Design ideas for a transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, marble splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Ferndale Cottage

Kitty Lee Architecture

Inspiration for a small contemporary open plan kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, medium wood cabinets, terrazzo benchtops, pink splashback, stone slab splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and pink benchtop.

Weerona House

Demardi.

This Kitchen was relocated from the middle of the home to the north end. Four steel trusses were installed as load-bearing walls and beams had to be removed to accommodate for the floorplan changes. There is now an open Kitchen/Butlers/Dining/Living upstairs that is drenched in natural light with the most undisturbed view this location has to offer. A warm and inviting space with oversized windows, gorgeous joinery, a curved micro cement island benchtop with timber cladding, gold tapwear and layered lighting throughout to really enhance this beautiful space.

Fringe Dweller

Mihaly Slocombe

Fringe Dweller’s sculpted extension transforms an unassuming weatherboard cottage into a proud forever home. It walks multiple tightropes at once: balancing openness with privacy, strength with softness, and a rich history with our clients’ future needs. On Clifton Hill’s suburban edge, the house sits opposite the leafy Quarries Park Reserve. Our clients, Ishtar and Craig, have three children and purchased their cottage to create a long-term family home. Lying within a heritage overlay, the cottage’s traditional layout is largely preserved – only tweaked, in a wise parenting move, to form three equally sized bedrooms. The extension’s shared spaces feature rich materials, a warm palette and curved edges, creating a feeling of softness and easing transitions between zones. A staircase arcing through the living areas leads up to the lounge and main suite. Elevated above street level, these spaces can more freely relate to the park: the lounge’s attached balcony overlooks the park’s open field, while the main bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling window frames magnificent foliage. Downstairs, sliding doors connect the living areas to a semi-covered deck, while the garden beyond is embraced by a self-contained studio at the rear and high walls on either side. A brick wall interspersed with permeable screens lines the site’s public edge, balancing backyard privacy with neighbourhood connection. For passers-by, it’s a strong addition to the streetscape, granting glimpses of the lush garden within. Fringe Dweller embraces its presence on the fringe of the parklands, balancing its historical context with its future as a nurturing family home.

Kitchen

Studio QL

Design ideas for a contemporary open plan kitchen in Austin with shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets and with island.

Beach Cottage Transformation - Custom Cabinetry Creates Light and Airy Kitchen.

Urbana Design Studio

Custom Cabinetry Creates Light and Airy Kitchen. A combination of white painted cabinetry and rustic hickory cabinets create an earthy and bright kitchen. A new larger window floods the kitchen in natural light.

Roll-Out Shelves

Shelf Confident

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Austin with raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, blue splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances and ceramic floors.

Sandalwood transitional

Jamestown Estate Homes

Design ideas for an expansive transitional open plan kitchen in Houston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor, white benchtop and medium wood cabinets.

White Pine Canyon

Jaffa Group Design Build

This beautiful kitchen built by Peppertree Kitchen and Bath with cabinets of architectural-grade, rift-sawn white oak veneer. It has a wire-brushed texture with a custom satin and glaze.

Farmhouse Kitchen Ideas

Everingham Design

Large country open plan kitchen in Columbus with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Queen Ann Kitchen/ Living room and Small 3/4 basement bath

Vertical Construction Group LLC

Photo of a large contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Rustic Modern Lake Retreat - Kitchen

Geneva Cabinet Company, LLC

Geneva Cabinet Company, LLC., Authorized Dealer for Medallion Cabinetry., Lowell Management Services, Inc, Builder Victoria McHugh Photography Knotty Alder cabinetry, full height brick backsplash, stainless steel hood This rustic lake house retreat features an open concept kitchen plan with impressive uninterupted views. Medallion Cabinetry was used in Knotty Alder with a Natural glaze with distressing. This is the Brookhill raised panel door style. The hardware is Schlub Ancient Bronze. Every convenience has been built into this kitchen including pull out trash bins, tray dividers, pull-out spice reacts, roll out trays, and specialty crown molding and under cabinet and base molding details.

Newport Beach MidCentury Modern Home

Anthology Interiors

Beautiful, expansive Midcentury Modern family home located in Dover Shores, Newport Beach, California. This home was gutted to the studs, opened up to take advantage of its gorgeous views and designed for a family with young children. Every effort was taken to preserve the home's integral Midcentury Modern bones while adding the most functional and elegant modern amenities. Photos: David Cairns, The OC Image

Hilltop Road

Dichotomy Interiors

warm white oak and blackened oak custom crafted kitchen with zellige tile and quartz countertops.
Photo of a large midcentury open plan kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and grey benchtop.

A Naturally Modern Kitchen Remodel

Bobbi Alderfer/Lifestyle Design

Transforming this home from a very bad attempt at an arts and crafts look to this naturally modern design style. All cabinetry was removed and replaced with a beautiful walnut cabinet with a delightfully simplistic door style. The island was previously an awkward shape with many angles making it difficult to walk around. We squared it up but kept one angle to play into the angles in the rest of the house. We added a seating area at table height to accommodate all who visit.

Newport Coast

Blackband Design

A Mediterranean Modern remodel with luxury furnishings, finishes and amenities. Interior Design: Blackband Design Renovation: RS Myers Architecture: Stand Architects Photography: Ryan Garvin

Modern Classic

Cornerstone Builders Inc

Amy Pearman, Boyd Pearman Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Une cuisine éclectique dans un studio à Strasbourg-Saint-Denis

User

Photo : Bertrand Fompeyrine Project : Batiik Studio
Design ideas for a small eclectic single-wall open plan kitchen in Paris with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and no island.

Transitional Kitchen & Bath Remodel

Studio 810 Design/Build

This is an example of a large contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, subway tile splashback, with island, beige floor, quartzite benchtops, black splashback, stainless steel appliances and porcelain floors.

BROOKLYN GIRL

d2 interieurs

DENISE DAVIES
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in New York with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, soapstone benchtops, grey splashback, light hardwood floors, with island, an undermount sink, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances and beige floor.

Open Plan Kitchen with Medium Wood 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!