Atherton Family Kitchen. White cabinets. Granite Island. White Counter-tops. Calacatta Backsplash. Maximized, Concealed Storage. Designer: RKI Interior Design. Photographer: Dean J. Birinyi. Winner of ASID Award. As seen in CA Home & Design July/August 2012 Issue

Stunning white

Capitol Design

Painted white cabinets, flat cut oak in black for island. photo: Olson Photographic
This is an example of a large contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen in DC Metro with glass-front cabinets, stainless steel appliances, granite benchtops, white splashback, stone tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, an undermount sink, white cabinets and brown floor.

Glynmoor Lakes Kitchen

ReVision Design/Remodeling

© Deborah Scannell Photography
Photo of a large traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Charlotte with a single-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and with island.

Traditional Kitchen

Photo of a traditional u-shaped kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, panelled appliances, white cabinets, white splashback and stone tile splashback.

Bureau County- Rustic Transitional With a Full Range of Textures

Village Home Stores

Slide-out shelves below a built-in microwave create a secondary pantry space next to the refrigerator.
Photo of a mid-sized country u-shaped open plan kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors and with island.

Kitchen - NARI Tour of Remodeled Homes

Neighbors Home Remodeling

Buxton Photography The owners wanted a "French Country" style kitchen with the feel of New Orleans. We removed a dividing wall between the old kitchen and dining room and installed this beautiful expansive kitchen. The brick wall is "Thin Brick" and is applied like wall tile. There is ample storage including a pantry, island storage, two broom closets, and "toe kick" drawers. There are two sinks including one in the island. Notice the addition of the "pot filler" conveniently located over the gas cook top.

Perfectly Polished

Endless Ideas Interiors Inc.

Mid-sized traditional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Toronto with a single-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, solid surface benchtops, beige splashback, stone tile splashback, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Northampton Falls Canton GA

User

Modern Farmhouse kitchen remodel, Using Leicht kitchen cabinets, Quartz counter tops, Miele Refrigerator, gold accents and hood
Inspiration for a mid-sized country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Atlanta with a single-bowl sink, glass-front cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, multi-coloured floor, white benchtop and coffered.

Born & Bred Studio - Family Shaker Kitchen, Dartmouth Park

Born & Bred Studio

Gorgeous Family Shaker style kitchen with central Island in contrast colour.
Design ideas for a mid-sized country u-shaped open plan kitchen in London with shaker cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, with island, a farmhouse sink, beige cabinets, stone tile splashback, black appliances and medium hardwood floors.

Updated Traditional Remodel in Almaden

Spaces By Juliana Linssen, Inc.

Photo of a large traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop and recessed.

Harmony In Hickory

Nar Design Group

The focus of this kitchen was to open up the workflow, creating a space for the family to work comfortably while also creating a beautiful and inspiring space. Placing a large refrigerator at the edge of the kitchen, adding a beverage refrigerator, using a Galley Workstation and having the island at a slightly lower height makes it highly functional for the whole family. It is rare to achieve a long line of symmetry, but with a feature wall created around the range top we were able to do so. We created an antique armoire feel with the panel ready refrigerator and custom panel design above. A mixture of hardware was used, the gray stained hickory cabinets were paired with matte black hardware, while the designer white cabinets were paired with brass hardware. A very custom refrigerator cabinet was created that emphasized the armoire feel. A long wall of 9” deep tall cabinets created a very beautiful as well as highly functional pantry space.

Contemporary Mediterranean Escape in the City

JTID Inc.

The kitchen opens onto the great room and the entryway. Across the hall, a cozy den can be seen in the distance. .
Mid-sized mediterranean u-shaped separate kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, a peninsula, multi-coloured floor, multi-coloured benchtop and recessed.

Countryside Farmhouse

Southernwood Homes

Large kitchen with open floor plan. Double islands, custom cabinets, wood ceiling, hardwood floors. Beautiful All White Siding Country Home with Spacious Brick Floor Front Porch. Home Features Hardwood Flooring and Ceilings in Foyer and Kitchen. Rustic Family Room includes Stone Fireplace as well as a Vaulted Exposed Beam Ceiling. A Second Stone Fireplace Overlooks the Eating Area. The Kitchen Hosts Two Granite Counter Top Islands, Stainless Steel Appliances, Lots of Counter Tops Space and Natural Lighting. Large Master Bath. Outdoor Living Space includes a Covered Brick Patio with Brick Fireplace as well as a Swimming Pool with Water Slide and a in Ground Hot Tub.

Cedar Lake

Tim Schollaart Builder LLC

Photo of a transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Grand Rapids with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, with island and white benchtop.

21st STREET PROJECT: Huntington Beach, CA

Grace Blu Interior Design

Beach house with lots of fun for the family located in Huntington Beach, California!
Design ideas for a mid-sized beach style u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Orange County with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Utley Kitchen

Turan Designs, Inc.

Traditional White Kitchen Photo by: Sacha Griffin
Photo of a large traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Atlanta with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, bamboo floors, with island, brown floor, brown splashback, stone tile splashback and multi-coloured benchtop.

Utley Kitchen

Turan Designs, Inc.

Traditional White Kitchen Photo by: Sacha Griffin
Large traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Atlanta with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, bamboo floors, with island, brown floor, brown splashback, stone tile splashback and multi-coloured benchtop.

Crystal Lake kitchen and master bath

B&C Enterprises

Inspiration for a traditional u-shaped kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, granite benchtops, brown splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Magnolia Place - Kennet Square

Goebelwood Industries, Inc.

One of the many custom kitchens we did for the Magnolia Place apartments in Kennett Square.
This is an example of a small traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Poppy Circle

Juxtaposed Interiors

Kat Alves-Photographer
Photo of a mid-sized country u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Sacramento with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

U-shaped Kitchen with Stone Tile 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!