeles with tile benchtops, white appliances, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, brown splashback and subway tile splashback.

Small Kitchen Remodel

Lord Design

Steve Eltinge
This is an example of a small transitional galley open plan kitchen in Portland with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, tile benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and no island.

Hill Country Retreat

Morningside Architects LLP

Morningside Architects, LLP Contractor: Rockwell Homes
Design ideas for a mid-sized country galley eat-in kitchen in Houston with a drop-in sink, glass-front cabinets, green cabinets, tile benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

SMALL APPLIANCES

Molly J Littlejohn Design

Photo of a small transitional galley separate kitchen in Portland with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, tile benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, no island and black benchtop.

Lonesomeville Pottery Studio & ADU

Shelter Solutions LLC - ADU Specialist

Small country l-shaped kitchen in Portland with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, tile benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, coloured appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor, white benchtop, vaulted and wood.

Naturally Beautiful

Palazzo Kitchens & Appliances

This kitchen space is a natural beauty, that captures the eligance of the home and the family. The shaker doors style is the perfect blend of both character, and contemporary - the door style lends itself towards a timeless character, while the sleek gloss lacquer offer the contemporary aspect. The contrast is also demonstrates the 2 bench styles - the character of the timber style bench, and the stunning white acrylic bench top. The kitchen offers a HUGE amount of storage - an essential aspect of any kitchen design, and some thing that Palazzo holds in the highest regards. This kitchen offers both draws and cupboards - each offering a specific type of storage solutions. This kitchen was a delight to design and install, and we're please to part of the journey with this family.

Harvard Street

NEST Design Group

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Houston with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, white appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and tile benchtops.

Tiradores dorados

Reformas y Cocinas

La reforma de esta cocina se realizó tomando en cuenta todos los requerimientos del cliente. Realizamos inicialmente el desmontado de la cocina, de las paredes y del suelo. Se realizaron las distintas modificaciones de los puntos de toma de agua y electricidad. Los muebles de la cocina son de alta calidad hidrófuga y de un grosor de 19mm, que es superior a lo habitual para una mayor duración. Los tiradores y la grifería son de un color dorado muy contemporáneo que le aporta mucho carácter a la cocina. El salpicadero seleccionado fur de azulejos tipo metro blanco brillantes.

Custom Home

Mission Tile West Showrooms

This is an example of a mid-sized mediterranean separate kitchen in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, tile benchtops, yellow splashback, subway tile splashback, coloured appliances, terra-cotta floors, no island, red floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

ASID San Diego Design Excellence Awards 2014

ASID San Diego Chapter

2nd Place Kitchen Design Rosella Gonzalez, Allied Member ASID Jackson Design and Remodeling
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Diego with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, tile benchtops, yellow splashback, subway tile splashback, coloured appliances, linoleum floors and a peninsula.

25th Street

Riverside Builders, Inc.

Inspiration for a mid-sized arts and crafts l-shaped open plan kitchen in Sacramento with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, tile benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and subway tile splashback.

Captains House

Colonial Reproductions, Inc.

This country kitchen is accented with detailed tiles, brass light fixtures and a large butcher block. Greg Premru Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized country u-shaped kitchen in Boston with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, tile benchtops, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

South Tampa Kitchen Renovation

Hyde Park Renovations

Photos by Project Focus Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Tampa with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, tile benchtops, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Traditional Design (W1)

Urban Design Center

Mid-sized contemporary eat-in kitchen in Seattle with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, tile benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and medium hardwood floors.

Curtis Park Home

Katie Denham Interiors

This is an example of a traditional galley kitchen in Sacramento with white cabinets, tile benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances and shaker cabinets.

ASID San Diego Design Excellence Awards 2014

ASID San Diego Chapter

2nd Place Kitchen Design Rosella Gonzalez, Allied Member ASID Jackson Design and Remodeling
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped kitchen in San Diego with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, tile benchtops, yellow splashback, subway tile splashback, coloured appliances, linoleum floors, with island, multi-coloured floor and yellow benchtop.

Small Kitchen Remodel

Lord Design

Steve Eltinge
Inspiration for a small beach style galley open plan kitchen in Portland with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, tile benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and no island.

Gwelup Home

Western Cabinets

Joel Barbitta - Dmax Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Perth with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, tile benchtops, black splashback, subway tile splashback, black appliances, cement tiles, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen with Tile Benchtops and Subway Tile 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!