(After Shot) Vaulted kitchen ceiling with exposed beams, and Tongue and Groove (t&g) ceiling planks. Brand new, white shaker kitchen cabinets, butcher block island and countertops, and exposed hardwood floors. Huge windows to bring in the natural light and to feel the open space. Brand new recessed lightings to give the room a much better ambiance and a set of stainless steel pendant lights for that clean finish.

Custom Wine Cellar Built-In

Habitar Design

Hannah Tindall
This is an example of a small contemporary single-wall eat-in kitchen in Chicago with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, dark hardwood floors and no island.

Maison DP Clamart

Olivier Chabaud Architecte - Paris & Luberon

Olivier Chabaud
Inspiration for a small contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, an undermount sink, dark hardwood floors, no island, brown floor, brown benchtop and exposed beam.

Armonk Residence

Gallin Beeler Design Studio

Christopher Galluzzo
This is an example of a transitional galley eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and grey splashback.

Oakland Township Residence

Dillman & Upton, Inc.

Dura Supreme Cabinetry, Chapel Hill Classic Doors, Maple, White Espresso Glaze Finish for perimeter; Crestwood Series, Chapel Hill Classic door, Lyptus, Chestnut finish for island. Special Features include custom wood hood, custom wood island countertop, Lindsey Markel Kitchen and Bath Designer, Colleen Farrell Interior Designer and Beth Singer Photographer. Awarded 2nd Place in Signature Kitchens & Baths Annual Design Awards 2015.

The Barn

Digital Home LLC

Photo of a country single-wall eat-in kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, panelled appliances, wood benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback and dark hardwood floors.

Bryn Mawr English Tudor Kitchen Remodel

Pinemar, Inc

Pinemar, Inc.- Philadelphia General Contractor & Home Builder. Photos © Paul S. Bartholomew Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped kitchen in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Suncadia Residence, Washington

Clinkston Architects

The collaboration between architect and interior designer is seen here. The floor plan and layout are by the architect. Cabinet materials and finishes, lighting, and furnishings are by the interior designer. Detailing of the vent hood and raised counter are a collaboration. The raised counter includes a chase on the far side for power. Photo: Michael Shopenn

Spanish Colonial Hacienda, Carmel, California

John Malick & Associates

Spanish Colonial Hacienda Architect: John Malick & Associates Photograph by J.D. Peterson
This is an example of a large mediterranean u-shaped separate kitchen in San Francisco with white cabinets, wood benchtops, shaker cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Vlahos Project on Ono

Bob Chatham Custom Home Design

The kitchen has a coastal appeal with rustic wood finishes and metal lighting. The white cabinets and ship lap walls complete the look. This beautiful beach house was designed by Bob Chatham and built on Ono Island by Phillip Vlahos Homes.

Rustic Walnut Edge Grain Butcher Block Countertop

Hardwood Lumber Company

"Excellent products, we love our new rustic walnut countertops. Everyone that sees our countertops loves them." Jerry
Photo of a mid-sized country l-shaped separate kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, brown benchtop and no island.

Alpharetta Transformation

Renew Properties

Inspiration for a country l-shaped kitchen in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, brown benchtop and exposed beam.

Calistoga Residence and Winery

JBP Architects

Photography copyright Paul Dyer Photography
This is an example of a country l-shaped kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, black splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Farmhouse Kitchen

Photo of a mid-sized country l-shaped kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Grand Prairie Kitchen Remodel

Urbanology Designs

Transitional kitchen with farmhouse charm. A dark blue island makes the brass hardware come to life, as well as the butcher block counter top! Soft roman shades and a cement pendant complete the bright and cozy breakfast nook. photo by Convey Studios

Grand Rapids Remodel

Jean Stoffer Design, Ltd

Stoffer Photography
Photo of a mid-sized country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Grand Rapids with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, with island, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, wood benchtops and dark hardwood floors.

Cocina en Girona

deulonder arquitectura doméstica

Inspiration for a large contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Barcelona with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Arcadia

Artisan Kitchen & Bath

Design ideas for a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, wood benchtops and brown floor.

A Bijou Holiday Apartment in Edinburgh

The Couture Rooms

This is an example of a traditional eat-in kitchen in Edinburgh with a peninsula, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback and dark hardwood floors.

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

Kitchen with Wood Benchtops and Dark Hardwood Floors 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!