This is an example of a large midcentury galley separate kitchen in Nashville with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, terra-cotta splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula and grey benchtop.

Contemporary Grey Kitchen

Tom Howley

Photo of a mid-sized transitional galley kitchen in Manchester with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, grey cabinets, mirror splashback, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Light & Bright Georgian Villa Extension

Westbury Garden Rooms

This is an example of a mid-sized country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Essex with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, mirror splashback, with island, grey floor, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, beige splashback and panelled appliances.

Stepped shaker handpainted kitchen - Foxrock

Savvy Kitchens

Large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island and grey floor.

Contemporary Spenlow Kitchen | Victorian Townhouse

Humphrey Munson

The Spenlow kitchen design really suits the classic contemporary feel of this Victorian family home in Chelmsford, Essex. With two young children, the homeowners wanted a versatile space that was suitable for everyday family life but also somewhere they could entertain family and friends easily. Embracing the classic H|M design values of symmetry, simplicity, proportion and restraint, the Spenlow design is an understated, contemporary take on classic English cabinetry design. With metallic accents throughout – from the pendant lighting, to the polished nickel hardware, this design is the perfect balance of classic and contemporary. Photo Credit: Paul Craig

Transitional Kitchen

Expansive transitional eat-in kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, quartzite benchtops, dark hardwood floors, grey cabinets, metallic splashback, mirror splashback and recessed-panel cabinets.

The 1977 Contemporary

Twelve Chairs Interiors

Photo: Joyelle West
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, terra-cotta splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Kentfield Home

Petersen Design Associates, LLC

This is an example of a large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, solid surface benchtops, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Newport Project

Dan Kitchens Australia

Storage Idea: Pot & Pan Drawer (open). Soft, light-filled Northern Beaches home by the water. Modern style kitchen with scullery. Sculptural island all in calacatta engineered stone. Photos: Paul Worsley @ Live By The Sea

Downtown San Diego High Rise, Single Unit, Complete Remodel

Peterson Remodeling, Inc.

Design By- Jules Wilson I.D. Photo Taken By- Brady Architectural Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped kitchen in San Diego with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, brown splashback, terra-cotta splashback, panelled appliances, marble floors and with island.

Berkeley Vale Home

AMA Studio Interiors

Design ideas for a mid-sized beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Central Coast with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, terra-cotta splashback, white appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Renovation d'anciennes chambres de services

Lagom architectes

Maude Artarit
Design ideas for a small tropical single-wall eat-in kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, black cabinets, terra-cotta splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors and no island.

RHOC Interior Design, Kitchen & Gardens | Coto de Caza, CA

Leanne Michael L U X E lifestyle design

Spanish Mediterranean with subtle Moroccan glazed clay tile influences, custom cabinetry and subzero custom fridge panels in a creamy white and gold hand faux finish with quartz counter tops in Taupe grey, brushed gold hardware and faux succulent arrangements. The island was designed in double length as one side is for much needed enclosed storage and the other is for open barstool seating designed to resemble an antique refectory table and then topped with stunning calacata macchia vecchia marble and three impressive custom solid hand forged iron & glass lantern light fixtures sparkling from above. Wolf Range Subzero Miele Coffee Machine Waterstone Faucets

A Client's Perspective

EURO Design Build

Kitchen in Dallas with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, blue splashback, terra-cotta splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Bohème Chic

Anne Chemineau - Decor Interieur

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with a drop-in sink, beaded inset cabinets, green cabinets, wood benchtops, beige splashback, terra-cotta splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Spiegelwand statt Fliesenspiegel

Ellerbrock "Bad und Küche" GmbH

Um auch der Stilwand besondere Offenheit zu verleihen wurde unter den Oberschränken und hinter dem Spülbereich auf einen klassischen Fliesenspiegel verzichtet. Stattdessen gibt eine Spiegel-Verkleidung auch dem wandseitigen Küchenbereich eine offene und großzügige Wirkung.

Eclectic Kitchen

This is an example of a small eclectic l-shaped kitchen pantry in Other with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, terra-cotta splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Elegant Luxe - SieMatic Kitchen

Grid Thirteen Luxury Kitchens, Bedrooms & Living

Large contemporary galley kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, mirror splashback, panelled appliances, porcelain floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Handmade Kitchen in Crouch End, London

WILLIAMS RIDOUT

Open-plan living made simple with a deep blue colour scheme running throughout this rear extension in Crouch End, London. Traditionally styled with contemporary features, this handmade kitchen is hand painted with our specialist finish and boasts curved ends on both sides, dovetailed oak drawers and a mirrored splashback.

Hinsdale North Adams Street

Plain & Posh

This small kitchen space needed to have every inch function well for this young family. By adding the banquette seating we were able to get the table out of the walkway and allow for easier flow between the rooms. Wall cabinets to the counter on either side of the custom plaster hood gave room for food storage as well as the microwave to get tucked away. The clean lines of the slab drawer fronts and beaded inset make the space feel visually larger.

Kitchen with Terra-cotta Splashback and Mirror 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!