‘Oh What A Ceiling!’ ingeniously transformed a tired mid-century brick veneer house into a suburban oasis for a multigenerational family. Our clients, Gabby and Peter, came to us with a desire to reimagine their ageing home such that it could better cater to their modern lifestyles, accommodate those of their adult children and grandchildren, and provide a more intimate and meaningful connection with their garden. The renovation would reinvigorate their home and allow them to re-engage with their passions for cooking and sewing, and explore their skills in the garden and workshop.

Kenilworth Project - Mid Century Modern Whole House Remodel

Haven Design and Construction

The kitchen in this Mid Century Modern home is a true showstopper. The designer expanded the original kitchen footprint and doubled the kitchen in size. The walnut dividing wall and walnut cabinets are hallmarks of the original mid century design, while a mix of deep blue cabinets provide a more modern punch. The triangle shape is repeated throughout the kitchen in the backs of the counter stools, the ends of the waterfall island, the light fixtures, the clerestory windows, and the walnut dividing wall.

Ranch 55

Catherine Garrison Architect, Inc

Photo of a large midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, green splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, cork floors, with island, beige floor, grey benchtop and exposed beam.

Earthy Mackay House

Cathie Hong Interiors

This 1956 John Calder Mackay home had been poorly renovated in years past. We kept the 1400 sqft footprint of the home, but re-oriented and re-imagined the bland white kitchen to a midcentury olive green kitchen that opened up the sight lines to the wall of glass facing the rear yard. We chose materials that felt authentic and appropriate for the house: handmade glazed ceramics, bricks inspired by the California coast, natural white oaks heavy in grain, and honed marbles in complementary hues to the earth tones we peppered throughout the hard and soft finishes. This project was featured in the Wall Street Journal in April 2022.

All Electric Home - kitchen

Tali Hardonag Architect

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped kitchen pantry in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, panelled appliances, vinyl floors, with island, multi-coloured benchtop and exposed beam.

Mid-Century Modern Deck House

The Design Gallery

Mid-sized midcentury u-shaped kitchen in Other with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, green splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Salt Lake Mid Mod

cityhomeCOLLECTIVE

Fully custom kitchen remodel with red marble countertops, red Fireclay tile backsplash, white Fisher + Paykel appliances, and a custom wrapped brass vent hood. Pendant lights by Anna Karlin, styling and design by cityhomeCOLLECTIVE

Montclair Sanctuary

Tina Montemayor Design

Design ideas for a small midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, green splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, black benchtop and exposed beam.

R+S

Taylor + Taylor

Midcentury l-shaped kitchen in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, blue splashback, with island, grey floor, white benchtop, exposed beam and vaulted.

Mondrian Mid-Century

Moderne Builders

This is an example of a midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, a peninsula, beige floor, beige benchtop, exposed beam and timber.

Raleigh Hills Mid Century Modern

Northland Design & Build

This is an example of a midcentury kitchen in Portland with flat-panel cabinets, with island, black floor, exposed beam, timber, vaulted, light wood cabinets, marble benchtops, marble splashback and terra-cotta floors.

Wayzata Mid-Century Modern Whole Home Restoration

Thompson Construction

Mid-Century Modern Restoration
Mid-sized midcentury eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, panelled appliances, terrazzo floors, with island, white floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Lions Bay Post and Beam

Simply Home Decorating

The new owners of this 1974 Post and Beam home originally contacted us for help furnishing their main floor living spaces. But it wasn’t long before these delightfully open minded clients agreed to a much larger project, including a full kitchen renovation. They were looking to personalize their “forever home,” a place where they looked forward to spending time together entertaining friends and family. In a bold move, we proposed teal cabinetry that tied in beautifully with their ocean and mountain views and suggested covering the original cedar plank ceilings with white shiplap to allow for improved lighting in the ceilings. We also added a full height panelled wall creating a proper front entrance and closing off part of the kitchen while still keeping the space open for entertaining. Finally, we curated a selection of custom designed wood and upholstered furniture for their open concept living spaces and moody home theatre room beyond. This project is a Top 5 Finalist for Western Living Magazine's 2021 Home of the Year.

Inspiration for a midcentury u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Diego with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula, white benchtop, exposed beam and wood.

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

MAK Design + Build Inc.

This is an example 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.

Earthy Mackay House

Cathie Hong Interiors

Mod McElroy

STUDIOrobert jamieson

Midcentury kitchen in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances, slate floors, with island, grey floor, white benchtop and exposed beam.

Wayzata Mid-Century Modern Whole Home Restoration

Thompson Construction

Cornwall Holiday Home

Lomax & Chi

Stunning Pluck Kitchen in soft green with marble worktops and feature lighting.
Inspiration for a large midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in London with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets, marble benchtops, green splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, green benchtop and exposed beam.

Midcentury Kitchen with Exposed Beam 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!