This 1960s home was in original condition and badly in need of some functional and cosmetic updates. We opened up the great room into an open concept space, converted the half bathroom downstairs into a full bath, and updated finishes all throughout with finishes that felt period-appropriate and reflective of the owner's Asian heritage.

Mid-Century Modern Kitchen With a View

Forward Design Build Remodel

For this mid-century modern kitchen our team came up with a design plan that gave the space a completely new look. We went with grey and white tones to balance with the existing wood flooring and wood vaulted ceiling. Flush panel cabinets with linear hardware provided a clean look, while the handmade yellow subway tile backsplash brought warmth to the space without adding another wood feature. Replacing the swinging exterior door with a sliding door made for better circulation, perfect for when the client entertains. We replaced the skylight and the windows in the eat-in area and also repainted the windows and casing in the kitchen to match the new windows. The final look seamlessly blends with the mid-century modern style in the rest of the home, and and now these homeowners can really enjoy the view!

Mid-Century Modern, Shavano Park

NR Interiors

We completely transformed the original small Kitchen into a space twice as large. The homeowner's love to cook and this new Kitchen is designed with both beauty and high function in mind with plenty of well designed storage, generous amount of counterspace and unique design features such as the quartersawn white oak table end of the island which intersects the beautiful white macabus quartzite waterfall edge. The two tone perimeter cabinets bring subtle interest to the space.

Eichler in San Jose

Strong Cabinetry

New kitchen for this Eichler owner in the Fairhaven neighborhood of San Jose CA. The doors, drawer fronts, and panels are Zenit Supermatt Blanco. We used Blum soft-close hinges and drawer slides throughout the kitchen. Cabinet boxes are made with 19mm pre-finished maple plywood with matching Zenit Supermatt Blanco edge tape.

Textured Curves

Space Craft Joinery

Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Adelaide with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, solid surface benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Washington

Sarah Buxton Design

Large midcentury l-shaped kitchen in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, solid surface benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Spartan Imperial Mansion Renovation

SKP Design

SKP Design has completed a frame up renovation of a 1956 Spartan Imperial Mansion. We combined historic elements, modern elements and industrial touches to reimagine this vintage camper which is now the showroom for our new line of business called Ready To Roll. http://www.skpdesign.com/spartan-imperial-mansion You'll see a spectrum of materials, from high end Lumicor translucent door panels to curtains from Walmart. We invested in commercial LVT wood plank flooring which needs to perform and last 20+ years but saved on decor items that we might want to change in a few years. Other materials include a corrugated galvanized ceiling, stained wall paneling, and a contemporary spacious IKEA kitchen. Vintage finds include an orange chenille bedspread from the Netherlands, an antique typewriter cart from Katydid's in South Haven, a 1950's Westinghouse refrigerator and the original Spartan serial number tag displayed on the wall inside. Photography: Casey Spring

ENCINO RESIDENCE

CHRISTOPHER ALLEN LLC

photography: francis dreis
Photo of a midcentury kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, window splashback, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Atkinson Green

Northern Edge Studio

Mid-sized midcentury galley eat-in kitchen in Adelaide with a single-bowl sink, dark wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, slate floors, with island, grey floor, grey benchtop and wood.

Allandale Mid-Century Remodel

Studio Steinbomer

Kitchen
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in Austin with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and vaulted.

Manhattanville Townhouse

Star Renovations NY

Dream of every Chef! Double sink, 48" range, and lots of kitchen cabinets storage.
Photo of an expansive midcentury l-shaped open plan kitchen in New York with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and grey benchtop.

Midcentury Modern Renovation

Rogers Krajnak Architects

Inspiration for a midcentury u-shaped kitchen in Columbus with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, green splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Sigler-Fitzpatrick

Therese DuBravac

This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Portland with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, green splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Norcross Mid Century Kitchen Revival

Haggard Home Cabinetry & Design

A place for everything and everything in its place with island shelving storage.
Inspiration for 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.

CA Modern Retro Kitchen

August Interiors

The homeowners, an eclectic and quirky couple, wanted to renovate their kitchen for functional reasons: the old floors, counters, etc, were dirty, ugly, and not usable; lighting was giant fluorescents, etc. While they wanted to modernize, they also wanted to retain a fun and retro vibe. So we modernized with functional new materials: quartz counters, porcelain tile floors. But by using bold, bright colors and mixing a few fun patterns, we kept it fun. Retro-style chairs, table, and lighting completed the look.

Los Altos Home

Quinn Morgan Design

Design ideas for a midcentury galley open plan kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, with island, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Sunset Hill

Heidi Caillier Design

Haris Kenjar
Photo of a midcentury l-shaped kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, grey splashback, multi-coloured floor and grey benchtop.

Projet Saint-Mandé

Karen Tinka Design Intérieur

Mid-sized midcentury single-wall open plan kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, no island, brown floor, grey splashback and grey benchtop.

Lincoln

Acorn Deck House Company

With a grand total of 1,247 square feet of living space, the Lincoln Deck House was designed to efficiently utilize every bit of its floor plan. This home features two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a two-car detached garage and boasts an impressive great room, whose soaring ceilings and walls of glass welcome the outside in to make the space feel one with nature.

Sea of Tile

Victoria Highfill

Design ideas for a large midcentury galley separate kitchen in Nashville with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, terra-cotta splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula and grey benchtop.

Midcentury Kitchen with Grey Benchtop 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!