Inspiration for a small contemporary open plan kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, medium wood cabinets, terrazzo benchtops, pink splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and pink benchtop.

Southbank Apartment

Jasmine McClelland Design

Fresh, clean, white apartment kitchen with living room in mirrored reflection.
Inspiration for a small contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Contemporary Kitchen, Whitebridge

Vista Kitchens Newcastle

This is an example of a small beach style galley eat-in kitchen in Newcastle - Maitland with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, window splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and white benchtop.

Adobe Casita

Design Studio 1127

Open concept small but updated kitchen. With drawer refrigerator and freezer on island.
Photo of a small galley kitchen in Phoenix with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, brick floors, with island, beige benchtop and wood.

Sutton Signature | 1810 State Street Apartments

Flooret

Sutton Signature from the Modin Rigid LVP Collection: Refined yet natural. A white wire-brush gives the natural wood tone a distinct depth, lending it to a variety of spaces.

Ostindiefararegatan 5

Bjurfors Skåne

Bjurfors/ Andrea Papini
Design ideas for a small scandinavian open plan kitchen in Malmo with open cabinets, light wood cabinets, light hardwood floors, with island and beige floor.

Bedford Village

Erika Jayne Design Build

Tired of the original, segmented floor plan of their midcentury home, this young family was ready to make a big change. Inspired by their beloved collection of Heath Ceramics tableware and needing an open space for the family to gather to do homework, make bread, and enjoy Friday Pizza Night…a new kitchen was born. Interior Architecture. Removal of one wall that provided a major obstruction, but no structure, resulted in connection between the family room, dining room, and kitchen. The new open plan allowed for a large island with seating and better flow in and out of the kitchen and garage. Interior Design. Vertically stacked, handmade tiles from Heath Ceramics in Ogawa Green wrap the perimeter backsplash with a nod to midcentury design. A row of white oak slab doors conceal a hidden exhaust hood while offering a sleek modern vibe. Shelves float just below to display beloved tableware, cookbooks, and cherished souvenirs.

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.

Guesthouse at Conn Creek

RGArchitecture

Interior view of the kitchen area. Interior design from Donald Ohlen at Ohlen Design. Photo by Adrian Gregorutti.
Inspiration for a small country single-wall open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and wood benchtops.

Boho Bungalow Kitchen

Arcata Cabinet & Design Company

Design ideas for a small scandinavian l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Woodstock Mid-century Remodel

Context

Photo of a small midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Warwick Road Residence

Anna Gartland Interiors

We reconfigured the kitchen to maximize the light and the view. The sink and window were previously facing the next door neighbor's garage, so that became the range wall and the window was relocated to face the beautiful trees and rock formations in the back yard. A full light exterior entry door was added in place of the former door to let natural light flood the space. Ceiling, which had previously been lowered to hide electrical work, was taken back up to original height and smoothed. Layered recess lighting and a glass pendant over the sink further increase brightness in what was previously a very dark space. Custom moody gray-blue inset shaker cabinetry is paired with elongated handmade matte white tile backsplash, alongside white quartz, pale blue walls and off-white trim. Quartersawn white oak floors replace the old linoleum and blend beautifully with the original pine floors on the rest of the first floor. Warm brass hardware and fixtures are a lovely contrast against the dark cabinetry. A fluted white fireclay farm sink is a functional statement piece in a small space. An Acacia wood island with stainless steel top adds practical warmth. Period-appropriate moulding was brought back into the modern kitchen to maintain the historic integrity of the home.

Mid Century Kitchen

DDK Kitchen Design Group

Kitchens are a part of our personality. Sophisticated yet so simple. The cabinets are maple with nothing but a natural finish. Highlighting the beautiful character of maple wood. Slab doors on frameless construction. Simple hardware and a long butcher block island. Tile that really draws your eye to the shelves. The white tile on the range wall sets the stage to admire the hood. Designed by Jean Thompson for DDK Kitchen Design Group. Photographs @michaelakaskel

Coffee station and Microwave storage

Studio 76 Kitchens and Baths

Hide your coffee station and microwave behind cabinet doors that retract (pocket doors).
Small transitional galley separate kitchen in Cleveland with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Lucca in Woodhaven

Dragon Seed Interior Design Inc.

Design ideas for a small contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Edmonton with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop, an undermount sink, marble benchtops and ceramic splashback.

Beach Street Condo

BeeTree Homes

Photo of a small arts and crafts l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Jacksonville with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, black appliances, vinyl floors, with island, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Farm House Retreat

BKC of Westfield

BKC of Westfield
Photo of a small country galley separate kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, grey benchtop, with island and brown floor.

Kitchen 2

RS | MANNINO Architecture + Construction

Iris Bachman Photography
Photo of a small transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, beige floor, medium hardwood floors and white 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.

Reborn Cabinets Kitchen Reface - Irvine, CA

Reborn Cabinets Inc.

“We want to redo our cabinets…but my kitchen is so small!” We hear this a lot here at Reborn Cabinets. You might be surprised how many people put off refreshing their kitchen simply because homeowners can’t see beyond their own square footage. Not all of us can live in a big, sprawling ranch house, but that doesn’t mean that a small kitchen can’t be polished into a real gem! This project is a great example of how dramatic the difference can be when we rethink our space—even just a little! By removing hanging cabinets, this kitchen opened-up very nicely. The light from the preexisting French doors could flow wonderfully into the adjacent family room. The finishing touches were made by transforming a very small “breakfast nook” into a clean and useful storage space.

Small Kitchen with with Island 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!