Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Birmingham with beaded inset cabinets, beige cabinets, wood benchtops, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, multiple islands, brown floor, brown benchtop, blue splashback and ceramic splashback.

Spanish Modern

La Costa Cabinets & Design

Dura cabinets White with Pewter Glaze Cashmere with Shadow Glaze Custom J. Aaron distressed walnut wood tops Tile – Artisan, Sanza Snowflake Blue on Carrara Marble

Large Kitchen Island With Retro Stools

dRemodeling

Orange accent colors and butcher block countertop bring warmth to this modern french kitchen design.
Design ideas for a large transitional u-shaped kitchen pantry in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors and with island.

eco+historical Sanchez 1

Eco+Historical, Inc.

This 1889 Victorian underwent a gut rehabilitation in 2010-2012 to transform it from a dilapidated 2BR/1BA to a 5BR/4BA contemporary family home. The large kitchen includes a walk-in pantry, built-in breakfast nook and butcher block island counter. A fresh and modern all-white palette was chosen with hand-made backsplash tile. A built-in bill paying desk to the left of the kitchen sports chalkboard paint on the wall. This house achieved a LEED Platinum green certification from the US Green Building Council in 2012. Photo by Paul Dyer

MIcRO Villa

Miro Architetti

Vista della zona cucina dall'ingresso
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary galley kitchen in Bologna with flat-panel cabinets, panelled appliances, blue benchtop, wood benchtops, grey floor, a drop-in sink, turquoise cabinets, blue splashback and with island.

42 m2 coloré

Emilie Melin architecte DPLG

Inspiration for a small contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, terrazzo floors, multi-coloured floor and brown benchtop.

Pablo Creek Reserve Estate Home

Collins Builders

Photo of a large transitional galley eat-in kitchen in Jacksonville with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Garrett Bay Cottage

Mitch Wise Design,Inc.

www.steinbergerphotos.com
Design ideas for a mid-sized country l-shaped kitchen in Milwaukee with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Apartment #1

Moulton Layne, P.L.

This is an example of a mid-sized beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Miami with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, blue splashback, subway tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, an undermount sink, wood benchtops and stainless steel appliances.

Eclectic Kitchen

Photo of a large eclectic l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Bethesda Sommerset

Sarah Kahn Turner

Inspiration for a large transitional l-shaped kitchen pantry in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances and with island.

North East Kitchen Remodel

Craftworks Home Remodeling and Improvements

jeff amram photography
This is an example of a mid-sized arts and crafts u-shaped separate kitchen in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and no island.

Contemporary White Kitchen

BGI Design

An airy and light feeling inhabits this kitchen from the white walls to the white cabinets to the bamboo countertop and to the contemporary glass pendant lighting. Glass subway tile serves as the backsplash with an accent of organic leaf shaped glass tile over the cooktop. The island is a two part system that has one stationary piece closes to the window shown here and a movable piece running parallel to the dining room on the left. The movable piece may be moved around for different uses or a breakfast table can take its place instead. LED lighting is placed under the cabinets at the toe kick for a night light effect. White leather counter stools are housed under the island for convenient seating. Michael Hunter Photography

Traditional Hand Painted Framed Kitchen

Tulip

Design ideas for a large country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Surrey with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, grey floor, brown benchtop and exposed beam.

Suburban Farmhouse

User

All photography by APelletier Photography
Design ideas for a country l-shaped kitchen in Other with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Loft Kitchen/Office/Conference Room/Storage Space

J. Schwartz, LLC Remodeling & Fine Homebuilding

This kitchen is has many uses and has "lofty goals". It is a kitchen, and office with full computer cabinetry, a storage space with ladder/rail access, and a conference table. It also provides a break from the kitchen to the sleeping area. Fred Forbes Photogroupe

Summit Avenue renovation

Idea Space Architecture + Design

This is an example of a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island and brown floor.

Punch of Blue

Metropolitan Cabinets & Countertops

Cabinets: Custom ShowHouse Collection Shaker Cabinets in Designer White Countertops: Brooks Eco Pro Walnut (Island), Caesarstone Symphony Grey (Perimeter) eric roth photography

Interior Chalmersgatan, Gothenburg

papac media AB

© Christian Johansson / papac
Design ideas for a mid-sized scandinavian u-shaped separate kitchen in Gothenburg with a drop-in sink, medium wood cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and no island.

My Houzz: Putting the Craft in an Ohio Craftsman

Adrienne DeRosa

Kiel's woodworking talents are in full effect in the kitchen. Rather than incorporate pre-fabricated cabinets into the newly rebuilt space, he decided to build them himself, affording the home the custom work that it so deserves. "It didn't make sense to put in the same fiberboard cabinetry that was there before", he confesses. Part of the plan called for open shelving up top to show off Chelsea's colorful plate collection. "One of the perks of being married to a wood worker", Chelsea jokes, "is having an entire kitchen worth of cabinets for the cost of wood and paint!" The couple outfitted the antique sink with a modern spray fixture from IKEA. The enameled cast iron sink was not only a steal at $25, but it is certainly made to last. "Often we buy older pieces which have been around for 50+ years because we know that if they have survived this long they will likely survive another 50", she says. Backsplash Tile, Hamilton Parker Photo: Adrienne DeRosa Photography © 2014 Houzz

Kitchen with Wood Benchtops and Blue Splashback 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!