Dream Kitchen Design with White Oak Cabinets

This beautiful custom home built by Bowlin Built and designed by Boxwood Avenue in the Reno Tahoe area features creamy walls painted with Benjamin Moore's Swiss Coffee and white oak custom cabinetry. This dining room design is complete with a custom floating brass bistro bar and gorgeous brass light fixture.

Private Residence, Diamond Point 2

C. Raymond Davis & Sons Adirondacks

Photo of a traditional u-shaped kitchen in Boston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and timber.

Mondrian Mid-Century

Moderne Builders

This is an example of a midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, a peninsula, beige floor, beige benchtop, exposed beam and timber.

San Jose Eichler

User

Photo of a midcentury u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, white appliances, concrete floors, a peninsula, grey floor, white benchtop, timber and vaulted.

Raleigh Hills Mid Century Modern

Northland Design & Build

This is an example of a midcentury kitchen in Portland with flat-panel cabinets, with island, black floor, exposed beam, timber, vaulted, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, marble splashback and terra-cotta floors.

Retreat at Mt Cathedral - The Colours of Nature

Studio Jung

Black impact. The beauty of timber grain.
This is an example of a large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor, grey benchtop and timber.

Wyndham Beach House

Sky Architect Studio

we created a practical, L-shaped kitchen layout with an island bench integrated into the “golden triangle” that reduces steps between sink, stovetop and refrigerator for efficient use of space and ergonomics. Instead of a splashback, windows are slotted in between the kitchen benchtop and overhead cupboards to allow natural light to enter the generous kitchen space. Overhead cupboards have been stretched to ceiling height to maximise storage space. Timber screening was installed on the kitchen ceiling and wrapped down to form a bookshelf in the living area, then linked to the timber flooring. This creates a continuous flow and draws attention from the living area to establish an ambience of natural warmth, creating a minimalist and elegant kitchen. The island benchtop is covered with extra large format porcelain tiles in a 'Calacatta' profile which are have the look of marble but are scratch and stain resistant. The 'crisp white' finish applied on the overhead cupboards blends well into the 'natural oak' look over the lower cupboards to balance the neutral timber floor colour.

Oyster Creek

Fairmont Homes

L-shaped kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop, exposed beam and timber.

Redondo Beach Kitchen

Siri Berting Photography

This is an example of a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, turquoise cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and timber.

Ranch Renovation - Kitchen

Paxton Place Design

From the reclaimed brick flooring to the butcher block countertop on the island, this remodeled kitchen has everything a farmhouse desires. The range wall was the main focal point in this updated kitchen design. Hand-painted Tabarka terra-cotta tile creates a patterned wall that contrasts the white walls and beige cabinetry. Copper wall sconces and a custom painted vent hood complete the look, connecting to the black granite countertop on the perimeter cabinets and the oil rubbed bronze hardware. To finish out the farmhouse look, a shiplapped ceiling was installed.

Colourful Yet Calm Family Home - Kitchen

Studio Fabbri

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen in London with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, pink cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, linoleum floors, with island, green floor, grey benchtop and timber.

Castlewood Crescent - Kitchen

HEM Architects

Single-storey extension to the side of the house creates a large kitchen and dining space.
Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, wood benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, timber and black appliances.

Private Waterfront Residence on the Chester River

Purple Cherry Architects

The butler's pantry of the home features stainless steel appliances, a herringbone flooring and a subway tile back splash.
Inspiration for an expansive traditional l-shaped kitchen pantry in Baltimore with white cabinets, zinc benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, multi-coloured floor and timber.

North Tustin - Addition and Remodel

Pacific Coast Builders, Inc.

Modern Farmhouse kitchen with shaker style cabinet doors and black drawer pull hardware. White Oak floating shelves with LED underlighting over beautiful, Cambria Quartz countertops. The subway tiles were custom made and have what appears to be a texture from a distance, but is actually a herringbone pattern in-lay in the glaze. Wolf brand gas range and oven, and a Wolf steam oven on the left. Rustic black wall scones and large pendant lights over the kitchen island. Brizo satin brass faucet with Kohler undermount rinse sink. Photo by Molly Rose Photography

Merced

CONCEPT ONE HOMES INC

This is an example of a beach style u-shaped open plan kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, exposed beam and timber.

Kitchen with a View

Waterview Kitchens

Gorgeous all blue kitchen cabinetry featuring brass and gold accents on hood, pendant lights and cabinetry hardware. The stunning intracoastal waterway views and sparkling turquoise water add more beauty to this fabulous kitchen.

Tween Attic Hangout Space

Two Hands Interiors

A teen hangout destination with a comfortable boho vibe - with custom snack station. This custom dry bar in a custom blue is completed with Top Knobs hardware and retail accessories. Design by Two Hands Interiors. See the rest of this cozy attic hangout space on our website. #tweenroom #teenroom

Moody Beach Home open kitchen and dining room

Myriam Babin Photography

This is an example of a beach style u-shaped open plan kitchen in Portland Maine with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor, brown benchtop and timber.

Forsyth Luxe and Stylish Kitchen

Rosa Moreno Kitchens

Design ideas for a large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Atlanta with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured benchtop and timber.

6000 Residential Custom Home

Kim Keesee

Transitional l-shaped kitchen in Kansas City with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, timber and recessed.

Kitchen with Timber 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!