This is an example of a transitional galley open plan kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Home with a View

Beautiful Chaos Interior Design & Styling

Inspiration for a traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, white splashback, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, white appliances and recessed-panel cabinets.

302 Orchid

Teale Architecture

Photography: Ryan Garvin
Photo of a beach style galley kitchen in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, panelled appliances, with island, black benchtop, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Franklin Park Custom Home

WINN Design+Build

Design ideas for a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stone tile splashback, black appliances, with island, white benchtop, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Chic in Menlo Park

Christine Sheldon Design

This is an example of a traditional l-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, marble splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Flower Mound Transitional Modern

Urbanology Designs

Photo of a large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Dallas with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Brookline

Reid Design

Design ideas for a contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Boston with recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, concrete benchtops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, with island, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Kitchen

Little Constructions

Lauren Spolding
Photo of a mid-sized country l-shaped kitchen in Geelong with an integrated sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, medium hardwood floors, multiple islands and brown floor.

Kitchen Island and Breakfast Nook

Lauren Shadid Architecture + Interiors

Island color was custom. Countertops are Princess White Quartzite. Light fixtures over island are from Rejuvenation (exact type has been discontinued) Photos by Holly Lepere

Island Green Ct - Harvey Reno

MMI Design

This existing client reached out to MMI Design for help shortly after the flood waters of Harvey subsided. Her home was ravaged by 5 feet of water throughout the first floor. What had been this client's long-term dream renovation became a reality, turning the nightmare of Harvey's wrath into one of the loveliest homes designed to date by MMI. We led the team to transform this home into a showplace. Our work included a complete redesign of her kitchen and family room, master bathroom, two powders, butler's pantry, and a large living room. MMI designed all millwork and cabinetry, adjusted the floor plans in various rooms, and assisted the client with all material specifications and furnishings selections. Returning these clients to their beautiful '"new" home is one of MMI's proudest moments!

North Hinsdale Show Kitchen

Plain & Posh

This large kitchen was desperately needing a refresh. It was far to traditional for the homeowners taste. Additionally, there was no direct path to the dining room as you needed to enter through a butlers pantry. I opened up two doorways into the kitchen from the dining room, which allowed natural light to flow in. The former butlers pantry was then sealed up and became part of the formerly to small pantry. The homeowners now have a 13' long walk through pantry, accessible from both the new bar area and the kitchen.

Rosemary Woods Classic Kitchen

Liz Schupanitz Designs

Cooking for Two Location: Plymouth, MN, United States When this couple’s last child graduated from college they began the process of looking for a new home. After a lengthy search they decided to stay with the neighborhood they loved, saving money by remodeling rather than starting over. The top priorities on their wish list were adding character to their 1990’s era home with a classic white kitchen and a larger island while keeping within the existing footprint. With the intention of honing their cooking skills, they were also considering better appliances and two ovens. Challenges and Solutions Design a larger island with seating for at least two. The existing island was small and the area behind the seating was less than recommended clearances. To solve this challenge, the seating area of the island was extended out into the open area of the kitchen. This created a larger island with seating for three, extra storage and a bookshelf across from the range. The original kitchen had a range with microwave above, so adding another oven was a challenge with limited wall space. Because the adjoining dining room is used infrequently, the homeowner was open to placing the second oven and microwave in the walkway. This made room for the small buffet between the built in refrigerator and ovens, creating one of her favorite areas. The client requested a white painted kitchen but wanted to make sure it had warmth and character. To achieve this the following elements were chosen: 1) Cabinets painted with Benjamin Moore Capitol White, a luminous and warm shade of white. 2) The Range hood was painted with warm metallic shades to reflect the bronze of the Ashley Norton hardware. 3) Black Aqua Grantique granite was chosen for countertops because it looks like soapstone and adds contrast. 4) Walker Zanger Café tile in Latte was chosen for it’s handmade look with uneven edges. 5) The to-the-counter-cabinet with glass door shows off serving dishes and lends sophisticated charm. The result is a welcoming classic kitchen, where this couple enjoys cooking more often and sharpening their skills with gourmet appliances. Liz Schupanitz Designs Photographed by: Andrea Rugg Photography

Avon Hill Cambridge

Elms Interior Design

Michael J. Lee
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped kitchen in Boston with an undermount sink, marble benchtops, white splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, shaker cabinets, white cabinets and brown floor.

Newport Beach, River

Cornerstone Construction and Property Services

This is an example of a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Orange County with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Danville Transitional Remodel

Kimberley Harrison Interiors

Remodeled, open kitchen for a young family with counter and banquette seating
Mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, panelled appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, quartz benchtops, an undermount sink, grey splashback, marble splashback and grey 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.

Whitewing

AFT Construction

High Res Media
Inspiration for an expansive transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Phoenix with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, quartz benchtops, marble splashback and beige floor.

Transitional Elegance

Kitchens by Eileen

Design ideas for a large transitional l-shaped kitchen in Other with white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, brown floor and stone tile splashback.

Byron

DG Kitchen & Bath

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, onyx benchtops and glass tile splashback.

Interior Design - Modernist Family Home

My-Studio Ltd

Modernist open plan kitchen
This is an example of an expansive modern galley open plan kitchen in London with flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, concrete floors, with island, grey floor, an undermount sink and white benchtop.

Kitchen Island Lighting White 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!