Photographed by William Quarles. Designed by Jill Frey. Contractor RS Construction. Built by Robert Paige Cabinetry.
Mid-sized contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Charleston with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, green cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, terra-cotta splashback, stainless steel appliances and with island.

Red distressed kitchen cabinets

Northshore Wood Products INC.

This is an example of a large country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, red cabinets, wood benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

W. Creekside Residence

Dillon Kyle Architects (DKA)

Casey Dunn Photography
Inspiration for a large beach style l-shaped kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and timber splashback.

Winter Cabin

Joan Heaton Architects

photo by Susan Teare
Photo of a mid-sized traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Burlington with green cabinets, a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, no island and brown floor.

Three Arch Cottage

Nate Fischer Interiors

Bright and airy cottage great room with natural elements and pops of blue.
Small beach style single-wall open plan kitchen in Orange County with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, terra-cotta splashback, panelled appliances, with island, white benchtop and vaulted.

Appartamento VM - Casa minimalista di 80 mq

HOP! Arch

Photo of a mid-sized scandinavian galley open plan kitchen in Milan with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Blanche Kitchen

Comma Design Studio

This is an example of a mid-sized modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Sydney with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, black appliances, porcelain floors, with island, white floor and brown benchtop.

Color Forward

DEW Design Company

The original stained glass window nestles behind a farmhouse sink, traditional faucet, and bold cabinetry. Little green accent lighting and glassware echo the window colors. Dark walnut knobs and butcherblock countertops create usable surfaces in this chef's kitchen. Design: @dewdesignchicago Photography: @erinkonrathphotography Styling: Natalie Marotta Style

Pullout Stairs (Closed)

C&K Custom Remodeling Inc.

This kitchen in a 1911 Craftsman home has taken on a new life full of color and personality. Inspired by the client’s colorful taste and the homes of her family in The Philippines, we leaned into the wild for this design. The first thing the client told us is that she wanted terra cotta floors and green countertops. Beyond this direction, she wanted a place for the refrigerator in the kitchen since it was originally in the breakfast nook. She also wanted a place for waste receptacles, to be able to reach all the shelves in her cabinetry, and a special place to play Mahjong with friends and family. The home presented some challenges in that the stairs go directly over the space where we wanted to move the refrigerator. The client also wanted us to retain the built-ins in the dining room that are on the opposite side of the range wall, as well as the breakfast nook built ins. The solution to these problems were clear to us, and we quickly got to work. We lowered the cabinetry in the refrigerator area to accommodate the stairs above, as well as closing off the unnecessary door from the kitchen to the stairs leading to the second floor. We utilized a recycled body porcelain floor tile that looks like terra cotta to achieve the desired look, but it is much easier to upkeep than traditional terra cotta. In the breakfast nook we used bold jungle themed wallpaper to create a special place that feels connected, but still separate, from the kitchen for the client to play Mahjong in or enjoy a cup of coffee. Finally, we utilized stair pullouts by all the upper cabinets that extend to the ceiling to ensure that the client can reach every shelf.

Warren Terrace Hinsdale

Plain & Posh

These homeowners were ready to update the home they had built when their girls were young. This was not a full gut remodel. The perimeter cabinetry mostly stayed but got new doors and height added at the top. The island and tall wood stained cabinet to the left of the sink are new and custom built and I hand-drew the design of the new range hood. The beautiful reeded detail came from our idea to add this special element to the new island and cabinetry. Bringing it over to the hood just tied everything together. We were so in love with this stunning Quartzite we chose for the countertops we wanted to feature it further in a custom apron-front sink. We were in love with the look of Zellige tile and it seemed like the perfect space to use it in.

Maison Bellevue

Atelier Aim

Rénovation complète d'une maison de 200m2
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and beige benchtop.

Modern Clarksville Home

Mosier Luxury Homes

Inspiration for a large contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, terra-cotta splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, grey benchtop and recessed.

Bohème Chic

Anne Chemineau - Decor Interieur

Inspiration for a small 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.

Contemporary Meets Classic in a Kitchen and Family Room Remodel

Two Hands Interiors

The classic elements beautifully compliment the contemporary touches in a new kitchen that fits both the style of the home and the tastes of the homeowner. The artisan Zellige Tile juxtapose the classic Hicks pendents. A matte finish quartz countertop and a traditional white cabinet style anchor the room while the charcoal island adds interest.

Grand Street Kitchen

Stumpff HomeWorks, LLC

Photo of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Kansas City with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, yellow cabinets, soapstone benchtops, black splashback, timber splashback, coloured appliances, light hardwood floors, no island, brown floor, black benchtop and recessed.

Berkeley Vale Home

AMA Studio Interiors

Inspiration 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.

Dora Whitley Farmhouse

The Kingston Group - Remodeling Specialists

Photo of a mid-sized country u-shaped separate kitchen in Nashville with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, yellow floor and white benchtop.

Industrial Shoreditch Apartment

Akiva Projects Ltd

Inspiration for an industrial u-shaped kitchen in London with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, brown splashback, timber splashback, black appliances, no island, grey floor and black benchtop.

1940s House Renovation

You-Neek Designs

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.

Oak island with seating

Marvista Design + Build

Oak island featuring Edison style pendant lights and soft white cabinets at perimeter.
Photo of a mid-sized country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen with Terra-cotta Splashback and Timber 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!