Large transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in New Orleans with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Crowe Lake, Marmora Cottage

Emily Griffin Design

Sian Richards
This is an example of a large beach style eat-in kitchen in Toronto with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, recessed-panel cabinets, subway tile splashback and no island.

Modern Elements Blend with Classic Acadian Style

Ourso Designs

This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen pantry in New Orleans with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and white benchtop.

Уютная однушка для мамы и дочки

Project Group. Дизайн интерьера и ремонт

Design ideas for a scandinavian open plan kitchen in Moscow with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets and no island.

Weston Manor

Cummings Architecture + Interiors

Inspiration for a mid-sized country l-shaped kitchen in Boston with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Desco Project

Faulkner Perrin Custom Homes

Transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in Dallas with open cabinets, white cabinets, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

A Naturally Modern Kitchen Remodel

Bobbi Alderfer/Lifestyle Design

With using the walnut cabinets, we tried to keep the sizes as uniform as possible but there were some aspects the client wanted. One of those was the corner appliance garage. Hiding these necessary evils in a beautiful cabinet with easy accessibility was the perfect marriage.

All about Sophistication & Textures

GJ Morgan Kitchens

Muse Photography
Large contemporary galley kitchen in Newcastle - Maitland with quartz benchtops, stone slab splashback, concrete floors, with island, an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, grey floor and white benchtop.

Farm House Retreat

BKC of Westfield

BKC of Westfield
Small country single-wall separate kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, grey benchtop, with island and brown floor.

Shah Pantry

Closet & Storage Concepts - Norwalk

Large contemporary kitchen pantry in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops and porcelain floors.

Custom Transitional Kitchen - St. Charles, IL

Drury Design

Arched valances above the window and on the island bookshelf, along with the curved custom metal hood above the stainless steel range, contrast nicely with the overall linear design of the space. The leaded glass cabinet doors not only create a spot to display the homeowner’s favorite glassware, but visually it helps prevent the white cabinets from being overbearing. By installing recessed can lights uniformly throughout the space instead of decorative pendants above the island, the kitchen appears more open and spacious.

Farmhouse Kitchen

Cramer Kreski Designs

Expanded kitchen and oversized island provide additional seating for guests as well as display space below. Cabinetry fabricated by Eurowood Cabinets.

Rustic Eclecticism Kitchen Remodel: Chester Springs, PA

HomeTech Renovations, Inc.

A dynamic and multifaceted entertaining area, this kitchen is the center for family gatherings and its open floor plan is conducive to entertaining. The kitchen was designed to accomodate two cooks, and the small island is the perfect place for food preparation while family and guests interact with the host. The informal dining area was enlarged to create a functional eating area, and the space now incorporates a sliding French door that provides easy access to the new rear deck. Skylights that change color on demand to diminish strong, unwanted sunlight were also incorporated in the revamped dining area. A peninsula area located off of the main kitchen and dining room creates a great space for additional entertaining and storage. Character cherry cabinetry, tiger wood hardwood flooring, and dry stack running bond slate backsplash make bold statements within the space. The island top is a 3" thick Brazilian cherry end grain top, and the brushed black ash granite countertops elsewhere in the kitchen create a beautiful contrast against the cabinetry. A buffet area was incorporated into the adjoining family room to create a flow from space to space and to provide additional storage and a dry bar. Here the character cherry was maintained in the center part of the cabinetry and is flanked by a knotty maple to add more visual interest. The center backsplash is an onyx slate set in a basketweave pattern which is juxtaposed by cherry bead board on either side. The use of a variety of natural materials lends itself to the rustic style, while the cabinetry style, decorative light fixtures, and open layout provide the space with a contemporary twist. Here bold statements blend with subtle details to create a warm, welcoming, and eclectic space.

Cucina con isola e colonne in olmo

TM Italia Cucine

Photo by: Darren Chung
This is an example of a scandinavian kitchen in London with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Transitional Kitchen Newton Square Remodel - Geneva

Redstart Construction, Inc.

Picture Perfect House
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional galley open plan kitchen in Chicago with white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets and glass tile splashback.

Basso Modern Stool with Back by Trica

Barstool Comforts

Bring the Basso bar stool into your breakfast nook, kitchen, or home bar. Its cozy seat and generously padded back cushion gives comfort for you and your guests for hours.

Home Is Where the Star Is Condo Renovation

Boardwalk Builders

Small kitchen remodel with counter seating, sparkling blue backsplash, and white cabinets.
Small beach style galley eat-in kitchen in Other with white cabinets, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula.

Custom White Raised panel cabinets

Otero Signature Homes

Design ideas for a large l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Cleveland with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, porcelain splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Milton Home #2

Keystone Millworks Inc

Photo of a transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in Atlanta with open cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, light hardwood floors, no island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Modern Condo with Rustic Touch

Home Style

This is an example of a transitional l-shaped kitchen in Salt Lake City with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Kitchen with White Cabinets and Medium Wood Cabinets 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!