A long wall of full height custom cabinetry and appliances pack a functional punch for this kitchen, allowing the opposite wall to be upper cabinet free.

Atomic Ranch MCM Main House

Breathe Design Studio

Our Austin studio decided to go bold with this project by ensuring that each space had a unique identity in the Mid-Century Modern style bathroom, butler's pantry, and mudroom. We covered the bathroom walls and flooring with stylish beige and yellow tile that was cleverly installed to look like two different patterns. The mint cabinet and pink vanity reflect the mid-century color palette. The stylish knobs and fittings add an extra splash of fun to the bathroom. The butler's pantry is located right behind the kitchen and serves multiple functions like storage, a study area, and a bar. We went with a moody blue color for the cabinets and included a raw wood open shelf to give depth and warmth to the space. We went with some gorgeous artistic tiles that create a bold, intriguing look in the space. In the mudroom, we used siding materials to create a shiplap effect to create warmth and texture – a homage to the classic Mid-Century Modern design. We used the same blue from the butler's pantry to create a cohesive effect. The large mint cabinets add a lighter touch to the space. --- Project designed by the Atomic Ranch featured modern designers at Breathe Design Studio. From their Austin design studio, they serve an eclectic and accomplished nationwide clientele including in Palm Springs, LA, and the San Francisco Bay Area. For more about Breathe Design Studio, see here: https://www.breathedesignstudio.com/ To learn more about this project, see here: https://www.breathedesignstudio.com/atomic-ranch

Cliffside Farmhouse

Danze & Davis Architects, Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Austin with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop, wood and white cabinets.

Wine Cup Hill Kitchen & Living Room Remodel

Haven Design and Construction

Our clients desired an organic and airy look for their kitchen and living room areas. Our team began by painting the entire home a creamy white and installing all new white oak floors throughout. The former dark wood kitchen cabinets were removed to make room for the new light wood and white kitchen. The clients originally requested an "all white" kitchen, but the designer suggested bringing in light wood accents to give the kitchen some additional contrast. The wood ceiling cloud helps to anchor the space and echoes the new wood ceiling beams in the adjacent living area. To further incorporate the wood into the design, the designer framed each cabinetry wall with white oak "frames" that coordinate with the wood flooring. Woven barstools, textural throw pillows and olive trees complete the organic look. The original large fireplace stones were replaced with a linear ripple effect stone tile to add modern texture. Cozy accents and a few additional furniture pieces were added to the clients existing sectional sofa and chairs to round out the casually sophisticated space.

Modern Farmhouse New Build in Vienna

Olamar Interiors

A modern farmhouse dining space/breakfast area in a new construction home in Vienna, VA.
Photo of a large country u-shaped open plan kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and wood.

Ocean Terrace

Carte Blanche Studio

Design ideas for an expansive contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, with island, a double-bowl sink, marble benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, grey floor, grey benchtop and wood.

Tonal Harmony Kitchen Detail

Drewett Works

With adjacent neighbors within a fairly dense section of Paradise Valley, Arizona, C.P. Drewett sought to provide a tranquil retreat for a new-to-the-Valley surgeon and his family who were seeking the modernism they loved though had never lived in. With a goal of consuming all possible site lines and views while maintaining autonomy, a portion of the house — including the entry, office, and master bedroom wing — is subterranean. This subterranean nature of the home provides interior grandeur for guests but offers a welcoming and humble approach, fully satisfying the clients requests. While the lot has an east-west orientation, the home was designed to capture mainly north and south light which is more desirable and soothing. The architecture’s interior loftiness is created with overlapping, undulating planes of plaster, glass, and steel. The woven nature of horizontal planes throughout the living spaces provides an uplifting sense, inviting a symphony of light to enter the space. The more voluminous public spaces are comprised of stone-clad massing elements which convert into a desert pavilion embracing the outdoor spaces. Every room opens to exterior spaces providing a dramatic embrace of home to natural environment. Grand Award winner for Best Interior Design of a Custom Home The material palette began with a rich, tonal, large-format Quartzite stone cladding. The stone’s tones gaveforth the rest of the material palette including a champagne-colored metal fascia, a tonal stucco system, and ceilings clad with hemlock, a tight-grained but softer wood that was tonally perfect with the rest of the materials. The interior case goods and wood-wrapped openings further contribute to the tonal harmony of architecture and materials. Grand Award Winner for Best Indoor Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home This award-winning project was recognized at the 2020 Gold Nugget Awards with two Grand Awards, one for Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home, and another for Best Interior Design of a One of a Kind or Custom Home. At the 2020 Design Excellence Awards and Gala presented by ASID AZ North, Ownby Design received five awards for Tonal Harmony. The project was recognized for 1st place – Bathroom; 3rd place – Furniture; 1st place – Kitchen; 1st place – Outdoor Living; and 2nd place – Residence over 6,000 square ft. Congratulations to Claire Ownby, Kalysha Manzo, and the entire Ownby Design team. Tonal Harmony was also featured on the cover of the July/August 2020 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design and received a 14-page editorial feature entitled “A Place in the Sun” within the magazine.

Bivouac-inspired beauty

New Zealand Certified Builders Association

The bivouac theme comes to life in unexpected details throughout. The entrances are designed to feel like you’re walking through a crack in a rock. The inside and outside marry together in an oustanding way.

Mid Century Modern Remodel

C&R Remodeling

This mid century modern home boasted irreplaceable features including original wood cabinets, wood ceiling, and a wall of floor to ceiling windows. C&R developed a design that incorporated the existing details with additional custom cabinets that matched perfectly. A new lighting plan, quartz counter tops, plumbing fixtures, tile backsplash and floors, and new appliances transformed this kitchen while retaining all the mid century flavor.

Refugio en Matadepera

Xavi Pérez

Country l-shaped kitchen in Barcelona with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, exposed beam and wood.

Pretty Fancy

Richard J. Moudy Construction LLC

Inspiration for an expansive single-wall open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, brick floors, with island, multi-coloured floor, multi-coloured benchtop and wood.

Brimfield Home

Executive Developers, LLC

View from kitchen and wet bar from dining room
Photo of an expansive country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, soapstone benchtops, grey splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured floor, grey benchtop and wood.

Broadmoor Mid Century

Patricia Brennan Architects

This open kitchen is great for entertaining. The vaulted ceilings emphasize the generosity of the space while the natural materials add warmth to the space.

One Sunset Residence, Camano Island WA.

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

Kitchen looking toward dining/living space.
This is an example of a mid-sized modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, green splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, grey floor, black benchtop and wood.

West Seattle Mid-Century

Board & Vellum

Photos by Tina Witherspoon.
Large midcentury u-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and wood.

Traditional Hand Carved Kitchen in New Jersey.

WL Kitchen & Home

This traditional kitchen balances decorative details with elegance, to create a timeless design that feels luxurious and highly functional.
Design ideas for a large traditional u-shaped separate kitchen in New York with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, distressed cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, white floor, beige benchtop and wood.

Traditional Hand Carved Kitchen in New Jersey.

WL Kitchen & Home

This traditional kitchen balances decorative details with elegance, to create a timeless design that feels luxurious and highly functional.
Inspiration for a large traditional u-shaped separate kitchen in New York with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, distressed cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, white floor, beige benchtop and wood.

Wildwood - Kitchen

Giulietti Schouten Weber Architects

Inspiration for a contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Portland with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop and wood.

Chelan South Shore Kitchen

Distinctive Kitchens

Inspiration images for our Lake Chelan South Shore kitchen and great room remodel
This is an example of a large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, light hardwood floors, with island, a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, stainless steel appliances, beige floor, black benchtop, exposed beam, vaulted and wood.

Wainscott Residence

SKOLNICK Architecture & Design Partnership

Kitchen
Inspiration for a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen in New York with with island, a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, beige floor and wood.

Kitchen with Stainless Steel Appliances and Wood 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!