IceStone countertop in Alpine White. This product is made in Brooklyn from three simple ingredients: recycled glass, cement, and non-toxic pigment. Photo courtesy of Howells Architecture + Design.

Modern Home in Carrboro

Wilkinson

Brooke Roberson Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Raleigh with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, recycled glass benchtops, stainless steel appliances and with island.

Tesoro style kitchen

Gilasi

Large modern open plan kitchen in Chicago with recycled glass benchtops, with island, an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, beige floor and beige benchtop.

Kitchen on Main

LaPlante Designs

Mid-sized modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, recycled glass benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, grey floor and white benchtop.

Deschutes House

FINNE Architects

Benjamin Benschneider
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern galley open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, recycled glass benchtops, grey splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Ash / Kitchen Remodel

Cabinet Concepts

Joel Faurote
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with a single-bowl sink, recycled glass benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors and with island.

Upper West Side Apartment

Shenton Architects LLP

The design of this four bedroom Upper West Side apartment involved the complete renovation of one half of the unit and the remodeling of the other half. The main living space includes a foyer, lounge, library, kitchen and island. The library can be converted into the fourth bedroom by deploying a series of sliding/folding glass doors together with a pivoting wall panel to separate it from the rest of the living area. The kitchen is delineated as a special space within the open floor plan by virtue of a folded wooden volume around the island - inviting casual congregation and dining. All three bathrooms were designed with a common language of modern finishes and fixtures, with functional variations depending on their location within the apartment. New closets serve each bedroom as well as the foyer and lounge spaces. Materials are kept to a limited palette of dark stained wood flooring, American Walnut for bathroom vanities and the kitchen island, white gloss and lacquer finish cabinetry, and translucent glass door panelling with natural anodized aluminum trim. Lightly veined carrara marble lines the bathroom floors and walls. www.archphoto.com

Creative colorful kitchen in Monterey

WoodMaster

A mixture of maple, alder, mahogany and metal cabinets. All clear lacquer finish.
This is an example of a mid-sized modern u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, recycled glass benchtops, blue splashback, cement tile splashback, white appliances, linoleum floors and a peninsula.

Modern Hillside Home Bistro Green Kitchen

Vetrazzo

Full slab backsplashes in Bistro Green carry up the pattern for a bold color statement, complimented by the white cabinetry, producing a unified and clean aesthetic. Photo: Glenn Koslowsky

Vetrazzo Countertops

Imagine Surfaces

Chivalry Blue recycled glass countertop by Vetrazzo. A great clean look for a unique kitchen unlike any other!
Modern eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with recycled glass benchtops and white splashback.

Modern & Bright

MAC Renovations LTD.

A kitchen that had been remodel in the 80's required a facelift! The homeowner wanted the kitchen very bright with clean lines. With environmental impact being a concern as well, we installed recycled porcelain floor tile and glass countertops. Adding a touch of warmth with the natural maple completed this fresh modern look.

Creative colorful kitchen in Monterey

WoodMaster

A mixture of maple, alder, mahogany and metal cabinets. All clear lacquer finish.
Photo of a mid-sized modern u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, recycled glass benchtops, blue splashback, cement tile splashback, white appliances, linoleum floors and a peninsula.

Oasis Blue Kitchen

White Wood Kitchens

This Diamond Cabinetry kitchen designed by White Wood Kitchens reflects the owners' love of Cape Life. The cabinets are maple painted an "Oasis" blue. The countertops are Saravii Curava, which are countertops made out of recycled glass. With stainless steel appliances and a farm sink, this kitchen is perfectly suited for days on Cape Cod. The bathroom includes Versiniti cabinetry, including a vanity and two cabinets for above the sink and the toilet. Builder: McPhee Builders.

High gloss acrylic laqcuered kitchen

Morantz Custom Cabinetry Inc.

this is a kosher kitchen we finished recently in a Miami beach condo. The material is a high gloss acrylic lacquer over a melamine material in a linen design called Textile Plata. We made the upper cabinets in high gloss white acrylic and the toe kick in stainless steel. There are two sinks and lots of storage pantries to house food and appliances.

Moroccan Red IceStone Installations

IceStone

Design ideas for a modern galley kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, recycled glass benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and orange benchtop.

Cobalt Skyy Vetrazzo Countertops

Imagine Surfaces

Cobalt Skyy recycled glass countertop by Vetrazzo. A great clean look for a unique kitchen unlike any other!
This is an example of a modern eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with recycled glass benchtops and white splashback.

Viv & Tim Lund

Zero Kitchens

Mid-sized modern u-shaped kitchen in London with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, recycled glass benchtops, glass sheet splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors and no island.

Jed & Renee's Kitchen - Left-hand Side

Matter Design & Make Pty Ltd

Jed and Renee had been living in their first home together for a little over one year until the arrival of their first born child. They had been putting up with their 1990’s era kitchen but quickly realised it wasn’t up to scratch with the new demands for space and functionality that a child brings. Jed and Renee’s old kitchen was dark and imposing, lacked bench space and wasted space with inaccessible cupboards on all walls. After experimenting with a few layouts in our CAD program, our solution was to dedicate one wall for tall and deep storage, then on the adjacent and opposite walls create a long wrap-around bench with base level storage below. The bench intersects a dividing wall with an archway into the dining room, nabbing more precious surface space while ensuring the dining walkway is not hindered by rounding off the end corner. Smart storage such as a Kessebohmer pull-out pantry unit, blind corner baskets and a slide-out appliance shelf accessed by a lift-up door make the most of every nook of this kitchen. Top cupboards housing the rangehood also intersect the kitchen’s dividing wall and continue as open display shelving in the dining room for extra storage and visual balance. Simple black ‘D’ handles are a stylish, functional and affordable hardware choice, as is the grey Bettastone benchtop made from recycled glass. Jed and Renee loved the colour and grain of Blackbutt timber but realised that too much timber could be overbearing as it was in their old kitchen. Our solution was to create a mix of hand-painted light green doors to break up and provide contrast against the Blackbutt veneer panels. The result is a light and airy kitchen that opens up the room and invites you inward.

Curava Savaii

Galaxy Stone Works, Inc.

Photo of a modern u-shaped open plan kitchen in Portland with an undermount sink, recycled glass benchtops, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula.

Highgate House London

RESILICA

This is an example of a mid-sized modern l-shaped kitchen in London with recycled glass benchtops, blue splashback, with island and blue benchtop.

Modern Kitchen with Recycled Glass Benchtops 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!