Inspiration for a transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

White Cabinets

Everingham Design

Inspiration for a large traditional kitchen in Columbus with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Periscope House

Mihaly Slocombe

Periscope House draws light into a young family’s home, adding thoughtful solutions and flexible spaces to 1950s Art Deco foundations. Our clients engaged us to undertake a considered extension to their character-rich home in Malvern East. They wanted to celebrate their home’s history while adapting it to the needs of their family, and future-proofing it for decades to come. The extension’s form meets with and continues the existing roofline, politely emerging at the rear of the house. The tones of the original white render and red brick are reflected in the extension, informing its white Colorbond exterior and selective pops of red throughout. Inside, the original home’s layout has been reimagined to better suit a growing family. Once closed-in formal dining and lounge rooms were converted into children’s bedrooms, supplementing the main bedroom and a versatile fourth room. Grouping these rooms together has created a subtle definition of zones: private spaces are nestled to the front, while the rear extension opens up to shared living areas. A tailored response to the site, the extension’s ground floor addresses the western back garden, and first floor (AKA the periscope) faces the northern sun. Sitting above the open plan living areas, the periscope is a mezzanine that nimbly sidesteps the harsh afternoon light synonymous with a western facing back yard. It features a solid wall to the west and a glass wall to the north, emulating the rotation of a periscope to draw gentle light into the extension. Beneath the mezzanine, the kitchen, dining, living and outdoor spaces effortlessly overlap. Also accessible via an informal back door for friends and family, this generous communal area provides our clients with the functionality, spatial cohesion and connection to the outdoors they were missing. Melding modern and heritage elements, Periscope House honours the history of our clients’ home while creating light-filled shared spaces – all through a periscopic lens that opens the home to the garden.

Starry White Patterned Kitchen Tiles

Fireclay Tile

Our playfully patterned kitchen tiles in Star & Cross and Handpainted Kasbah Trellis make an artisanal statement while lending global flair to this fresh white kitchen. DESIGN TVL Creative PHOTOS Jess Blackwell Photography Tile Shown: Mini Star and Cross & Quarter Round Trim in Daisy; Kasbah Trellis in Neutral Motif

Modern Craftsman Farmhouse

Allen Construction

Designer: Honeycomb Home Design Photographer: Marcel Alain This new home features open beam ceilings and a ranch style feel with contemporary elements.

Kitchens

Campbell Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Atlanta with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Needham Kitchen

Venegas and Company

This is an example of a traditional kitchen in Boston with stainless steel appliances, granite benchtops, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback and white benchtop.

FRANKLIN KITCHEN

Kate Roos Design LLC

The original kitchen layout was disjointed and created a zig-zag traffic flow that disrupted the work triangle. The efficient layout of the new kitchen provides improved circulation, ample counter space, as well as island seating.

Elkhorn Hill

Virtual Studio Innovations

This is an example of a transitional eat-in kitchen in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Painted White and Rift Oak Kitchen With Hexagon Tiles (Geneseo, IL)

Village Home Stores

Koch Cabinetry in a combination of Bristol “White” and Charleston Rift Oak “Silverwood” doors. KitchenAid appliances and Cambria Quartz in “St. Giles” and “Harrogate” designs. Crayon and hexagon shaped tiles cover the wall and floor surfaces. Installed in Geneseo, IL by the Kitchen and Bath design experts at Village Home Stores.

Lutz Project

Clearcut Construction, Inc.

Our take on an updated traditional style kitchen with touches of farmhouse to add warmth and texture.
Inspiration for a large transitional u-shaped kitchen in Raleigh with an undermount sink, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and recessed-panel cabinets.

Modern Farmhouse with Natural Alder

Kitchen Associates

Modern farmhouse kitchen with white and natural alder wood cabinets. BRAND: Brighton DOOR STYLE: Hampton MT FINISH: Lower - Natural Alder with Brown Glaze; Upper - “Hingham” Paint HARDWARE: Amerock BP53529 Oil Rubbed Bronze Pulls DESIGNER: Ruth Bergstrom - Kitchen Associates

Chandler Remodel Project

Alisha Taylor Interiors

This modern Chandler Remodel project features a completely transformed kitchen with navy blue acting as neutral and wooden accents.
Inspiration for a mid-sized beach style eat-in kitchen in Phoenix with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, stone tile splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

From Seasoned to Sophisticated Home Renovation

Corinthian Fine Homes

Our busy young homeowners were looking to move back to Indianapolis and considered building new, but they fell in love with the great bones of this Coppergate home. The home reflected different times and different lifestyles and had become poorly suited to contemporary living. We worked with Stacy Thompson of Compass Design for the design and finishing touches on this renovation. The makeover included improving the awkwardness of the front entrance into the dining room, lightening up the staircase with new spindles, treads and a brighter color scheme in the hall. New carpet and hardwoods throughout brought an enhanced consistency through the first floor. We were able to take two separate rooms and create one large sunroom with walls of windows and beautiful natural light to abound, with a custom designed fireplace. The downstairs powder received a much-needed makeover incorporating elegant transitional plumbing and lighting fixtures. In addition, we did a complete top-to-bottom makeover of the kitchen, including custom cabinetry, new appliances and plumbing and lighting fixtures. Soft gray tile and modern quartz countertops bring a clean, bright space for this family to enjoy. This delightful home, with its clean spaces and durable surfaces is a textbook example of how to take a solid but dull abode and turn it into a dream home for a young family.

Contemporary Craftsman

Eleven Interiors

This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Transitional Kitchen Renovation in Washington, DC

BOWA

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, light wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, white benchtop, exposed beam and recessed-panel cabinets.

The Aurora : 2019 Clark County Parade of Homes : Butler's Pantry

Cascade West Development

Inspired by the majesty of the Northern Lights and this family's everlasting love for Disney, this home plays host to enlighteningly open vistas and playful activity. Like its namesake, the beloved Sleeping Beauty, this home embodies family, fantasy and adventure in their truest form. Visions are seldom what they seem, but this home did begin 'Once Upon a Dream'. Welcome, to The Aurora.

Bright Organic Kitchen

Mia Rao Design

A wall of green cabinets with natural wood shelves adds to this kitchens organic vibe.
Design ideas for a mid-sized scandinavian kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, green cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Blue, White & Brass Open Concept Kitchen Staging

Candice Prather Interiors

Transitional kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

El Dorado Hills Brass & Navy

Precision Cabinetry and Design

Stephanie Russo
Transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sacramento with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen with Recessed-panel Cabinets and White Benchtop 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!