This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Brisbane with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, window splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, grey floor, brown benchtop and exposed beam.

Doonan House

Kelly Martin Architecture

Inspiration for a contemporary galley kitchen in Sunshine Coast with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, green splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Frenchs Forest

User

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Sydney with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, brown benchtop, mosaic tile splashback, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Evergreen

The Glade Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized eclectic galley eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, pink cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, laminate floors, with island, yellow floor and yellow benchtop.

New house Jan Juc

Baker Drofenik Architects Pty Ltd

Kitchen with ocean views
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with a drop-in sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and white benchtop.

Engawa House, Ivanhoe

Inbetween Architecture

Inspiration for an asian single-wall open plan kitchen in Melbourne with open cabinets, wood benchtops, medium hardwood floors and exposed beam.

Brunswick Californian Bungalow

Jacqui Koska

Inspiration for a contemporary u-shaped separate kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

You can do black in a small room

Collaroy Kitchen Centre

25 year old modular kitchen with very limited benchspace was replaced with a fully bespoke kitchen with all the bells and whistles perfect for a keen cook.

Ridgecrest Kitchen

Kathryn J. LeMaster Art & Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized country u-shaped kitchen pantry in Little Rock with open cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, porcelain floors, white floor and white benchtop.

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.

Rockville

Jennifer Radakovic Design

Large country kitchen pantry in Richmond with white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, brown benchtop, a farmhouse sink, stainless steel appliances, with island and shaker cabinets.

The Hammocks- new construction

User

Inspiration for a beach style kitchen pantry in Tampa with open cabinets, wood benchtops and dark hardwood floors.

Meriam Hill House

JW Construction

Shelly Harrison
Photo of a beach style kitchen pantry in Boston with white cabinets, wood benchtops, stainless steel appliances and open cabinets.

Pantry & Mudrooms

Closettec

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped kitchen pantry in Cleveland with open cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, beige splashback, light hardwood floors and no island.

RUSTIC & TRADITIONAL FARMHOUSE - IPSWICH, MA

Windhill Builders

We gave this rather dated farmhouse some dramatic upgrades that brought together the feminine with the masculine, combining rustic wood with softer elements. In terms of style her tastes leaned toward traditional and elegant and his toward the rustic and outdoorsy. The result was the perfect fit for this family of 4 plus 2 dogs and their very special farmhouse in Ipswich, MA. Character details create a visual statement, showcasing the melding of both rustic and traditional elements without too much formality. The new master suite is one of the most potent examples of the blending of styles. The bath, with white carrara honed marble countertops and backsplash, beaded wainscoting, matching pale green vanities with make-up table offset by the black center cabinet expand function of the space exquisitely while the salvaged rustic beams create an eye-catching contrast that picks up on the earthy tones of the wood. The luxurious walk-in shower drenched in white carrara floor and wall tile replaced the obsolete Jacuzzi tub. Wardrobe care and organization is a joy in the massive walk-in closet complete with custom gliding library ladder to access the additional storage above. The space serves double duty as a peaceful laundry room complete with roll-out ironing center. The cozy reading nook now graces the bay-window-with-a-view and storage abounds with a surplus of built-ins including bookcases and in-home entertainment center. You can’t help but feel pampered the moment you step into this ensuite. The pantry, with its painted barn door, slate floor, custom shelving and black walnut countertop provide much needed storage designed to fit the family’s needs precisely, including a pull out bin for dog food. During this phase of the project, the powder room was relocated and treated to a reclaimed wood vanity with reclaimed white oak countertop along with custom vessel soapstone sink and wide board paneling. Design elements effectively married rustic and traditional styles and the home now has the character to match the country setting and the improved layout and storage the family so desperately needed. And did you see the barn? Photo credit: Eric Roth

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.

Rosslyn Cabin

Studio Miel

Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Photo of a small contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, porcelain floors, with island, brown floor, white appliances and brown benchtop.

Blue Stallion Farm - Southwest Ranches, FL

Big Chill

A Big Chill Retro refrigerator and dishwasher in mint green add cool color to the space.
Small country l-shaped kitchen in Miami with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, medium wood cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, coloured appliances, terra-cotta floors, with island and orange floor.

Modern Farmhouse

Old Hillsboro Building Company

This is an example of a large country single-wall kitchen pantry in Nashville with wood benchtops, a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Barn Door Walk-in Pantry, Transitional Kitchen Remodel

MainStreet Design Build

This beautiful Birmingham, MI home had been renovated prior to our clients purchase, but the style and overall design was not a fit for their family. They really wanted to have a kitchen with a large “eat-in” island where their three growing children could gather, eat meals and enjoy time together. Additionally, they needed storage, lots of storage! We decided to create a completely new space. The original kitchen was a small “L” shaped workspace with the nook visible from the front entry. It was completely closed off to the large vaulted family room. Our team at MSDB re-designed and gutted the entire space. We removed the wall between the kitchen and family room and eliminated existing closet spaces and then added a small cantilevered addition toward the backyard. With the expanded open space, we were able to flip the kitchen into the old nook area and add an extra-large island. The new kitchen includes oversized built in Subzero refrigeration, a 48” Wolf dual fuel double oven range along with a large apron front sink overlooking the patio and a 2nd prep sink in the island. Additionally, we used hallway and closet storage to create a gorgeous walk-in pantry with beautiful frosted glass barn doors. As you slide the doors open the lights go on and you enter a completely new space with butcher block countertops for baking preparation and a coffee bar, subway tile backsplash and room for any kind of storage needed. The homeowners love the ability to display some of the wine they’ve purchased during their travels to Italy! We did not stop with the kitchen; a small bar was added in the new nook area with additional refrigeration. A brand-new mud room was created between the nook and garage with 12” x 24”, easy to clean, porcelain gray tile floor. The finishing touches were the new custom living room fireplace with marble mosaic tile surround and marble hearth and stunning extra wide plank hand scraped oak flooring throughout the entire first floor.

Kitchen with Wood Benchtops 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!