Inspiration for a contemporary u-shaped separate kitchen in Other with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Kitchen addition

Joni Spear Interior Design

The functionality of this spacious kitchen is a far cry from its humble beginnings as a lackluster 9 x 12 foot stretch. The exterior wall was blown out to allow for a 10 ft addition. The daring slab of Calacatta Vagli marble with intrepid British racing green veining was the inspiration for the expansion. Spanish Revival pendants reclaimed from a local restaurant, long forgotten, are a pinnacle feature over the island. Reclaimed wood drawers, juxtaposed with custom glass cupboards add gobs of storage. Cabinets are painted the same luxe green hue and the warmth of butcher block counters create a hard working bar area begging for character-worn use. The perimeter of the kitchen features soapstone counters and that nicely balance the whisper of mushroom-colored custom cabinets. Hand-made 4x4 zellige tiles, hung in a running bond pattern, pay sweet homage to the 1950’s era of the home. A large window flanked by antique brass sconces adds bonus natural light over the sink. Textural, centuries-old barn wood surrounding the range hood adds a cozy surprise element. Matte white appliances with brushed bronze and copper hardware tie in the mixed metals throughout the kitchen helping meld the overall dramatic design.

Georgetown DC Kitchen

InSite Builders & Remodeling

3x9 Star Milky Way Stellar-Gloss Square Edge Field Tile
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in DC Metro with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Calle Del Cerrito

Joseph Rodrigues Interiors

Spanish Revival Kitchen Renovation
Large mediterranean u-shaped separate kitchen in Orange County with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Bienville Transition Kitchen

Jackson Construction, Inc.

Large transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in New Orleans with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

kitchen 126

Savvy Kitchens

Large midcentury u-shaped separate kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, blue splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, cement tiles, with island and grey floor.

Peaceful Spa-inspired Retreat

Peery Homes

Large transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in Other with white cabinets, white splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop, an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, marble benchtops, ceramic splashback and stainless steel appliances.

White Christmas

Delphinium Design

Beautiful U-shape white kitchen with frameless custom cabinetry, white herringbone subway tile backsplash, stainless steel SubZero-Wolf appliances, quartzite countertops including a mitered edge island, glass pendant lights, and polished nickel plumbing and hardware in the Ballantyne Country Club Neighborhood of Charlotte, NC

California Cottage

Colossus Mfg.

This open kitchen boasts cream/grey cabinetry, gold accents in its open shelving and hardware, a custom amber tile wrapped hood, and a vintage stained glass pendant light.

eclectic green and gray washed alder kitchen

M&M Interiors

This couples small kitchen was in dire need of an update. The homeowner is an avid cook and cookbook collector so finding a special place for some of his most prized cookbooks was a must!

Riverside

Jennifer Radakovic Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in Richmond with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, beige cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, terra-cotta splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Natural Textures Throughout

Esslinger Design Company

Cabinets were updated with an amazing green paint color, the layout was reconfigured, and beautiful nature-themed textures were added throughout. The bold cabinet color, rich wood finishes, and warm metal tones featured in this kitchen are second to none! Cabinetry Color: Rainy Afternoon by Benjamin Moore Walls: Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore Island and shelves: Knotty Alder in "Winter" stain Photo credit: Picture Perfect House

Larchmont Transitional Style Kitchen

Fran Kerzner- DESIGN SYNTHESIS

Our new clients lived in a charming Spanish-style house in the historic Larchmont area of Los Angeles. Their kitchen, which was obviously added later, was devoid of style and desperately needed a makeover. While they wanted the latest in appliances they did want their new kitchen to go with the style of their house. The en trend choices of patterned floor tile and blue cabinets were the catalysts for pulling the whole look together.

Hanover

Isler Homes

This is an example of a large transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in Dallas with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, panelled appliances, terra-cotta floors and with island.

Carriage house

User

Mid-sized country u-shaped separate kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, black cabinets, concrete benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, no island, beige floor and flat-panel cabinets.

Project 3 in New Canaan CT

Amazing Spaces

Creative storage in this kitchen includes making a blind corner useful with the addition of pivoting shelves. The cabinet directly above houses the appliance garage. Ilir Rizaj

Wetherby

hcdb.uk.com

James Smith
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped separate kitchen in London with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, laminate benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, ceramic floors, no island and panelled appliances.

Fulham Traditional Kitchen

WILLIAMS RIDOUT

Traditional hand painted, Shaker style kitchen with a Corian worktop and butler sink. Photos by Adam Butler
Inspiration for a small traditional u-shaped separate kitchen in London with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, no island, solid surface benchtops, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors and beige floor.

New York Residence

User

Sheila Bridges Design, Inc
This is an example of a small transitional u-shaped separate kitchen in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, marble benchtops, stainless steel appliances, no island and turquoise cabinets.

Contemporary Kitchen

Small contemporary u-shaped separate kitchen in Detroit with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, black splashback, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances and laminate floors.

U-shaped Separate 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!