• A busy family wanted to rejuvenate their entire first floor. As their family was growing, their spaces were getting more cramped and finding comfortable, usable space was no easy task. The goal of their remodel was to create a warm and inviting kitchen and family room, great room-like space that worked with the rest of the home’s floor plan. The focal point of the new kitchen is a large center island around which the family can gather to prepare meals. Exotic granite countertops and furniture quality light-colored cabinets provide a warm, inviting feel. Commercial-grade stainless steel appliances make this gourmet kitchen a great place to prepare large meals. A wide plank hardwood floor continues from the kitchen to the family room and beyond, tying the spaces together. The focal point of the family room is a beautiful stone fireplace hearth surrounded by built-in bookcases. Stunning craftsmanship created this beautiful wall of cabinetry which houses the home’s entertainment system. French doors lead out to the home’s deck and also let a lot of natural light into the space. From its beautiful, functional kitchen to its elegant, comfortable family room, this renovation achieved the homeowners’ goals. Now the entire family has a great space to gather and spend quality time.

Contemporary Dream

Eurotech Cabinetry Inc.

Tom Harper Photography
This is an example of a large contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Miami with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, porcelain floors, with island, an undermount sink and grey splashback.

Brookfield

Noel Dempsey Design

Photo of a large transitional galley open plan kitchen in Other with white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, beige floor and white benchtop.

New England Kitchen, London

Artichoke

Artichoke worked with the renowned interior designer Michael Smith to develop the style of this bespoke kitchen. The detailing of the furniture either side of the Wolf range is influenced by the American East Coast New England style, with chromed door catches and simple glazed wall cabinets. The extraction canopy is clad in zinc and antiqued with acid and wax. The green painted larder cabinet contains food storage and refrigeration; the mouldings on this cabinet were inspired from a piece of Dutch antique furniture. The pot hanging rack enabled us to provide lighting over the island and saved littering the timbered ceiling with unsightly lighting. There is a pot filler tap and stainless steel splashback. Primary materials: Hand painted cabinetry, steel and antiqued zinc.

Kitchen

GDC Construction

All of the cabinets in the kitchen are custom-made by Inplace Studio of La Jolla.
Large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Diego with stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, stone slab splashback and with island.

HOUSE IN DORA ROAD, WIMBLEDON, London

Francesco Pierazzi Architects

A couple with two young children appointed FPA to refurbish a large semi detached Victorian house in Wimbledon Park. The property, arranged on four split levels, had already been extended in 2007 by the previous owners. The clients only wished to have the interiors updated to create a contemporary family room. However, FPA interpreted the brief as an opportunity also to refine the appearance of the existing side extension overlooking the patio and devise a new external family room, framed by red cedar clap boards, laid to suggest a chevron floor pattern. The refurbishment of the interior creates an internal contemporary family room at the lower ground floor by employing a simple, yet elegant, selection of materials as the instrument to redirect the focus of the house towards the patio and the garden: light coloured European Oak floor is paired with natural Oak and white lacquered panelling and Lava Stone to produce a calming and serene space. The solid corner of the extension is removed and a new sliding door set is put in to reduce the separation between inside and outside. Photo by Gianluca Maver

Palmerston Kitchen

HB Design

Photo of a large contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Vancouver with flat-panel cabinets, quartz benchtops, an undermount sink, white cabinets, beige splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Stoneleigh - Cavalcade Tour of Homes

King's Court Builders, Inc.

Meal prep is a pleasure in this open kitchen featuring a large island with seating on two sides. There is a double oven, microwave and large refrigerator with double doors.

The Arabella

Howard Torn Construction

Photo of a large mediterranean u-shaped separate kitchen in Miami with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, stainless steel appliances, a drop-in sink, stone tile splashback, travertine floors, with island and beige floor.

water's edge project - kitchen

XTC Design Incorporated

Donna Griffith Photography
Large contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Toronto with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, granite benchtops, metallic splashback, metal splashback, stainless steel appliances, limestone floors and with island.

Block O

Iris Mullan Interiors

MELANIE VALLIERES
This is an example of a large contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Vancouver with marble benchtops, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink and dark hardwood floors.

Kitchen Installations

Wet Dog Tile Co.

(1) An absolutely stunning, bright, and wide shot of this beautiful kitchen. 3 large pendant lights hang down from the ceiling above a long and sleek kitchen island with three beautiful olive green chairs surrounding. Above the stainless steel range is a mural we created using stone, glass, and ceramic decoratives. We made a one-of-a-kind backsplash mural for a one-of-a-kind kitchen!

Ash Grey | Kitchen Inspiration

WK STONE

'Ash Grey' Quantum Quartz benchtops and splashback. By Cahill Building Group.
Inspiration for a large contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Fresh Classic Clean White Kitchen

Ellie Visconti

Danny Piassick
Design ideas for a large transitional single-wall eat-in kitchen in Dallas with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, an undermount sink and brown floor.

Reforma Loft Barcelona

Sincro

Sincro
This is an example of a large industrial single-wall open plan kitchen in Barcelona with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island and grey floor.

Reclaimed Lakeside Home

Lenox House Design

The Entire Main Level, Stairwell and Upper Level Hall are wrapped in Shiplap, Painted in Benjamin Moore White Dove. The wood flooring and solid beams are all reclaimed barnwood. The lighting is by Rejuvenation. Photo by Spacecrafting

Haussmannien modernisé

delphine estour

Anne Catherine Scoffoni
Photo of a large transitional single-wall eat-in kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, blue splashback, mosaic tile splashback, light hardwood floors, no island and green cabinets.

Modern English Countryside

Inspired Interiors

This is an example of a large traditional galley kitchen in Chicago with marble benchtops, open cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, a farmhouse sink, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and limestone splashback.

TRADITIONAL KITCHEN - ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ

Sheila Rich Interiors, LLC

The transformation of this kitchen began by removing the peninsula and upper cabinets to open the space and allow for a multi-functional island. The blue stained glass backsplash is accentuated by a beautiful repeating ivory pattern. Glazed maple cabinets provide warm contrast and my client's beloved rooster collection adds an interesting focal point. Photography Peter Rymwid

water's edge project - kitchen

XTC Design Incorporated

Donna Griffith Photography
Large contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Toronto with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, limestone floors and with island.

Large Kitchen 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!