Photo: Amy Rizer Photography © 2018 Houzz
Design ideas for a transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, brown splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Traditional Beach House

DD Ford Construction

Large beach style open plan kitchen in Santa Barbara with panelled appliances, marble benchtops, an undermount sink, white cabinets, white splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, shaker cabinets and timber splashback.

Kitchen Renovation and Addition

Kim Meyer

Kim Meyer
Inspiration for a small transitional galley open plan kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, cork floors, a peninsula and brown floor.

# Denis & Virginie

Cocré-art

Cuisine en L, avec petit banc sous la fenêtre Agence cocré-art
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with a single-bowl sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, laminate benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors and no island.

Laguna Beach Hillside

Payton Addison

Design ideas for a mid-sized country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Orange County with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Contemporary Kitchen

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Pollock Street Historic Home

Bender Remodeling, Inc.

Jayne McGinn Designs, Smart Focus Photography
Photo of a mid-sized country l-shaped separate kitchen in Raleigh with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Beach House Studio

Sears Architects

Design ideas for a mid-sized beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Grand Rapids with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, distressed cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, no island and brown floor.

A Traditional Kitchen with a Casual, Beachy Vibe

Amazing Spaces

Using white as the backdrop color, deep navy blue cabinetry is used on the island and echoes the accent color in the backsplash mosaic tile behind the hood. Glass inserts are strategically integrated into lighted cabinets, adding interest and illumination to the white wall cabinets. The soothing grey beadboard backsplash adds texture and speaks to the beachy aesthetic. To ensure a durable solution especially behind the sink, the bead board is installed above a 5” tall piece of quartz. We opted for a statement chandelier over the dining table in lieu of pendant lighting over the island, and added a single sconce above the window over the farmhouse sink. Additional accent lighting inside the glass cabinets and below the wall cabinets adds ambient and task lighting. Modern rustic details include hammered shiny chrome hardware and floating reclaimed shelves. Photo: Peter Krupenye

Crows Nest Log Cabin

Jeremiah Johnson Log Homes

Jeremiah Johnson Log Homes custom western red cedar, Swedish cope, chinked log home kitchen
Mid-sized country u-shaped open plan kitchen in Denver with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, with island, a farmhouse sink, granite benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Echo Cove

Kevin Browne Architecture

Photo by Jon Reece
Design ideas for a mid-sized country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Portland Maine with stainless steel appliances, a drop-in sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, black splashback, timber splashback, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Mohawk Flooring

Barrington Carpet & Flooring Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Sunset Marina Residence

Becker Morgan Group, Inc.

This is an example of a large beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, limestone floors, with island, beige floor and black benchtop.

Buies Creek Farmhouse

LuxeMark Company

This homeowner has long since moved away from his family farm but still visits often and thought it was time to fix up this little house that had been neglected for years. He brought home ideas and objects he was drawn to from travels around the world and allowed a team of us to help bring them together in this old family home that housed many generations through the years. What it grew into is not your typical 150 year old NC farm house but the essence is still there and shines through in the original wood and beams in the ceiling and on some of the walls, old flooring, re-purposed objects from the farm and the collection of cherished finds from his travels. Photos by Tad Davis Photography

Bluewater: Street of Dreams

G. Lee Homes

Photo of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped separate kitchen in Omaha with shaker cabinets, an undermount sink, white cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, multiple islands and brown floor.

Farmhouse Revisited

Phinney Design Group

Modern farmhouse renovation, with at-home artist studio. Photos by Elizabeth Pedinotti Haynes
Inspiration for a large modern single-wall separate kitchen in Boston with a drop-in sink, open cabinets, black cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, timber splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Maison de ville

LABEL*Equipe_architectes

@delacrea
Inspiration for a contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Bordeaux with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, beige splashback, timber splashback, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Northwest Retreat II

Deering Design Studio, Inc.

Inspiration for a country single-wall eat-in kitchen in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, brown splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, no island, grey floor and black benchtop.

Floating Shelf Kitchen

River Woodcraft

Mid-sized country single-wall separate kitchen with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Miami Beach - Contemporary Waterfront - Interior Designers Miami

Pfuner Design - Miami Interior Designers

Pfuner Design
This is an example of a mid-sized modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Miami with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, marble floors, with island and beige floor.

Kitchen with 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!