Design ideas for an expansive modern galley open plan kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, black appliances, with island, beige floor, grey benchtop, vaulted, granite benchtops, grey splashback, granite splashback and vinyl floors.

Petrie

KITCHEN CREATIONS LTD

Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Denver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, turquoise cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

#RaisingtheBarn

Concetti

Expansive country galley eat-in kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, distressed cabinets, granite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, multi-coloured benchtop and vaulted.

Porch Talk House

Richard Bubnowski Design LLC

Photo of a large beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, grey benchtop and vaulted.

The Beam House

Tano Studio

Large modern open plan kitchen in Calgary with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, engineered quartz splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, black benchtop and vaulted.

Gray and White Kitchen Remodel in New York City

KitchensandClosets.com By K-One Floors, Inc.

This is an example of a large modern u-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with a single-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, grey floor, grey benchtop, vaulted and a peninsula.

Vermont Kitchen

A. Lee Interior Design

Mid-sized transitional u-shaped kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, vaulted, beige splashback, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Traditional Large Island Kitchen Remodel

Classic Home Improvements

This large kitchen remodel expansion included removing a wall to create a larger space and added vaulted ceiling to make this room even more spacious. This kitchen was once an enclosed u-shape kitchen and now with the added space a large island was added and a wall of cabinets for additional space. Gorgeous granite was installed along with Thermador stainless steel appliances. Scott Basile, Basile Photography. www.choosechi.com

NW Craftsman New Construction

McCabe By Design LLC

A generous kitchen island is the work horse of the kitchen providing storage, prep space and socializing space. Alder Shaker style cabinets are paired with beautiful granite countertops. Double wall oven, gas cooktop , exhaust hood and dishwasher by Bosch. Founder depth Trio refrigerator by Kitchen Aid. Microwave drawer by Sharp.

Butcher's Hill Kitchen

One Source Contracting

This beautiful open concept kitchen and dining room area features white inset cabinetry, Wolf appliances, a honed Bohemian Gray Granite countertop, custom hood cover, gold lighting details and a full porcelain backsplash. This home retained it's Baltimore city charm whilst opening up the space by removing a wall separating the kitchen and dining room and refinishing the hardwood floors.

Linden Scandanavian

Rosy Alexander Interior Design

Mid-sized scandinavian l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Raleigh with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, yellow floor, black benchtop and vaulted.

Adirondack Update

Zobel & Co. Kitchens

This 1970s kitchen in the Adirondacks got a big lift and a fabulous new bar. Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinets, Shaker door, Saybrook Sage. Silver Gray Granite with leathered finish. Brook Custom Artisan Slant Shaped hood with cast nickel finish. Pine flooring. Interior features include LeMans swing outs, pull out pantry, angled dividers for utensils, and roll-shelves in cabinets.

Flipping Fairmount

Curated by Castles

Small transitional single-wall open plan kitchen in Dallas with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, black benchtop and vaulted.

Beachfront Kitchen

HRH Construction Inc.

Contrasting grey island cabinets with white wall cabinets.
Photo of a large beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop, exposed beam, vaulted and wood.

Columbus Ranch Home - Full Home Remodel - Kitchen & Great Room

Winkelman Design

Large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Columbus with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, black benchtop and vaulted.

Skycrest 2

Asher Homes Inc.

Photo of a large midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, multi-coloured benchtop and vaulted.

Renovation Kitchen Classic

Debra DeLorenzo Interiors - One Ranfurly Ltd

The pantry features a stone work top, and the space can be hidden away behind pocket doors.
Inspiration for a large traditional u-shaped separate kitchen in Wellington with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and vaulted.

Dana Point - Full Remodel

Pacific Coast Builders, Inc.

This is an example of a large modern u-shaped kitchen pantry in Orange County with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and vaulted.

Contemporary Kitchen

Photo of a large contemporary galley kitchen in Surrey with shaker cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances, ceramic floors, with island, grey floor, black benchtop, vaulted, an undermount sink and medium wood cabinets.

Nocona Barndominium

First Choice Custom Builders

Rustic finishes on this custom barndo kitchen. Rustic beams, faux finish cabinets and concrete floors.
This is an example of a mid-sized country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Austin with a drop-in sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, grey floor, black benchtop and vaulted.

Kitchen with Granite Benchtops and Vaulted 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!