Minimalist White and Timber Contemporary Kitchen

A light and bright minimalist design featuring two-pack painted cabinetry to match the clients freshly painted walls, subway tile stack-style, and feature timber components bring warmth into the space. 20mm Caesarstone 'Ocean Foam' benchtops in a polished finish help to reflect overhead light. A small kitchen packed with functionality.

Enamour Terrace

Kitty Lee Architecture

Photo of a small contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sydney with an undermount sink, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, black appliances, concrete floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Weather House

Mihaly Slocombe

Weather House is a bespoke home for a young, nature-loving family on a quintessentially compact Northcote block. Our clients Claire and Brent cherished the character of their century-old worker's cottage but required more considered space and flexibility in their home. Claire and Brent are camping enthusiasts, and in response their house is a love letter to the outdoors: a rich, durable environment infused with the grounded ambience of being in nature. From the street, the dark cladding of the sensitive rear extension echoes the existing cottage!s roofline, becoming a subtle shadow of the original house in both form and tone. As you move through the home, the double-height extension invites the climate and native landscaping inside at every turn. The light-bathed lounge, dining room and kitchen are anchored around, and seamlessly connected to, a versatile outdoor living area. A double-sided fireplace embedded into the house’s rear wall brings warmth and ambience to the lounge, and inspires a campfire atmosphere in the back yard. Championing tactility and durability, the material palette features polished concrete floors, blackbutt timber joinery and concrete brick walls. Peach and sage tones are employed as accents throughout the lower level, and amplified upstairs where sage forms the tonal base for the moody main bedroom. An adjacent private deck creates an additional tether to the outdoors, and houses planters and trellises that will decorate the home’s exterior with greenery. From the tactile and textured finishes of the interior to the surrounding Australian native garden that you just want to touch, the house encapsulates the feeling of being part of the outdoors; like Claire and Brent are camping at home. It is a tribute to Mother Nature, Weather House’s muse.

Cremorne Kitchen

Kaiko Design Interiors

Referencing the art deco period in which the apartment was build, a curved range hood finished in linear kit kat Japanese tiles forms the focal point of the kitchen. Light timber laminate for full height joinery with dark grey / charcoal ultra matte laminate for below bench cupboards and drawers. Quartzite bench tops in a leathered finish.

Kitchen with Bronzed Mirror Splashbacks

Nouvelle Kitchens & Bathrooms

This is an example of a small contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Sydney with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, black appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula and beige benchtop.

Rainforest Retreat

Whisker Architecture

Photo of a small contemporary kitchen in Melbourne.

Blairs Chalet

Britt White Studio

Design ideas for a small country l-shaped kitchen pantry in Other with an undermount sink, pink cabinets, solid surface benchtops, grey splashback, porcelain splashback, coloured appliances, linoleum floors, a peninsula, purple floor and grey benchtop.

Contemporary Kitchen, Whitebridge

Vista Kitchens Newcastle

This is an example of a small beach style galley eat-in kitchen in Newcastle - Maitland with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, window splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island and white benchtop.

Geelong West Addition

DIMA | Design In Mind Architects

This is an example of a small contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in Geelong with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Port Melbourne

Jasmine McClelland Design

A creative design for a compact space in a period home.
Design ideas for a small contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Melbourne with solid surface benchtops and white benchtop.

Barn Door Walk-in Pantry, Transitional Kitchen Remodel

MainStreet Design Build

This beautiful Birmingham, MI home had been renovated prior to our clients purchase, but the style and overall design was not a fit for their family. They really wanted to have a kitchen with a large “eat-in” island where their three growing children could gather, eat meals and enjoy time together. Additionally, they needed storage, lots of storage! We decided to create a completely new space. The original kitchen was a small “L” shaped workspace with the nook visible from the front entry. It was completely closed off to the large vaulted family room. Our team at MSDB re-designed and gutted the entire space. We removed the wall between the kitchen and family room and eliminated existing closet spaces and then added a small cantilevered addition toward the backyard. With the expanded open space, we were able to flip the kitchen into the old nook area and add an extra-large island. The new kitchen includes oversized built in Subzero refrigeration, a 48” Wolf dual fuel double oven range along with a large apron front sink overlooking the patio and a 2nd prep sink in the island. Additionally, we used hallway and closet storage to create a gorgeous walk-in pantry with beautiful frosted glass barn doors. As you slide the doors open the lights go on and you enter a completely new space with butcher block countertops for baking preparation and a coffee bar, subway tile backsplash and room for any kind of storage needed. The homeowners love the ability to display some of the wine they’ve purchased during their travels to Italy! We did not stop with the kitchen; a small bar was added in the new nook area with additional refrigeration. A brand-new mud room was created between the nook and garage with 12” x 24”, easy to clean, porcelain gray tile floor. The finishing touches were the new custom living room fireplace with marble mosaic tile surround and marble hearth and stunning extra wide plank hand scraped oak flooring throughout the entire first floor.

Diamond Vibe: Utility Organizer Cabinet

MasterBrand Cabinets

Design ideas for a small traditional kitchen in Other with white cabinets and ceramic floors.

Industrial Bachelor Pad

Nina Williams Interiors

John Lennon
Inspiration for a small industrial kitchen in Miami with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors and with island.

Kitchen 1

RS | MANNINO Architecture + Construction

Iris Bachman Photography
Design ideas for a small transitional l-shaped kitchen in New York with recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, an undermount sink, quartzite benchtops, stone slab splashback, beige floor and white benchtop.

Lake Calhoun Organic Modern

John Kraemer & Sons

Builder: John Kraemer & Sons | Photography: Landmark Photography
Design ideas for a small modern kitchen in Minneapolis with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, limestone benchtops, beige splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete floors and with island.

Aliso Viejo- Hollyleaf

Streamline Construction

Inspiration for a small transitional l-shaped kitchen in Orange County with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, a peninsula, brown floor and white benchtop.

Blue Stallion Farm - Southwest Ranches, FL

Big Chill

A Big Chill Retro refrigerator and dishwasher in mint green add cool color to the space.
Small country l-shaped kitchen in Miami with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, medium wood cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, coloured appliances, terra-cotta floors, with island and orange floor.

Colonial Road

Thyme & Place Design LLC

This small kitchen packs a powerful punch. By replacing an oversized sliding glass door with a 24" cantilever which created additional floor space. We tucked a large Reid Shaw farm sink with a wall mounted faucet into this recess. A 7' peninsula was added for storage, work counter and informal dining. A large oversized window floods the kitchen with light. The color of the Eucalyptus painted and glazed cabinets is reflected in both the Najerine stone counter tops and the glass mosaic backsplash tile from Oceanside Glass Tile, "Devotion" series. All dishware is stored in drawers and the large to the counter cabinet houses glassware, mugs and serving platters. Tray storage is located above the refrigerator. Bottles and large spices are located to the left of the range in a pull out cabinet. Pots and pans are located in large drawers to the left of the dishwasher. Pantry storage was created in a large closet to the left of the peninsula for oversized items as well as the microwave. Additional pantry storage for food is located to the right of the refrigerator in an alcove. Cooking ventilation is provided by a pull out hood so as not to distract from the lines of the kitchen.

Mike + Samantha's Kitchen and Bathroom

Encircle Design and Build

Michelle Ruber
Design ideas for a small modern separate kitchen in Portland with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, linoleum floors and no island.

Ursulines Apartment

Logan Killen Interiors

Sara Essex Bradley
Design ideas for a small traditional l-shaped kitchen in New Orleans with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, wood benchtops, white appliances and a peninsula.

Small 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 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!