Contemporary artist Gustav Klimpt’s “The Kiss” was the inspiration for this 1950’s ranch remodel. The existing living room, dining, kitchen and family room were independent rooms completely separate from each other. Our goal was to create an open grand-room design to accommodate the needs of a couple who love to entertain on a large scale and whose parties revolve around theater and the latest in gourmet cuisine. The kitchen was moved to the end wall so that it became the “stage” for all of the client’s entertaining and daily life’s “productions”. The custom tile mosaic, both at the fireplace and kitchen, inspired by Klimpt, took first place as the focal point. Because of this, we chose the Best by Broan K4236SS for its minimal design, power to vent the 30” Wolf Cooktop and that it offered a seamless flue for the 10’6” high ceiling. The client enjoys the convenient controls and halogen lighting system that the hood offers and cleaning the professional baffle filter system is a breeze since they fit right in the Bosch dishwasher. Finishes & Products:  Beech Slab-Style cabinets with Espresso stained alder accents.  Custom slate and tile mosaic backsplash  Kitchenaid Refrigerator  Dacor wall oven and convection/microwave  Wolf 30” cooktop top  Bamboo Flooring  Custom radius copper eating bar

New Copper Shorwoom Display

Sola Kitchens

Mia Lind

Malibu Colony Modern

Joel Reis Architecture and Real Estate Photography

Custom cherry kitchen cabinets

Arktikos Custom Builders, Ltd.

Cherry kitchen cabinets have a hand rubbed Watco oil finish.

North Hill

Anna Williamson Architects

Our client wanted to create a warm, homely and light-filled environment that would draw their family together. Achieving this involved extensive internal and external reconfiguration to reorganise and interconnect the family living spaces and to bring natural light, access to and views of the garden into the heart of the home. This is a recently built split-level, semi-detached property; the internal stairway received no natural lighting giving an uninviting link between each room. The family rooms were located away from the sunny garden and the office was installed in the attic, separating the family to the least appealing corners of the house for daytime activities, connected by the uninviting staircase. The south facing living room was remote from the main living spaces and had small low doors affording little view to the garden. Our intervention focussed on making the underused garden room viable and worthy as the best room in the house. In order to house the kitchen, dining and tv snug, we pushed the rear wall out and up, installing a series of full height glazed doors to the rear as well as rooflights, raising sightlines for views of the sky and garden and giving level entry to a new enclosed terrace with permanent seating, barbeque and storage. External stairs connect up to the main garden and sweep onwards back to a second family room. The living spaces, now all located to the sunny rear, flow together, with the kitchen and barbeque reinstated as the hub of family life. We added a welcoming porch and refurbished the entrance hall, highlighting the previously obscured frontage and affording immediate views from it through to the garden on entry as well as adding plenty of storage. Unable to add windows to the stair, we inserted a large rooflight and opened up the half landings to it with floor glass and mirrors. Glazed internal walls bring light from front and back at each landing, flooding the stair with natural light and giving continually repeating views to the sky and garden. The refurbishment, with beautiful, tactile and textured surfaces, layers warmth onto contemporary concrete, steel and glass to further enrich the homely ambiance in conjunction with the natural external textures visible from every space.

The Victorian House

Snug Kitchens

Darren Chung Photography Ltd

Urban Modern Kitchen Oro Valley

Uncharted Design LLC

Kitchens

Cunningham Contracting, Inc.

Cala Woods Residence and Studio

Johnson Squared Architecture + Planning

Alex Hayden

Dovercourt Park Renovation

post architecture inc

Custom Kitchens

Dynamic Remodel Solutions

Waite Residence

Modern Smart Homes

Located on a lot along the Rocky River sits a 1,300 sf 24’ x 24’ two-story dwelling divided into a four square quadrant with the goal of creating a variety of interior and exterior experiences within a small footprint. The house’s nine column steel frame grid reinforces this and through simplicity of form, structure & material a space of tranquility is achieved. The opening of a two-story volume maximizes long views down the Rocky River where its mouth meets Lake Erie as internally the house reflects the passions and experiences of its owners.

Madeline Dr Showcase Kitchen

Republic Tile Works, LLC

CBA

Epoxy Counter Tops by Jennifer Haley

Jennifer Haley Studio, Inc

Jennifer Haley Custom created Epoxy countertops with copper paint and metallics. Substantially less expensive than copper countertops and just as stunning.

Kitchen

Tranne A.C.Interiors

2 Pak White gloss doors, Caesarstone benchtop

Natural copper kitchen island

Modum Worktops

Riverside Residence

Wilkens Design Studio

Studio Kitchen

Mio Metals

By keeping the upper cabinets to a minimum, the space becomes more open and, with select dishes on a shelf, easy to use. Countertop and photo by Mio Metals

My Houzz: Joyful, Earth-Conscious Home in Vermont

Mary Prince Photography

New Copper Shorwoom Display

Sola Kitchens

Mia Lind

Contemporary Kitchen with Copper Benchtops 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 Contemporary 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!