Small transitional galley eat-in kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and a peninsula.

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.

Cherokee Triangle Kitchen

Centered Interiors

Inspiration for a small transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Louisville with a single-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula and grey benchtop.

2019 Berkeley Kitchen Remodel

HDR Remodeling Inc.

The crisp clean whites of the Italics Tile Miletus Honed kitchen backsplash complements the Concrete Leather quartz countertops designed for modern living. These neutral palates provide a beautiful contrast to the light and airy oil rubbed bronze Birch Lane island pendant lights found by the client herself, and like-toned wall sconces over the quartz kitchen sink. A touch of Hudson Bay Blue for the kitchen island cabinets adds a pop of color to create an inviting feel and to bring the kitchen together.

Fairmont District Kitchen Remodel

Urbanology Designs

Photo of a small transitional l-shaped separate kitchen in Dallas with shaker cabinets, green cabinets, white splashback and dark hardwood floors.

B. Wingen: Canova, SD

HELMÜT

Cipher Imaging
Photo of a small transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, laminate benchtops, blue splashback, black appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Sunset Residence

Prink and Preen, LLC

This is an example of a small transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, porcelain splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Gray Cabinets Brighten This Small Light & White Transitional Family Kitchen

DANIELLE Interior Design & Decor

This gray and white family kitchen has touches of gold and warm accents. The Diamond Cabinets that were purchased from Lowes are a warm grey and are accented with champagne gold Atlas cabinet hardware. The Taj Mahal quartzite countertops have a nice cream tone with veins of gold and gray. The mother or pearl diamond mosaic tile backsplash by Jeffery Court adds a little sparkle to the small kitchen layout. The island houses the glass cook top with a stainless steel hood above the island. The white appliances are not the typical thing you see in kitchens these days but works beautifully. This family friendly casual kitchen brings smiles. Designed by Danielle Perkins @ DANIELLE Interior Design & Decor Taylor Abeel Photography

Franklin Cottage

Hermitage Kitchen Gallery LLC

Photo of a small transitional galley separate kitchen in Nashville with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, engineered quartz splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Transitional Condo Remodel in Northwest, Washington, DC

Four Brothers Design + Build

Design ideas for a small transitional galley kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, metallic splashback, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Long Lake Galley Kitchen

Pinnacle Design & Remodeling

Galley kitchen with two tone cabinets to work with the preexisting wood tones throughout the home. We stuck with flat panel doors for easy cleaning and a simple bar pull for everywhere for easy grabbing. A multi tone flooring to "hide" the grime that can come from kitchens and back entryway paired with a simple subway tile that has a timeless design for years to come.

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.

Warwick Road Residence

Anna Gartland Interiors

We reconfigured the kitchen to maximize the light and the view. The sink and window were previously facing the next door neighbor's garage, so that became the range wall and the window was relocated to face the beautiful trees and rock formations in the back yard. A full light exterior entry door was added in place of the former door to let natural light flood the space. Layered recess lighting and a glass pendant over the sink further increase brightness in what was previously a very dark space. Custom moody gray-blue inset shaker cabinetry is paired with elongated handmade matte white tile backsplash, alongside white quartz, pale blue walls and off-white trim. Quartersawn white oak floors replace the old linoleum and blend beautifully with the original pine floors on the rest of the first floor. Warm brass hardware and fixtures are a lovely contrast against the dark cabinetry. A fluted white fireclay farm sink is a functional statement piece in a small space. An Acacia wood island with stainless steel top adds practical warmth. Period-appropriate trim was brought back into the modern kitchen to maintain the historic integrity of the home.

Mayfair Neighborhood Tudor Kitchen Update

Gather and Spruce Design Remodel

Updated Tudor kitchen in Denver's Mayfair neighborhood boasts brushed brass fixtures, dark cabinets, original wood flooring, walnut butcher block, and quartz countertops.

Downtown Art Deco

Maven Home Interiors

Remodeled kitchen for a 1920's building. Includes a single (paneled) dishwasher drawer, microwave drawer and a paneled refrigerator. Open shelving, undercabinet lighting and inset cabinetry.

Greenmont

Hardwood Interiors & Design

Design ideas for a small transitional separate kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors, no island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Riverdale

Handled Interior Design + Construction

Gutted and all brand new Kitchen Design in the heart of Riverdale, New York.
Photo of a small transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, a peninsula, grey floor, white benchtop and vaulted.

Carnegie Hill Townhouse

Weil Friedman Architects

Weil Friedman designed this small kitchen for a townhouse in the Carnegie Hill Historic District in New York City. A cozy window seat framed by bookshelves allows for expanded light and views. The entry is framed by a tall pantry on one side and a refrigerator on the other. The Lacanche stove and custom range hood sit between custom cabinets in Farrow and Ball Calamine with soapstone counters and aged brass hardware.

BP Westchester, IL

Sagent Builders

This is an example of a small transitional eat-in kitchen in Chicago with raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, no island and white benchtop.

Brooklyn Condo - A getaway in the heart of Brooklyn

CAVdesign

blue custom kitchen
Inspiration for a small transitional kitchen in New York.

Small Transitional 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 Transitional 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!