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.

North Balgowlah Kitchen & Bathroom

Northern Beaches Kitchens and Bathrooms

Large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, quartzite benchtops, stone slab splashback, with island, brown floor, vaulted, white cabinets, beige splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and beige benchtop.

Burrawang, Southern Highlands

Lime Building Group

Design ideas for a transitional u-shaped kitchen in Wollongong with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, grey benchtop and vaulted.

Custom Kitchen Range Hoods

Bauer Metal

Design ideas for a country u-shaped kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, black benchtop, exposed beam and vaulted.

Walnut Grove

TOTAL CONCEPTS

Design ideas for a country u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop, vaulted, grey splashback and stone slab splashback.

Mid Century Modern Kitchen that's Connected to Nature

Normandy Remodeling

Natural walnut cabinetry, quartzite stone countertops and backsplash and a large picture window all make this mid-century modern kitchen a celebration of nature.

Kitchen Addition & Accessory Unit

Reliance Design Build

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors, multiple islands, white benchtop and vaulted.

Extreme Renovation

Young & Borlik Architects, inc.

A marble hearth behind the La Cornue range and brass trimmed hood center under a graceful herring bone brick barrel ceiling. Heavy distressed wood beams contrast from the white painted decking ceiling in the nook. Glass shelving and marble counters reflect the natural light spilling in from 16 foot tall windows.

Tidal Bridge Way

Cindy McCarley Designs

This is an example of a beach style l-shaped kitchen in Other with shaker cabinets, quartz benchtops, stone slab splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop, vaulted and brown cabinets.

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.

Proud to be a Galley Kitchen

McCabe By Design LLC

Biscuit painted cabinets with cherry crown and toe skin from Bellmont Cabinet Company are set on a back-drop of off white walls. Granite countertops and stainless steel appliances bring this '60's kitchen into the 21st century. Careful cabinetry layout rendered 40% more storage in this 81 square foot kitchen. Remodeled in 2013 - Ovens and cooktop by Kitchen Aid. - Exhaust hood by Zephyr.

Hunters Farmhouse

Younger Homes

Country l-shaped kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, black benchtop and vaulted.

Crest De Ville

Streamline Construction

Transitional galley open plan kitchen in Orange County with shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

San Mateo Black And White Farm Kitchen

LA Architectural Visualization

Design ideas for a large country kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, beige splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, brown floor, beige benchtop and vaulted.

Paradise River: Modern Riverside Home

Timberlake Custom Homes

This gorgeous modern home sits along a rushing river and includes a separate enclosed pavilion. Distinguishing features include the mixture of metal, wood and stone textures throughout the home in hues of brown, grey and black.

Modern Mediterranean New Build

Wendy Black Rodgers Interiors

Design ideas for a mediterranean u-shaped kitchen in Phoenix with recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, with island, beige floor, black benchtop and vaulted.

Wildglen Dr. Kitchen and Bar Remodel

Rachael Elise Design

Photo of an expansive u-shaped separate kitchen in Dallas with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and vaulted.

NW Craftsman New Construction

McCabe By Design LLC

A microwave drawer on the end of the island lets one reheat a cup of coffee without entering the cooks zone.
Inspiration for a large arts and crafts l-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, green splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, bamboo floors, with island, beige floor, green benchtop and vaulted.

Black & White Tux Kitchen

Johnson + Fernàndez Interior Design

This is an example of a large transitional single-wall open plan kitchen in Orange County with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, multi-coloured benchtop and vaulted.

Kitchen Spaces

Rachael Elise Design

Expansive u-shaped separate kitchen in Dallas with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and vaulted.

Kitchen with Stone Slab Splashback 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!