Design ideas for a contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Sydney with flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, beige splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, beige benchtop, vaulted and marble benchtops.

Rose Bay House

D'Cruz Design Group

Inspiration for an expansive contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Sydney with flat-panel cabinets, with island, a double-bowl sink, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, multi-coloured benchtop and vaulted.

Mill Valley, CA

Urrutia Design

URRUTIA DESIGN Photography by Matt Sartain
Expansive transitional single-wall eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with stainless steel appliances, subway tile splashback, brown splashback, shaker cabinets, marble benchtops, an undermount sink, white benchtop, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and vaulted.

Windswept Beach Home

Asher Slaunwhite + Partners

Large kitchen with island and vaulted ceiling.
This is an example of an expansive beach style eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, beige splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, beige benchtop and vaulted.

Groves Ave Kitchen Renovation

Jordan Design-Build Group

With Craftsman details throughout the rest of the home, our clients wanted their new kitchen to have transitional elements such as Shaker style doors, a farmhouse sink, warm wood tones, and other timeless features such as a custom hood and natural stone counters. The beautiful Glorious White marble counters have a soft honed finish and the stunning marble backsplash ties everything together to complete the look. The two-toned cabinets pair a rich stained cherry island with soft white perimeter cabinets. Brushed brass accents on the appliances pulls, cabinet hardware, lights and plumbing fixtures add another layer of sophistication. An induction range, dishwasher drawers, undercounter microwave, and four-door smart refrigerator amp up the functionality of this cook’s kitchen.

Avenue Hill

Allanah Vann

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, marble benchtops, coloured appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and vaulted.

Biddle Ranch

Studio 2G Architects

The interior fixture choices--white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, neutral toned backsplashes and a cornflower blue island keep the home grounded while still maintaining a touch of modern elegance. The clients large family will be pleased with the amount of space in both the great room and the refrigerator.

Modern Farmhouse Phase III - Interiors

Darci Reimund Designs

Large modern u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, terra-cotta splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and vaulted.

The Breezeway

Heliconia

Integrated bespoke cabinetry, butlers pantry and feature island bench are just some of the features of this functional and beautiful kitchen.
Inspiration for a large beach style galley kitchen in Sydney with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, with island, white benchtop, vaulted, timber, window splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Bright Kitchen with Skylight and Island

BSA Construction

Gleaming white and wood kitchen with bright skylight, white cabinets, and Neolith counters and backsplash. Stained white oak flooring. Tray ceiling with custom trim and vaulted skylight. Custom hood with metal stripping, Wolf double rangeand coffee station, Sub-Zero wine storage. White kitchen with stainless steel appliances and hardwood flooring. Open-concept kitchen with island seating and living room.

Redfish Cove - Camlin Custom Homes Courageous Model

Camlin Custom Homes

Camlin Custom Homes Courageous Model Home. Expansive kitchen features Natural stones countertops, classic coastal style cabinetry and white and gray finishes. High ceilings and large windows fill the kitchen with lots of natural light.

Oakland Hills Ranch

Broadway Design Build

Design ideas for a modern open plan kitchen in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and vaulted.

Calistoga Vacation Home

Wit Interiors

The cement tile below the kitchen island counter provides a beautiful and colorful surprise element. The choice to install shelves instead of cabinets keeps the walls light and open. The recessed stove fan creates a modern clean look. Photo Credit: Meghan Caudill

Gorgeous Kitchens

Universal Services Of Li, Inc.

Large transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Kitchen

Forte Building Group, LLC

This is an example of a large midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in Nashville with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Nakan Craftsman | Modin Rigid LVP Collection Scandinavian Customer Space | FL

Flooret

Inspired by sandy shorelines on the California coast, this beachy blonde vinyl floor brings just the right amount of variation to each room. With the Modin Collection, we have raised the bar on luxury vinyl plank. The result is a new standard in resilient flooring. Modin offers true embossed in register texture, a low sheen level, a rigid SPC core, an industry-leading wear layer, and so much more.

Lakeview Complete Reno

Timberwolf Construction

Country open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, multi-coloured benchtop, exposed beam, timber and vaulted.

Orient Ave Townhouse

2MO

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped kitchen pantry in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, no island, black floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Yoneyama Residence- Kitchen Remodel

So Cal Builders & Design

Full remodel of existing kitchen, including new black tile floors, flat panel white cabinets, white and black marble countertops
This is an example of a large modern u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, black floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Modern Farmhouse

Colonial Homecrafters, Ltd.

Open farmhouse kitchen with island
Photo of a large country l-shaped kitchen in Richmond with flat-panel cabinets, a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, grey benchtop and vaulted.

Kitchen with Marble 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!