When we drove out to Mukilteo for our initial consultation, we immediately fell in love with this house. With its tall ceilings, eclectic mix of wood, glass and steel, and gorgeous view of the Puget Sound, we quickly nicknamed this project "The Mukilteo Gem". Our client, a cook and baker, did not like her existing kitchen. The main points of issue were short runs of available counter tops, lack of storage and shortage of light. So, we were called in to implement some big, bold ideas into a small footprint kitchen with big potential. We completely changed the layout of the room by creating a tall, built-in storage wall and a continuous u-shape counter top. Early in the project, we took inventory of every item our clients wanted to store in the kitchen and ensured that every spoon, gadget, or bowl would have a dedicated "home" in their new kitchen. The finishes were meticulously selected to ensure continuity throughout the house. We also played with the color scheme to achieve a bold yet natural feel.This kitchen is a prime example of how color can be used to both make a statement and project peace and balance simultaneously. While busy at work on our client's kitchen improvement, we also updated the entry and gave the homeowner a modern laundry room with triple the storage space they originally had. End result: ecstatic clients and a very happy design team. That's what we call a big success! John Granen.

Stunning Omega Kitchen Walden

User

Large modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, black floor and black benchtop.

Modern living in Adam's Hill, Glendale

Metropolis Drafting and Construction Inc

Modernizing a mid-century Adam's hill home was an enjoyable project indeed. The kitchen cabinets are modern European frameless in a dark deep gray with a touch of earth tone in it. The golden hard integrated on top and sized for each door and drawer individually. The floor that ties it all together is 24"x24" black Terrazzo tile (about 1" thick). The neutral countertop by Cambria with a honed finish with almost perfectly matching backsplash tile sheets of 1"x10" limestone look-a-like tile.

wood block residence

chadbourne + doss architects

chadbourne + doss architects reimagines a mid century modern house. Nestled into a hillside this home provides a quiet and protected modern sanctuary for its family. The Kitchen is contained in bright white and aluminum. The Living spaces are a composition of black and wood. Large sliding glass doors open to a full length deck. Photo by Benjamin Benschneider

A Modern Kitchen for a Retreat in the Woods

Amazing Spaces

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

Piedmont House

Charles Di Piazza Architecture

Daylight from multiple directions, alongside yellow accents in the interior of cabinetry create a bright and inviting space, all while providing the practical benefit of well illuminated work surfaces.

Colbost

Dualchas Architects

Andrew Lee
This is an example of a modern kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, stainless steel appliances, with island, black floor and beige benchtop.

Off Grid Mountain Cabin

anderson architecture

Anderson Architecture
Inspiration for a small modern galley eat-in kitchen in Sydney with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, concrete floors, no island, black floor and black benchtop.

Moderno Cocina

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern u-shaped kitchen in Madrid with flat-panel cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, a peninsula, an undermount sink, stainless steel appliances and black floor.

De cubes et de verre

Perene Ternay Faure Agencement

Inspiration for a modern u-shaped kitchen in Lyon with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, beige splashback, timber splashback, a peninsula, black floor and black benchtop.

309 Church Hill Residence Kitchen

re:4m LLC design build

Photo of a small modern l-shaped kitchen in Richmond with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors, with island, black floor and white benchtop.

Southern Hills Modern

Phenix Marble Company

Starboard & Port http://www.starboardandport.com/
This is an example of a mid-sized modern u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors, with island and black floor.

Arlington, Virginia - Modern - Kitchen and Bathroom

Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath

Arlington, Virginia Modern Kitchen and Bathroom #JenniferGilmer http://www.gilmerkitchens.com/

Black Metal White Plaster

Donald Lococo Architects

Subsequent additions are covered with living green walls to deemphasize stylistic conflicts imposed on a 1940’s Tudor and become backdrop surrounding a kitchen addition. On the interior, further added architectural inconsistencies are edited away, and the language of the Tudor’s original reclaimed integrity is referenced for the addition. Sympathetic to the home, windows and doors remain untrimmed and stark plaster walls contrast the original black metal windows. Sharp black elements contrast fields of white. With a ceiling pitch matching the existing and chiseled dormers, a stark ceiling hovers over the kitchen space referencing the existing homes plaster walls. Grid members in windows and on saw scored paneled walls and cabinetry mirror the machine age windows as do exposed steel beams. The exaggerated white field is pierced by an equally exaggerated 13 foot black steel tower that references the existing homes steel door and window members. Glass shelves in the tower further the window parallel. Even though it held enough dinner and glassware for eight, its thin members and transparent shelves defy its massive nature, allow light to flow through it and afford the kitchen open views and the feeling of continuous space. The full glass at the end of the kitchen reveres a grouping of 50 year old Hemlocks. At the opposite end, a window close to the peak looks up to a green roof.

Two toned Kitchen with Concrete Benchtops

Improva

Mid-sized modern galley eat-in kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, glass benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, dark hardwood floors, a peninsula, black floor and grey benchtop.

Arlington, Virginia - Modern - Kitchen and Bathroom

Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath

Arlington, Virginia Modern Kitchen and Bathroom #JenniferGilmer http://www.gilmerkitchens.com/

A 1914 Historic Renovation

Anthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc.

Judy Davis Photography
Design ideas for a modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in DC Metro with flat-panel cabinets, white splashback, black appliances and black floor.

Manor Cove

Carlton Edwards

This room, formally a dining room was opened up to the great room and turned into a new kitchen. The entertainment style kitchen comes with a lot of custom detailing. The island is designed to look like a modern piece of furniture. The St. Laurent marble top is set down into a mahogany wood for a furniture-like feel. A custom server is between the kitchen and great room. The server mimics the island design with the mahogany and marble. We incorporated two lamps in the server to enhance its furniture-like feel. Interiors: Carlton Edwards in collaboration w/ Greg Baudouin

Attico a Bologna

User

Ogni elemento della cucina, disegnata su misura per il progetto, dai volumi essenziali, ai raffinati elementi pop, fino alla zona degustazione con cantina, è dedicato al piacere dell'ospitalità e della convivialità in tutte le sue forme.

Manning Residence

Shirley Meisels

photo by Stephani Buchman
Modern kitchen in Toronto with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, black floor and white benchtop.

Modern Kitchen with Black Floor 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 Modern 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!