Photo of a contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Munich with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and wood.

Appartamento VM - Casa minimalista di 80 mq

HOP! Arch

Photo of a mid-sized scandinavian galley open plan kitchen in Milan with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, timber splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Pamona Lake- Kitchen

Lindy Design Build

In designing the new layout for the kitchen, we decided to remove the pantry closet and expand into the former eat-in area. This gave us the opportunity to create a beautifully functional island with plenty of seating and prep space for multiple cooks in the kitchen. We were all still in love with the walnut flooring we installed during the first phase of this project and opted to lean into the classic tones and bring them into the cabinetry scheme. To balance all those gorgeous warm grains, we cooled the space down with a spunky hand painted tile that enlivens the space.

Dunham Street 1

SHELTER Custom-Built Living

Back Kitchen
Photo of a mid-sized modern u-shaped open plan kitchen in Charleston with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, marble splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and black benchtop.

Rénovation complète d’un appartement de 56 m²

LES DECOREUSES

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, beige splashback, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Rénovation totale et aménagement sur mesure

OLIVIER GUYOT - ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, panelled appliances, ceramic floors, white floor, white benchtop and no island.

Blanche Kitchen

Comma Design Studio

This is an example of a mid-sized modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Sydney with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, black appliances, porcelain floors, with island, white floor and brown benchtop.

DULAMON

Studio Mobbo

Photo of a mid-sized modern single-wall open plan kitchen in Bordeaux with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, laminate benchtops, grey splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Apartment Reconfiguration

Cobelis Design Studio

Inspiration for a small contemporary open plan kitchen in Dublin with flat-panel cabinets, quartzite benchtops and with island.

Boulder Canyon

Pruett & Co.

In this remodel we painted the existing perimeter cabinets a soft sea salt color and built a new island that included a cozy banquette that faces the gorgeous view of the Flatirons.

Red Rock Retreat

Wintercreative - The Art of Space

Contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Phoenix with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and green benchtop.

A contemporary luxury kitchen with natural elements

Amberth

The mix of white and natural wood cabinet door fronts and island surround makes this kitchen look and feel warm and welcoming.
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in London with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, black appliances, with island and grey benchtop.

Кухня-гостиная

Екатерина и Андрей Санниковы | Scandinavi

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, with island, glass benchtops, beige splashback, stainless steel appliances, laminate floors, beige floor, marble splashback, beige benchtop and a double-bowl sink.

Warren Terrace Hinsdale

Plain & Posh

These homeowners were ready to update the home they had built when their girls were young. This was not a full gut remodel. The perimeter cabinetry mostly stayed but got new doors and height added at the top. The island and tall wood stained cabinet to the left of the sink are new and custom built and I hand-drew the design of the new range hood. The beautiful reeded detail came from our idea to add this special element to the new island and cabinetry. Bringing it over to the hood just tied everything together. We were so in love with this stunning Quartzite we chose for the countertops we wanted to feature it further in a custom apron-front sink. We were in love with the look of Zellige tile and it seemed like the perfect space to use it in.

CASA BEATRICE

PadiglioneB

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Venice with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, yellow cabinets, tile benchtops, green splashback, porcelain splashback, panelled appliances, marble floors, multi-coloured floor, green benchtop and recessed.

Australian Minimalist Ground-Up

Cathie Hong Interiors

This Australian-inspired new construction was a successful collaboration between homeowner, architect, designer and builder. The home features a Henrybuilt kitchen, butler's pantry, private home office, guest suite, master suite, entry foyer with concealed entrances to the powder bathroom and coat closet, hidden play loft, and full front and back landscaping with swimming pool and pool house/ADU.

RENOVATION APPARTEMENT 60 M2 RUE LAMARTINE

Studio Céline Poulfort

Small contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, terrazzo benchtops, beige splashback, stone tile splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Ferndale: Mid-century four bedroom single story home

Muchmore Design

The primary material used for the kitchen is iroko, combined with plywood lined interior cabinetry. A four metre long skylight installed above the island casts natural light across the beautiful oiled iroko wood. Reeded glass, popular in the 1960´s, was also fitted into the sliding pantry doors. The central island and units were installed on matte black plinths providing a floating appearance above the floor.

Project 45

The Main Company

The large space accommodated an island kitchen and six seater dinning table.
Photo of a large contemporary galley open plan kitchen in London with medium hardwood floors, brown floor, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, black splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and black benchtop.

Ultramodern German Kitchen in Cranleigh, Surrey

Alexander Kitchens

Ultramodern German Kitchen in Cranleigh, Surrey This Cranleigh kitchen makes the most of a bold kitchen theme and our design & supply only fitting option. The Brief This Cranleigh project sought to make use of our design & supply only service, with a design tailored around the sunny extension being built by a contractor at this property. The task for our Horsham based kitchen designer George was to create a design to suit the extension in the works as well as the style and daily habits of these Cranleigh clients. A theme from our Horsham Showroom was a favourable design choice for this project, with adjustments required to fit this space. Design Elements With the core theme of the kitchen all but decided, the layout of the space was a key consideration to ensure the new space would function as required. A clever layout places full-height units along the rear wall of this property with all the key work areas of this kitchen below the three angled windows of the extension. The theme combines dark matt black furniture with ferro bronze accents and a bronze splashback. The handleless profiling throughout is also leant from the display at our Horsham showroom and compliments the ultramodern kitchen theme of black and bronze. To add a further dark element quartz work surfaces have been used in the Vanilla Noir finish from Caesarstone. A nice touch to this project is an in keeping quartz windowsill used above the sink area. Special Inclusions With our completely custom design service, a number of special inclusions have been catered for to add function to the project. A key area of the kitchen where function is added is via the appliances chosen. An array of Neff appliances have been utilised, with high-performance N90 models opted for across a single oven, microwave oven and warming drawer. Elsewhere, full-height fridge and freezers have been integrated behind furniture, with a Neff dishwasher located near to the sink also integrated behind furniture. A popular wine cabinet is fitted within furniture around the island space in this kitchen. Project Highlight The highlight of this project lays within the coordinated design & supply only service provided for this project. Designer George tailored our service to this project, with a professional survey undertaken as soon as the area of the extension was constructed. With any adjustments made, the furniture and appliances were conveniently delivered to site for this client’s builder to install. Our work surface partner then fitted the quartz work surfaces as the final flourish. The End Result This project is a fantastic example of the first-class results that can be achieved using our design & supply only fitting option, with the design perfectly tailored to the building work undertaken – plus timely coordination with the builder working on the project. If you have a similar home project, consult our expert designers to see how we can design your dream space. To arrange an free design consultation visit a showroom or book an appointment now.

Open Plan Kitchen with Flat-panel Cabinets 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 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!