Photo of a mid-sized beach style eat-in kitchen in Miami with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, quartzite benchtops, stone tile splashback and light hardwood floors.

A Graceful White Kitchen in Encinitas

Hamilton-Gray Design, Inc.

Transitional l-shaped kitchen pantry in San Diego with open cabinets, white cabinets, blue splashback, no island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Edgemont Village New Build 2018/9

McCabe Design & Interiors

Photography by Tracey Ayton
Large contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Vancouver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, white benchtop, white cabinets and beige floor.

South Bodin Street, Hinsdale

Plain & Posh

This home’s kitchen isn’t large and needed to somehow hold a mudroom area as the detached garage enters into the space. I carefully planned out all storage needs and we were able to add a wide, double door cabinet closet by the back door. The upper area holds coats and clutter. The lower doors have hooks and boot trays for backpacks and shoes. Paneling the Subzero fridge helps with softening the weight of the large appliance, as does the panel on the dishwasher. Little details like the skirt on the toe area and the beautiful hood and island posts make this smaller work space truly special!

Cedar Shores Lake Cottage

Jethany Lee, CKD

Open floor plan with kitchen and dining in this lake cottage
Photo of a mid-sized beach style l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Grand Rapids with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Seattle Contemporary Waterfront

H2 View

Open format kitchen includes gorgeous custom cabinets, a large underlit island with an induction cooktop and waterfall countertops. Full height slab backsplash and paneled appliances complete the sophisticated design.

Modern Farmhouse

Old Hillsboro Building Company

This is an example of a large country single-wall kitchen pantry in Nashville with wood benchtops, a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Modern Montecito, Danville, CA

Lauren Evans Interiors, LLC

This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Boho Bungalow Kitchen

Arcata Cabinet & Design Company

Design ideas for a small scandinavian l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Mid-Century Modern Deck House

The Design Gallery

Mid-sized midcentury u-shaped kitchen in Other with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, green splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Wedgewood

MMI Design

Design ideas for a large transitional open plan kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, travertine floors, multiple islands, beige floor and white benchtop.

Home in Hampton Lake

Coastal Signature Homes

This open kitchen, making the best use of space, features a wet bar combo coffee nook with a wine cooler and a Miele Built In Coffee machine. Nice!
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional eat-in kitchen in Charleston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Provo Charm

Hebdon Studios

Traditional meets modern in this charming two story tudor home. A spacious floor plan with an emphasis on natural light allows for incredible views from inside the home.

Oak Hills Mid Century Modern

Mosaik Design & Remodeling

This outdated kitchen came with flowered wallpaper, narrow connections to Entry and Dining Room, outdated cabinetry and poor workflow. By opening up the ceiling to expose existing beams, widening both entrys and adding taller, angled windows, light now steams into this bright and cheery Mid Century Modern kitchen. The custom Pratt & Larson turquoise tiles add so much interest and tie into the new custom painted blue door. The walnut wood base cabinets add a warm, natural element. A cozy seating area for TV watching, reading and coffee looks out to the new clear cedar fence and landscape.

Modern Living in Downtown Birmingham

Stalburg Design

Today's pantries are functional and gorgeous! Our custom pantry creates ample space for every day appliances to be kept out of sight, with easy access to bins and storage containers. Undercounter LED lighting allows for easy night-time use as well.

DSDownOnTheCorner

Amy Storm & Company

Picture Perfect House
Large beach style eat-in kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Lake Retreat

Rebecca Driggs Interiors

Sean Costello
Design ideas for a beach style kitchen in Raleigh with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Piano Gloss Sensation

Interiology Design Co.

Pull up a stool to this 13’ island! A wall of white picket backsplash tile creates subtle drama surrounding 54” hood and flanking windows. Integrated refrigerator and freezer panels both hinge right for easy access. Piano gloss cabinetry and modern gold sculptural chandelier add an unexpected pop of style.

Classic Modern - Ktichen

Mia Rao Design

Mia Rao Design created a classic modern kitchen for this Chicago suburban remodel. The dark stain on the rift cut oak, slab style cabinets adds warmth and contrast against the white Calacatta porcelain. The large island and built-in breakfast nook allow for plenty of seating options

Westlake Contemporary New Construction

Laura Burton Interiors

An Indoor Lady
Expansive contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Austin with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

All Cabinet Styles Kitchen with 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!