It was a fairly small footprint and we didn’t have the budget to move anything around, meaning the sink and appliance locations needed to remain. It made the design limiting but once it was all done we absolutely loved it. Another challenge was making the small space bright. With the white upper cabinets, white tile and countertops, and recessed lighting, the whole space ended up much brighter than we expected.

Leslie Lane Residence

Assembledge

Michael Weschler Photography
Design ideas for an expansive midcentury u-shaped open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, panelled appliances, multiple islands and white floor.

Custom Walnut IKEA Kitchen

Unhinged Custom Doors

Photo of a large midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, a peninsula and beige floor.

Nordic Kitchen

Irving sykes kitchens and fine furniture

Inspiration for a midcentury u-shaped kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, terrazzo benchtops, stainless steel appliances, with island, grey floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Sleek Modern Remodel - Wheaton, IL

Drury Design

The owners of this true mid-century ranch in Wheaton were ready for a kitchen update. The home’s main living room area is decorated in a very cool, sparse way with plenty of nods to mid-century design. A new kitchen would need to bridge classic and modern notions of Mid-Century expression through the style’s characteristic clean lines and artistic notions of simplicity and straightforward functionality. The idea was to keep a hint of mid-century influence in a modern design that could somehow be more open while accommodating more storage The objectives were: • Stay within the existing space while creating an open feel and winning more storage room • Make the space brighter while using a darker cabinet finish • Create proper ventilation for the range Design challenges we solved for: • Open the kitchen to the adjacent dining room without sacrificing storage • Remove multiple layers of flooring to make the kitchen floor level with the rest of the house • Match the new kitchen flooring to the flooring in nearby dining and living spaces Problems solved. Here’s what we did: • Took out soffits around the kitchen to allow for taller cabinets with more storage • Added cabinet pull-outs that maximize under-cabinet storage space • Used large cabinets in standard sizes • Skipped cabinets on the window wall, opting for space- and light-friendly floating shelves • Enhanced overall brightness with bright, white counters and textured white tile that offered a connecting contrast to the darker woodgrain cabinets • Took out a post between the kitchen and dining room to make the space feel more open • Added under-cabinet lights – unobtrusive and handy for task lighting The owners love the look, feel and functionality of their new kitchen. Its sleek, modern character and notions of mid-century spirit add new excitement to the home’s original 1958 personality.

Mid-Century Kitchen Open Shelving with Decorative Accessories

Jennifer Gustafson Interior Design

• Full Kitchen Renovation • General Contractor: Area Construction • Custom casework - Natural American Walnut Veneer • Decorative Accessory Styling • Backsplash tile - Heath Tile • Countertop - Diresco

Pacific Palisades

New Generation Home Improvements

Designed by Natalie Myers of Veneer Designs. Photography by Amy Bartlam.
Photo of a midcentury l-shaped kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and grey floor.

Sleek Electric Stovetop with Accent Floating Shelves in Mid-Century Modern Kitch

MAK Design + Build Inc.

Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sacramento with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, a peninsula, white floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Modern Kitchen in Holly Glen, Vienna

Sun Design Remodeling Specialists, Inc.

Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury u-shaped kitchen in DC Metro with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, white benchtop, an undermount sink, window splashback and a peninsula.

Kaysville Pond House

Greg Steffensen Architect

Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Salt Lake City with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and white benchtop.

Mid-Century Remodel and Addition

Kevin Spence Architect, AIA

Photos: Kevin Spence Architect - Aaron Dorn
This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, cork floors and a peninsula.

Ravenna Art Deco Dwelling

Workshop Estates

Large midcentury open plan kitchen in Denver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, black splashback, engineered quartz splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Mid-Century Home Kitchen And Dining

White Crane Construction

This stunning mid-century whole house remodel focuses on integrating great new fixtures, finishes and materials, while preserving the integrity of the original architectural aesthetic. This atomic age gem has many original architectural features like a custom copper fireplace hood, 12' stacking wood doors, and original woodwork that mesh seamlessly with the new design elements. Included in the project are an owners' suite with new master bath, a new kitchen, and completely remodeled main and lower levels. Photos: Jill Greer

mid-century modern kitchen

Neil Kelly Company

Modern materials were chosen to fit the existing style of the home. Mahogany cabinets topped with Caesarstone countertops in Nougat and Raven were accented by 24×24-inch recycled porcelain tile with 1-inch glass penny round decos. Elsewhere in the kitchen, quality appliances were re-used. The oven was located in its original brick wall location. The microwave convection oven was located neatly under the island countertop. A tall pull out pantry was included to the left of the refrigerator. The island became the focus of the design. It provided the main food prep and cooking area, and helped direct traffic through the space, keeping guests comfortable on one side and cooks on the other. Large porcelain tiles clad the back side of the island to protect the surface from feet on stools and accent the surrounding surfaces.

Mellow Yellow House

Surfside Projects LLC

Design ideas for a midcentury galley kitchen in San Diego with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, blue splashback, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Midcentury Kitchen

Midcentury single-wall open plan kitchen in Phoenix with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, engineered quartz splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island and exposed beam.

Williams Creek Home Renovation

Emergent Construction

Whonsetler Photography
Photo of a midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Indianapolis with a single-bowl sink, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and with island.

Anbau Küche mit Faltfenster

Villa Haller Interior Styling

Anbau von eine Küche von 24m2 Midcentury Stil mit Walnussfurnier und Vintage-Details.
Photo of an expansive midcentury galley separate kitchen in Munich with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, black splashback, granite splashback, black appliances, terrazzo floors, with island, grey floor and black benchtop.

Torch Modern Chic

Petoskey Kitchen and Bath - Designs By Dawn

Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, matchstick tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, quartz benchtops and brown floor.

"Beautiful Inside and Out" Mid-Century Modern Home Interior Remodel

MAK Design + Build Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sacramento with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Midcentury Kitchen with Dark Wood Cabinets 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!