Photo of a midcentury single-wall eat-in kitchen in Kansas City with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, granite splashback, panelled appliances, slate floors, with island, black floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

A Modern Kitchen for a Retreat in the Woods

Amazing Spaces

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

Kitchen Addition in Del Ray, Alexandria, Virginia

Four Brothers Design + Build

Large arts and crafts u-shaped separate kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, grey floor, multi-coloured benchtop and vaulted.

Sheridan Rd Residence

Shift PHX

Mid-sized midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in Phoenix with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, black floor, black benchtop and vaulted.

Modern Kitchen

Molly Bachelor Architect

photography by Jeff Garland
Photo of a mid-sized modern separate kitchen in Detroit with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, a peninsula, black floor, grey benchtop and vaulted.

Kitchen Renovation in Walnut Creek

Distinctive Cabinetry

Pictured is a kitchen renovation of a Walnut Creek, CA home. This kitchen features a large painted center island with flush inset shiloh cabinetry, is perfect for preparing & entertaining. Surrounding cabinetry is quarter sawn oak.

Waitsfield Renovation

Sweeney Designbuild

Apron front sink, leathered granite, stone window sill, open shelves, cherry cabinets, radiant floor heat.
Mid-sized country galley separate kitchen in Burlington with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, black splashback, granite splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, no island, grey floor, black benchtop and vaulted.

Normandie

Agence Laurent Pisoni

Photo of a contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Paris with white cabinets, white splashback, slate floors, black floor, white benchtop, an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, no island and vaulted.

A Modern Kitchen for a Retreat in the Woods

Amazing Spaces

Kitchen Addition in Del Ray, Alexandria, Virginia

Four Brothers Design + Build

Inspiration for a large arts and crafts u-shaped separate kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, grey floor, multi-coloured benchtop and vaulted.

Modern Kitchen

Molly Bachelor Architect

Pebble Cottage | Cockwood

Co Create Architects

A modern kitchen and living space in a small cottage.
Inspiration for a small traditional galley open plan kitchen in Devon with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, black splashback, granite splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, no island, black floor, black benchtop and vaulted.

Sheridan Rd Residence

Shift PHX

This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in Phoenix with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, black floor, black benchtop and vaulted.

FOR SALE - Dream Home in Mont-Tremblant

BROKEREDBYJOSH - Josh Jagermann

Photo of a large country u-shaped open plan kitchen in Montreal with shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, slate floors, with island, grey benchtop and vaulted.

Grey Roofs, Crackington Haven, Cornwall UK

The Bazeley Partnership

Located in the small, unspoilt cove at Crackington Haven, Grey Roofs replaced a structurally unsound 1920s bungalow which was visually detrimental to the village and surrounding AONB. Set on the side of a steep valley, the new five bedroom dwelling fits discreetly into its coastal context and provides a modern home with high levels of energy efficiency. The design concept is of a simple, heavy stone plinth built into the hillside for the partially underground lower storey, with the upper storey comprising of a lightweight timber frame. Large areas of floor to ceiling glazing give dramatic views westwards along the valley to the cove and the sea beyond. The basic form is traditional, with a pitched roof and natural materials such as slate, timber, render and stone, but interpreted and detailed in a contemporary manner. Solar thermal panels and air source heat pumps optimise sustainable energy solutions for the property. Removal of ad hoc ancillary sheds and the construction of a replacement garage completed the project. Grey Roofs was a Regional Finalist in the LABC South West Building Excellence Awards for ‘Best Individual dwelling’. Photograph: Alison White

Kitchen Renovation in Walnut Creek

Distinctive Cabinetry

Featured is a kitchen renovation of a Walnut Creek, CA home. This large painted center island with flush inset shiloh cabinetry, is perfect for preparing & entertaining. Surrounding cabinetry is quarter sawn oak.

Snaresbrook Blue

PlaceDesign Kitchens and Interiors

This kitchen was designed with the houseplants in mind from the very start. The space has a lovely vaulted celing and we wanted to make use of the height on the back wall. It is a light and airy space which feels bigger than it is.

Residential Projects

Wilshire Cabinet + Co. - Norman Annex

Photo of a mid-sized traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Oklahoma City with raised-panel cabinets, black cabinets, granite benchtops, a peninsula, grey benchtop, an undermount sink, white splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, grey floor and vaulted.

Kitchen Remodel

Talavera Custom, LLC Remodeling and Construction

Design ideas for a large traditional l-shaped kitchen pantry in Phoenix with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, multi-coloured benchtop, slate floors, grey floor and vaulted.

Guardhouse Cottage

Chetham Architecture Design

Renovation of a 17th Century cottage, situated in the shadow of Blencathra in the Lake District National Park, using traditional and environmentally friendly materials, together with renewable energy, to respect the setting and create a sustainable home for the future.

Kitchen with Slate Floors 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!