Photo of a beach style u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

modern beach cottage / lantern village, dana point

Moss Yaw Design studio

vaulted ceilings and clean finishes highlight the mix of contemporary design and cottage details in this light filled kitchen and dining space
Photo of a mid-sized beach style l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, grey benchtop, white floor and exposed beam.

Sharbot Lake Cottage

Dewson Architects

Dewson Architects
Large transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Toronto with with island, an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and exposed beam.

eichler in marinwood

building Lab, inc.

Eichler in Marinwood - In conjunction to the porous programmatic kitchen block as a connective element, the walls along the main corridor add to the sense of bringing outside in. The fin wall adjacent to the entry has been detailed to have the siding slip past the glass, while the living, kitchen and dining room are all connected by a walnut veneer feature wall running the length of the house. This wall also echoes the lush surroundings of lucas valley as well as the original mahogany plywood panels used within eichlers. photo: scott hargis

Oh What A Ceiling!

Green Sheep Collective

‘Oh What A Ceiling!’ ingeniously transformed a tired mid-century brick veneer house into a suburban oasis for a multigenerational family. Our clients, Gabby and Peter, came to us with a desire to reimagine their ageing home such that it could better cater to their modern lifestyles, accommodate those of their adult children and grandchildren, and provide a more intimate and meaningful connection with their garden. The renovation would reinvigorate their home and allow them to re-engage with their passions for cooking and sewing, and explore their skills in the garden and workshop.

Eichler Kitchen Renovation

Cathie Hong Interiors

We had a tight timeline to turn a dark, outdated kitchen into a modern, family-friendly space that could function as the hub of the home. We enlarged the footprint of the kitchen by changing the orientation and adding an island for better circulation. We swapped out old tile flooring for durable luxury vinyl tiles, dark wood panels for fresh drywall, outdated cabinets with modern Semihandmade ones, and added brand new appliances. We made it modern and warm by adding matte tiles from Heath, new light fixtures, and an open shelf of beautiful ceramics in cool neutrals.

Beechwood

Jessica Koltun Home

Classic, timeless, and ideally positioned on a picturesque street in the 4100 block, discover this dream home by Jessica Koltun Home. The blend of traditional architecture and contemporary finishes evokes warmth while understated elegance remains constant throughout this Midway Hollow masterpiece. Countless custom features and finishes include museum-quality walls, white oak beams, reeded cabinetry, stately millwork, and white oak wood floors with custom herringbone patterns. First-floor amenities include a barrel vault, a dedicated study, a formal and casual dining room, and a private primary suite adorned in Carrara marble that has direct access to the laundry room. The second features four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and an oversized game room that could also be used as a sixth bedroom. This is your opportunity to own a designer dream home.

Sustainable Wonder in Wilmette

Kitchen Design Partners, Inc.

Design ideas for a large transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, multi-coloured benchtop and exposed beam.

Cuisine Clairefontaine

Clémence Weil, décoration d'Intérieurs

Création d'une cuisine moderne dans une longère pleine de charme.
Design ideas for a mid-sized country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Paris with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, timber splashback, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and exposed beam.

Rénovation d’une maison de 250m² sur 4 étages - intérieur et extérieur

Commandante Custo

This is an example of a mid-sized country u-shaped open plan kitchen in Le Havre with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, panelled appliances, terra-cotta floors, no island, pink floor, beige benchtop and exposed beam.

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.

Rancho Santa Fe Refresh

Tracy Berman Interiors

This beautiful Mediterranean - Santa Barbara home has stunning bones, but needed a refresh on some of the finishes. Although we wanted to keep a Spanish feel, we didn't want Mexican tile everywhere. The kitchen received new tile on the backsplash, counter tops, copper sinks and cabinet hardware. The wood floor that runs through out the home replaced the exiting Saltillo tile. The cooking alcove for the range top was dated and arched. We opened up the arch to a more modern square. This gave the space more room. We added new tile that still has a Spanish feel, but a bit more contemporary. The fireplace in the adjoining great room received a new façade with a teal colored aged tile. This updated the space and popped a bit of color in the room.

Modern Farmhouse - Renton

ID by Gwen

Large country u-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, grey floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Beverly Road Project

Cameron Getter Design

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern l-shaped kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Homestaging ETW in Kiel

STEFFEK INTERIOR DESIGN

Design ideas for a contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in Hamburg with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, grey benchtop and exposed beam.

Spring Brook Kitchen Renovation

Rachel Savage Design Management LLC

What was once a kitchen and dining area was enlarged to create an open floor plan including a large kitchen with seating for 5 plus a dining area and lounge area with fireplace. Instead of burying the beam in the ceiling, we decided to expose it and make it a feature in the space.

Truehart

Clearcut Construction, Inc.

We love the mix of the patterned tile for warmth and texture with the cleanliness of the white quartz! The two are separated by a shallow quartz shelf that gives a great finishing touch.

Rehabilitació d’un Habitatge a Vilanova i la Geltrú

SERRAN i MORA arquitectes

Small beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a double-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, no island, grey floor, black benchtop and exposed beam.

Cape Dutch Artisan Home

Ron Brenner Architects

Inspiration for a transitional u-shaped kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, marble splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, multi-coloured benchtop and exposed beam.

Elkhorn Hill

Virtual Studio Innovations

Photo of a contemporary 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.

Kitchen with White Cabinets and Exposed Beam 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!