Painted shaker kitchen with a Corian worktop. Cabinets painted in Farrow and Ball Shaded White. 40mm thick Glacier White Corian. Satin Nickel cup handles and knobs.

Sweeney Lake House

CHRISTIAN DEAN ARCHITECTURE, LLC

Chad Holder
Photo of a mid-sized modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, beige splashback, stone tile splashback, dark hardwood floors and with island.

Rio Del Mar Kitchen With Natural Lighting and Wood Cabinetry

Talmadge Construction, Inc.

Natural lighting plays a major role in the overall ambiance of this midcentry kitchen remodel, and the natural lighting in this space accentuates the wood grain throughout the cabinets and the flooring. The green glass backsplash also lights up with the natural lighting, adding a stylish dash of color to the room.

Pioneer Square Condo

Dyna Builders

Aaron Leitz Fine Photography
Photo of a modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with stainless steel appliances, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, concrete floors and with island.

Kitchen

Mahoney Architects & Interiors

traditional kitchen in SF
Photo of a mid-sized traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with stainless steel appliances, subway tile splashback, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, with island, a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets and cork floors.

A California Cape-Cod Beauty

GDC Construction

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen in San Diego with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, solid surface benchtops and beige floor.

Whale Rock Addition

Ellen McKenna Design

Photographed by Kyle Caldwell
Inspiration for a large modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Salt Lake City with glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop, an undermount sink and brown floor.

Armstrong-Luxe

Direct Hardwood Flooring

Mid-sized modern l-shaped kitchen in Charlotte with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors and with island.

Winston - Contemporary Waterfront

Visbeen Architects

Featuring a classic H-shaped plan and minimalist details, the Winston was designed with the modern family in mind. This home carefully balances a sleek and uniform façade with more contemporary elements. This balance is noticed best when looking at the home on axis with the front or rear doors. Simple lap siding serve as a backdrop to the careful arrangement of windows and outdoor spaces. Stepping through a pair of natural wood entry doors gives way to sweeping vistas through the living and dining rooms. Anchoring the left side of the main level, and on axis with the living room, is a large white kitchen island and tiled range surround. To the right, and behind the living rooms sleek fireplace, is a vertical corridor that grants access to the upper level bedrooms, main level master suite, and lower level spaces. Serving as backdrop to this vertical corridor is a floor to ceiling glass display room for a sizeable wine collection. Set three steps down from the living room and through an articulating glass wall, the screened porch is enclosed by a retractable screen system that allows the room to be heated during cold nights. In all rooms, preferential treatment is given to maximize exposure to the rear yard, making this a perfect lakefront home.

Lawrence Park Ravine House

Jillian Aimis Architect

Tom Arban
Design ideas for a large modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Toronto with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Universal Design features are integrated into the kitchen.

FabCab

Location: Port Townsend, Washington. Photography by Dale Lang
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Seattle with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

St Albans

Morph Interior Ltd

White and copper kitchen doors with integrated hood.
This is an example of a large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in London with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, solid surface benchtops, black appliances, with island and white benchtop.

Morning Star - Dover Shores

Matt White Custom Home

Kitchen with custom white oak cabinets and shelving, eclectic tile
Large eclectic l-shaped kitchen in Orange County with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and exposed beam.

Natural Style

Vela Interior Design

Inspiration for a small transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with an integrated sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, solid surface benchtops, beige splashback, porcelain floors, no island, grey floor and beige benchtop.

Scandinavian Kitchen

No.54 Interiors

Bespoke Scandi kitchen, featuring rustic oak veneer and meganite solid surface worktop. Track lighting and feature splashback in pebble tiles. Vintage furniture.

Colorful apartment with children's room

Maxim Maximov

Кухня с фасадами желтого цвета, в сочетании с белыми витринными вставками и деревянной отделкой вытяжки и полками над столешницей.
Mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Saint Petersburg with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, yellow cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Кухня-гостиная

Эко Ремонт

Ремонт двухкомнатной квартиры в новостройке
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Moscow with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, solid surface benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, porcelain floors, no island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Pietra Di Cardoso Grigio In-Side Collection

Ollin Stone

The great traditional Italian architectural stones: Porfido, Piasentina, Cardoso. These materials have been popular since the age of antiquity due to their strength, hard-wearing resistance and at the same time their outstanding styling appeal. They are the inspiration for the IN-SIDE series. The series is named after the state-of-the-art technology with which Laminam was able to quash another paradigm of ceramic surfaces, creating a body and surface continuity in the slabs.

Pop of Blue Kitchen Splash

Hawthorne Tile

Mid-sized contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Portland with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Квартира в классическом стиле

Анна Иванова

Итальянская кухня с классическими фасадами выполнена в светлой гамме. На полу использовали крупноформатную плитку с витиеватым рисунком.
Photo of a mid-sized traditional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an integrated sink, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances, ceramic floors, no island, multi-coloured floor and white benchtop.

L-shaped Kitchen with Solid Surface 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!