Putting cabinetry along the back wall of our Condo project would have looked clumsy butted up against the window. Instead we made this otherwise awkward corner shine with a striking marble splash back to the ceiling. Keeping the upper cabinets white (which keeps the space open and spacious) adding a splash of colour below and hint of timber and brass means that this small kitchen is not small on style.

East Van family home

Etheridge Home Renovation

Alastair Bird
Photo of a small contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Vancouver with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, marble splashback, light hardwood floors, with island, white benchtop, panelled appliances, beige floor and quartz benchtops.

Blueberry Kitchen

PLC Interiors

Photo of a small transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island and white benchtop.

Custom Traditional White Kitchen

Mi-Kin Creations, Inc.

Wolf range top and hidden custom storage. The corbels are custom made for this kitchen.
Design ideas for a small traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Atlanta with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Golden Line

iPozdnyakov Studio

Designer: Ivan Pozdnyakov Foto: Olga Shangina
Small contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Moscow with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, white appliances, laminate floors, brown floor, grey benchtop, a peninsula and an integrated sink.

Whimsical Cottage Complete Renovation

Woodstock Cabinet Company

Small transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Kitchen with living room beyond

Tim Andersen Architect

This view shows new door into living room allowing access and view from kitchen that was not possible until now. New cavity door was stained to match interior French doors.

Mohawk Flooring Selection

The Floor Trader - Jacksonville and Orange Park

This is an example of a small tropical single-wall open plan kitchen in Jacksonville with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

BUBBLE - Rénovation totale d’un appartement Haussmannien

Aurélie Bardin Archi

Inspiration for a small contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, medium wood cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Millcreek Kitchen & Bath Remodel

Jessica Sluder Interior Design

Lucy Call
Photo of a small scandinavian l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Salt Lake City with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and grey benchtop.

Hampden Modern

EastWing Architects

Photography by Coral Dove
This is an example of a small modern single-wall eat-in kitchen in Baltimore with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Hampden Modern

EastWing Architects

Photography by Coral Dove
Photo of a small modern single-wall eat-in kitchen in Baltimore with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Project Tiny but Luxe

Distinctive Kitchens

By incorporating smaller appliances and custom-built pieces, the space feels larger, everything fits and the newly imagined spaces feel airy and light. We installed a Lacanche Cormatin and accented the black of the range with a slab of absolutely stunning Statuario marble with dramatic gray and black veining. Our built-in 24" fridge allows the working side of the kitchen to function as if it's twice as largePhoto by Wynne Earle Photography

Coffee station and Oven cabinet

MH Baker, LLC

A small closet area is used for oven cabinet space. Aware of limited entryway space, we were still able to create a coffee station and TV area, tucked in the corner with shallow 9" deep upper and 16" deep base cabinets.

2018 CotY Regional Winner - Modern Farmhouse

Custom Creative Remodeling

This is an example of a small country single-wall eat-in kitchen in Phoenix with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Scotch Plains Kitchen

Swati Goorha Designs

The client hired Swati Goorha Designs after they downsized from a 5 bedroom house to a smaller fixer-upper in Scotch Plains NJ. The main pain point of the house was an awkward circulation flow and a tiny dated kitchen. Our clients love cooking and entertain often. The small kitchen was crowded with just two people in it, lacked ample prep space and storage. Additionally, there was no direct access to the kitchen from the main entrance. In order to get to the “Sitting room” the clients had to circulate through a tiny powder room off of the entry. The client had to circulate through the Living room, the formal Dining Room, to finally arrive at the Kitchen. The entire space was awkward, choppy and dark. We assessed the existing space, our clients needs and wants, and designed a utilitarian kitchen to fit the client’s lifestyle, their entertaining habits, and their aesthetic sensibilities. We knocked down the wall between the kitchen and the family room to open the area, and made the entire space into one large kitchen. We designed an unusual custom angled island to maximize the use of space without infringing the circulation or the usability of the kitchen. The island can now accommodate 3-4 people for an intimate dinner or function as a food setup area for larger parties. The island also provides extra storage. We used dark kitchen cabinets with light backsplash, countertops, and floor to brighten the space and hide the inevitable pet hair from clients four dogs. We moved the Dining Room into the earlier Sitting room. In order to improve the circulation in the home, we closed the entry through the powder room and knocked out a coat closet. This allowed direct access to the kitchen and created a more open and easy flowing space. Now the entire house is a bright, light-filled space, with natural light and open circulation. Our client’s needs and wants have been satisfied!

CHIC HISTORIC SMALL KITCHEN

Molly J Littlejohn Design

Inspiration for a small traditional galley separate kitchen in Portland with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, wood benchtops, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and black benchtop.

Kitchen with breakfast room beyond

Tim Andersen Architect

This is the view from living room doorway through kitchen to breakfast room. Breakfast room includes a walk-in pantry. "Push buttons" on switch plates are actually knobs to control dimmers.

Classic St. Paul Kitchen Remodel

Style & Structure

Inspiration for a small country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, a peninsula, white benchtop and brown floor.

Monica and Nugget

AHG Interiors

Photo of a small transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Small Kitchen with Marble Splashback 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!