What Stacey was after was a Shaker door with little ornamentation as possible – no extra beveling or grooves, no visible seams, and a 90° angle between the recessed panel and the edges of the frames. That last point about the 90° angle is why Stacey chose Scherr’s over Semihandmade Doors, another popular manufacturer of custom doors for IKEA kitchen cabinets. If you look very very carefully at SHM’s Supermatte Shaker door, you’ll notice what we mean.

Studio - Paris 5

Cécile Humbert - Design d'intérieur

Small midcentury single-wall open plan kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, black cabinets, wood benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, panelled appliances, cement tiles and multi-coloured floor.

Villa Dancourt

WTF/A Architectes Associés

BAM - Because Architecture Matters
Photo of a small midcentury single-wall eat-in kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, white splashback, panelled appliances, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, medium hardwood floors, no island and brown floor.

Oakland Modern

Knock Architecture and Design

This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury galley open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, black cabinets, black splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island and flat-panel cabinets.

Brown Jackson House

Flavin Architects

Mid-Century Remodel on Tabor Hill This sensitively sited house was designed by Robert Coolidge, a renowned architect and grandson of President Calvin Coolidge. The house features a symmetrical gable roof and beautiful floor to ceiling glass facing due south, smartly oriented for passive solar heating. Situated on a steep lot, the house is primarily a single story that steps down to a family room. This lower level opens to a New England exterior. Our goals for this project were to maintain the integrity of the original design while creating more modern spaces. Our design team worked to envision what Coolidge himself might have designed if he'd had access to modern materials and fixtures. With the aim of creating a signature space that ties together the living, dining, and kitchen areas, we designed a variation on the 1950's "floating kitchen." In this inviting assembly, the kitchen is located away from exterior walls, which allows views from the floor-to-ceiling glass to remain uninterrupted by cabinetry. We updated rooms throughout the house; installing modern features that pay homage to the fine, sleek lines of the original design. Finally, we opened the family room to a terrace featuring a fire pit. Since a hallmark of our design is the diminishment of the hard line between interior and exterior, we were especially pleased for the opportunity to update this classic work.

PETERHOF

Hauvette & Madani

Mid-sized midcentury single-wall separate kitchen in Paris with a double-bowl sink, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, ceramic floors, green cabinets, no island and flat-panel cabinets.

Rift Teak Kitchen, Tacoma

Unhinged Custom Doors

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury galley kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and a peninsula.

Mid Century Modern Interior

HAUS | Architecture For Modern Lifestyles

Description: Interior Renovation of Mid-Century Modern Kitchen - Interior Architecture/Renderings/Photography: HAUS | Architecture
Photo of a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Indianapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances and light hardwood floors.

Mid Century Meets Modern

Hermitage Kitchen Gallery LLC

Designer: Terri Sears Photography: Melissa M. Mills
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Nashville with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula, light hardwood floors, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Thomasdale

Whack Work

Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury galley eat-in kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, yellow splashback, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances, concrete floors, no island, grey floor, white benchtop and wood.

Mod Walnut Kitchen

La Costa Cabinets & Design

A small kitchen gets a breath of fresh air with walnut veneer cabinets, done with a very thin shaker style door. Warm white marble countertops fold up into the backsplash, unifying the kitchen from top to bottom. Polished chrome fixtures sparkle in this adept kitchen remodel.

Mod Walnut Kitchen

La Costa Cabinets & Design

Virginia Country Club

Benedict August

Inspiration for an expansive midcentury l-shaped kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Fresh Mid-Century Kitchen Reno

Kirk Riley Design

This original 1950's kitchen with a pink backsplash and pale blue appliances needed a fresh take. Hardwood floors were installed to match the existing wood on the first floor. Bright white quartz countertops and a white backsplash created using both flat/glossy and matte/raised hex tiles created a textured flower pattern. Slab front cabinets in a mixture of wood and white tackled the storage issues. The pop of orange of the Bertazonni oven is the counter balance to the cool fresh wall color and tons of natural light. A beautiful, functional space to create healthy meals for her family was paramount to our client. We created this fresh space by dropping a touch of Palm Springs into the Pacific Northwest.

Littleton Kitchen Remodel

MOTIF Design Solutions, LLC

Mid-sized midcentury l-shaped kitchen pantry in Denver with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Norcross Mid Century Kitchen Revival

Haggard Home Cabinetry & Design

The Shaker cabinets were painted in a custom green color to create the mid century modern look the client was looking for.
Photo of a large midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Wash Park

Evergreen Interior Designs

Painted blue kitchen cabinets, black soapstone counter, colorful rug. Brass lighting, brass hardware.
Design ideas for a small midcentury galley separate kitchen in Denver with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, soapstone benchtops, beige splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula and brown floor.

Mid Century III - Kitchen Addition

Tali Hardonag Architect

Mountain View Kitchen addition with butterfly roof, bamboo cabinets. Photography: Nadine Priestly
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, blue splashback, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Mid-Century Ranch Kitchen Renovation

Kate Bendewald Interior Design (KBID)

Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury single-wall eat-in kitchen in Denver with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, grey splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Mid Century Meets Modern

Hermitage Kitchen Gallery LLC

Designer: Terri Sears Photography: Melissa M. Mills
Mid-sized midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Nashville with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula, light hardwood floors, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Midcentury 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 Midcentury 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!