A closeup on the live edge detail on a walnut kitchen island countertop.
This is an example of a large transitional kitchen in New York with black cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Kitchens

Odyssey Woodworks

Design ideas for a mid-sized country single-wall separate kitchen in Charleston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, no island, brown floor, black benchtop and wood benchtops.

Kitchen Pantry

Alison Kandler Interior Design

Kathryn Russell
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional single-wall eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with beaded inset cabinets, wood benchtops, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and white cabinets.

Star Lake Compound

Wade Weissmann Architecture

Country kitchen pantry in Milwaukee with a single-bowl sink, open cabinets, medium wood cabinets, wood benchtops, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Rustic Country Kitchen

AG Woodcrafting Inc.

Rustic, country kitchen with distressed white cabinetry on the outer walls and distressed knotty alder on the island. Copper farmhouse sink and paneled appliance complete the fine details of this kitchen.

Country Home, Chappaqua, NY

Hubley Design Interiors, LLC

Design ideas for a traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, with island, an undermount sink, white splashback and dark hardwood floors.

Contemporary Kitchen with White Oak Floor

Jeff King & Company

Contemporary kitchen with white oak floors and caesarstone countertops. Photography: Brian Mahany
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, flat-panel cabinets, wood benchtops, subway tile splashback, no island, an undermount sink and brown floor.

Bi-folding kitchen window (open)

ARCHIA HOMES

Custom cabinetry with Oak countertops and a hammered zinc island.
Country eat-in kitchen in Boston with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops and dark hardwood floors.

Shutters

A B Associates

Thomas Sanderson
This is an example of a country eat-in kitchen in West Midlands with a farmhouse sink, green cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback and dark hardwood floors.

Georges Marie

CP Design Interieur

Cette petite cuisine a été entièrement repensée. Pour pouvoir agrandir la salle de bain le choix a été fait de diminuer la surface de la cuisine. Elle reste néanmoins très fonctionnelle car toutes les fonctions d'usage sont présentes mais masquées par les portes de placard (frigo, four micro ondes, hotte, rangements.... ) Elle est séparée du salon par un clairevoie ce qui la lie au reste de l'appartement sans pour autant être complétement ouverte.

Historic Gatewood Kitchen

Urban Kitchens

Historic Gatewood kitchen with inset cabinets, granite and wood countertops. Showplace Cabinets with Pierce door style, soft cream finish.
Inspiration for a mid-sized arts and crafts l-shaped separate kitchen in Oklahoma City with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Graue Küche mit geräuchertem Eichenholz

KOELNMOEBEL

Die beiden herausziehbaren Schränke im Hochschrank bieten viel gut erreichbaren Stauraum.
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Cologne with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback, black appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

NW Johnson Street House

Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

Transitional single-wall separate kitchen in Portland with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, green splashback, coloured appliances, dark hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Modern Kitchen

Kitchen Master Design & Remodeling LLC

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Kitchen with a pop of orange

Cory Connor Designs

This is an example of a large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in New York with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

A camp kitchen

Studio C Architecture & Interiors

This is an example of a mid-sized country galley kitchen in Birmingham with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

My Gallery

Anne Marie Design Studio, LLC

Large country single-wall kitchen in Orange County with raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, wood benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

The Six Branches

Edgell Building, Inc.

Large country l-shaped kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, distressed cabinets, brown splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and wood benchtops.

Elk Country Estate

Cascade Builders & Associates Inc.

Inspiration for a mid-sized country l-shaped kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, white splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and wood benchtops.

Casa Santander

Canexel Construcciones

Cocina de estilo abierto que combina con el comedor y, a su vez, con el salón. Una gran isla preside el espacio central. Los tonos del mobiliario buscan además guardar la coherencia con los tonos de suelo, vigas vistas y techo.

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!