Bret Gum for Romantic Homes
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped kitchen in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

The Mill House Kitchen

deVOL Kitchens

Design ideas for a traditional eat-in kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, panelled appliances, terra-cotta floors, with island and brown floor.

NW Washington, DC Shabby-Chic Style Kitchen & Cathedral-Ceiling Family Room

FineCraft Contractors, Inc.

Finecraft Contractors, Inc. Drakakis Architecture, LLC Susie Soleimani Photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional u-shaped open plan kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

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Eclectic Kitchen

Inspiration for a traditional single-wall eat-in kitchen in New Orleans with a farmhouse sink, green cabinets, coloured appliances, dark hardwood floors and no island.

Cabot Cove Summer Cottage

Tracey Rapisardi Design

This is an example of a small traditional single-wall open plan kitchen in Tampa with open cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, no island, white appliances, white splashback, timber splashback, white floor and brown benchtop.

My Houzz: Devotion Shows in a 19th-Century Belgian Home

Holly Marder

Holly Marder © 2012 Houzz
Traditional kitchen in Amsterdam with white cabinets and zinc benchtops.

The Island

Chris Snook

Photo: Chris Snook © 2015 Houzz
This is an example of a traditional kitchen in London.

Phoenix Photography Harbor Springs, mi, Bay View, vintage, cozy, quaint, country, cottage, seaside, lakeside,
This is an example of a traditional kitchen in Detroit with white appliances and red benchtop.

Primrose Hill Apartment

Amos Goldreich Architecture

We completed a luxury apartment in Primrose Hill. This is the second apartment within the same building to be designed by the practice, commissioned by a new client who viewed the initial scheme and immediately briefed the practice to conduct a similar high-end refurbishment. The brief was to fully maximise the potential of the 60-square metre, two-bedroom flat, improving usable space, and optimising natural light.   We significantly reconfigured the apartment’s spatial lay-out – the relocated kitchen, now open-plan, is seamlessly integrated within the living area, while a window between the kitchen and the entrance hallway creates new visual connections and a more coherent sense of progression from one space to the next. The previously rather constrained single bedroom has been enlarged, with additional windows introducing much needed natural light. The reconfigured space also includes a new bathroom.  The apartment is finely detailed, with bespoke joinery and ingenious storage solutions such as a walk-in wardrobe in the master bedroom and a floating sideboard in the living room. Elsewhere, potential space has been imaginatively deployed – a former wall cabinet now accommodates the guest WC.  The choice of colour palette and materials is deliberately light in tone, further enhancing the apartment’s spatial volumes, while colourful furniture and accessories provide focus and variation. Photographer: Rory Gardiner

Gilbert Kitchen

Kay Nichols

Inspiration for a small traditional galley eat-in kitchen in Denver with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and a peninsula.

San Ramon Street

JMH Architecture

Rik Keller Photography
This is an example of a small traditional galley open plan kitchen in Sacramento with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, no island and beaded inset cabinets.

Shabby-Chic Style Kitchen 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 Shabby-Chic Style 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!

Rustic Chic Kitchen Remodel in Loveland

Neal's Design Remodel

Neal's Design Remodel
Photo of a mid-sized traditional l-shaped separate kitchen in Cincinnati with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, beige splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Not So Shabby "Chic" Kitchen

HomeClick

This amazing small kitchen design is due in large part to the turquoise cabinetry by Schrock. The candelabra lantern pendants could not have been a better choice in island lighting, while the chrome bridge Victorian faucet and cup drawer pulls are accentuated by the white quartz countertops. For a kitchen that is on the smaller side, it most certainly packs a punch!

Kitchens

Spartan Stones

Counters: Taj Mahal quartzite
Photo of a large traditional open plan kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, beige cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and with island.