Custom Kitchen installed in Newmarket, ON. All wood cabinets with Quartz countertop.
Inspiration for an expansive modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Toronto with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, white floor and white benchtop.

casa ST

Moliteo e Bruno Associati

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Catania-Palermo with a drop-in sink, glass-front cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, metallic splashback, stainless steel appliances, laminate floors, no island and vaulted.

Evergreen

The Glade Design

Photo of a mid-sized modern galley eat-in kitchen in Melbourne with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, pink cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, laminate floors, with island, yellow floor and yellow benchtop.

Küche

Jens Gerber Fotografie

Gartenhaus an der Tabaksmühle
Inspiration for a small modern single-wall open plan kitchen in Frankfurt with open cabinets, medium wood cabinets, wood benchtops, beige splashback, timber splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, no island, beige floor, beige benchtop and wood.

White modern plywood kitchen.

JS DECO Bespoke Furniture

Plywood kitchen furniture is one of the most durable solutions in case of arranging kitchen space. Next to high physical properties, it is also good looking modern style design. One of our customers asked us to design and manufacture such a kitchen for his flat based in Sheffield South Yorkshire.

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.

Nicola & Jamie's Kitchen

Grace Kitchen Design Ltd

Laura Dunraven
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern kitchen in Other with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Kirkland

JAC Construction, LLC

Photos by Showcase Photography Staging by Shelby Mischke
Design ideas for a small modern l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Nashville with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, no island and white floor.

Rénovation d'une maison de ville à Boulogne Billancourt

Olivier Stadler Architecte

Cuisine linéaire avec au fond un espace repas marqué par un papier peint imprimé avec des palmiers qui permet de conduire le regard jusqu'au fond de la pièce. L'éclairage zénithal a été travaillé afin d'avoir un maximum de lumière dans ces espaces. Louise Desrosiers

Galley kitchen

Helena Bryan

Design ideas for a mid-sized modern galley kitchen in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops and panelled appliances.

Haus EM

be_planen Architektur GmbH

Photo of a small modern single-wall kitchen in Munich with panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, flat-panel cabinets, stainless steel cabinets and wood benchtops.

Huum Project Photos

hughesumbanhowar architects

Gibeon Photography
Modern kitchen in Los Angeles with wood benchtops.

Minneapolis Kitchen

CHRISTIAN DEAN ARCHITECTURE, LLC

Custom laser cut mahagony screens. Photo: James Schwartz
Inspiration for a modern kitchen in Minneapolis with stainless steel appliances and wood benchtops.

B/S House

Hulburd Design

We transformed a 1920s French Provincial-style home to accommodate a family of five with guest quarters. The family frequently entertains and loves to cook. This, along with their extensive modern art collection and Scandinavian aesthetic informed the clean, lively palette.

Mid Century Modern Update

Outside Architecture

Expansive modern u-shaped kitchen in Portland with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor, brown benchtop and wood.

Maison Maisons-Alfort

AGENCE MARN DÉCO

Rénovation et aménagement d'une cuisine
Design ideas for a mid-sized modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with a single-bowl sink, beaded inset cabinets, light wood cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, white appliances, cement tiles, no island, blue floor and beige benchtop.

Kitchens

Bella Home Design

Photo of a large modern galley separate kitchen in DC Metro with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, black appliances, porcelain floors, with island, beige floor, glass sheet splashback and brown benchtop.

Waite Residence

AoDK Inc.

A couple wanted a weekend retreat without spending a majority of their getaway in an automobile. Therefore, a lot was purchased along the Rocky River with the vision of creating a nearby escape less than five miles away from their home. This 1,300 sf 24’ x 24’ dwelling is divided into a four square quadrant with the goal to create a variety of interior and exterior experiences while maintaining a rather small footprint. Typically, when going on a weekend retreat one has the drive time to decompress. However, without this, the goal was to create a procession from the car to the house to signify such change of context. This concept was achieved through the use of a wood slatted screen wall which must be passed through. After winding around a collection of poured concrete steps and walls one comes to a wood plank bridge and crosses over a Japanese garden leaving all the stresses of the daily world behind. The house is structured around a nine column steel frame grid, which reinforces the impression one gets of the four quadrants. The two rear quadrants intentionally house enclosed program space but once passed through, the floor plan completely opens to long views down to the mouth of the river into Lake Erie. On the second floor the four square grid is stacked with one quadrant removed for the two story living area on the first floor to capture heightened views down the river. In a move to create complete separation there is a one quadrant roof top office with surrounding roof top garden space. The rooftop office is accessed through a unique approach by exiting onto a steel grated staircase which wraps up the exterior facade of the house. This experience provides an additional retreat within their weekend getaway, and serves as the apex of the house where one can completely enjoy the views of Lake Erie disappearing over the horizon. Visually the house extends into the riverside site, but the four quadrant axis also physically extends creating a series of experiences out on the property. The Northeast kitchen quadrant extends out to become an exterior kitchen & dining space. The two-story Northwest living room quadrant extends out to a series of wrap around steps and lounge seating. A fire pit sits in this quadrant as well farther out in the lawn. A fruit and vegetable garden sits out in the Southwest quadrant in near proximity to the shed, and the entry sequence is contained within the Southeast quadrant extension. Internally and externally the whole house is organized in a simple and concise way and achieves the ultimate goal of creating many different experiences within a rationally sized footprint.

Leicht Collection 2018 Bondy Synthia

Leicht Westchester-Greenwich

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern l-shaped kitchen in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops and a peninsula.

Alpine Abode

Brandalyn Designs

Kitchen | A space that feels fresh, inviting and spacious, perfect for family time, entertaining, and cooking up a fabulous meal.
Photo of a large modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Salt Lake City with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Modern Kitchen with Wood 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!