Periscope House draws light into a young family’s home, adding thoughtful solutions and flexible spaces to 1950s Art Deco foundations. Our clients engaged us to undertake a considered extension to their character-rich home in Malvern East. They wanted to celebrate their home’s history while adapting it to the needs of their family, and future-proofing it for decades to come. The extension’s form meets with and continues the existing roofline, politely emerging at the rear of the house. The tones of the original white render and red brick are reflected in the extension, informing its white Colorbond exterior and selective pops of red throughout. Inside, the original home’s layout has been reimagined to better suit a growing family. Once closed-in formal dining and lounge rooms were converted into children’s bedrooms, supplementing the main bedroom and a versatile fourth room. Grouping these rooms together has created a subtle definition of zones: private spaces are nestled to the front, while the rear extension opens up to shared living areas. A tailored response to the site, the extension’s ground floor addresses the western back garden, and first floor (AKA the periscope) faces the northern sun. Sitting above the open plan living areas, the periscope is a mezzanine that nimbly sidesteps the harsh afternoon light synonymous with a western facing back yard. It features a solid wall to the west and a glass wall to the north, emulating the rotation of a periscope to draw gentle light into the extension. Beneath the mezzanine, the kitchen, dining, living and outdoor spaces effortlessly overlap. Also accessible via an informal back door for friends and family, this generous communal area provides our clients with the functionality, spatial cohesion and connection to the outdoors they were missing. Melding modern and heritage elements, Periscope House honours the history of our clients’ home while creating light-filled shared spaces – all through a periscopic lens that opens the home to the garden.

Dartmouth House

Shane Marsh Architects

Toorak Residence

MR.MITCHELL

Hauraki House

Jessica Chloe Photography

Modular kitchen space has highlights like unique extractor fans and super clean lines

Construction Resources

Barbara Brown Photography

Winter Park, Luxury Kitchen

Central Kitchen & Bath

Black Countertops

MultiStone Enterprises, Inc.

Contemporary kitchen in Palmetto Bluff featuring Absolute Black Granite countertops in a leathered finish. Backsplash is done in Arabescato Carrara Italian marble subway tiles.

Un duplex de 180m² aux volumes revisités – Projet Espérandieu

Mon Concept Habitation

Pour profiter au maximum de la vue et de la lumière naturelle, la cuisine s’ouvre désormais sur le séjour et la salle à manger. Cet espace est particulièrement convivial, moderne et surtout fonctionnel et inclut un garde-manger dissimulé derrière une porte de placard. Coup de cœur pour l’alliance chaleureuse du granit blanc, du chêne et des carreaux de ciment qui s’accordent parfaitement avec les autres pièces de l’appartement.

Coffee Station

Kitchen, Bath & Home - Texas

The pantry was custom built to fit the clients' needs with pull-out shelves to make accessing everything in the back easier. A socket was installed to create a coffee and smoothie station that can be hidden when not in use behind the pantry doors keeping the countertops cleared.

Anderson Street, South Yarra

Key Piece

Elkhorn Hill

Virtual Studio Innovations

Vibrant Vantage Point

Cushman Design Group

Pre and Post Construction - Lesmurdie

Moda Interiors

Kitchen designed by Moda Interiors. Kitchen Flooring - Alabastino (Asciano) by Milano Stone; Benchtop - Dekton Enzo by Cosentino; Cabinet facings - Briggs Veneer, Biscotti, Cabinet Handles - SS 320mm Bar Handles by Zanda; All Appliances - Miele; Sink - Franke Double Sink Stainless Steel; Tap - Nuova Calare brushed nickel sink mixer in bench; Lighting - Adam Cruickshank Designer; Walls - Dulux Grand Piano.

Westminister Addition

Mass Architect, LLC

In-law suite addition poolside

Ballard Residence

Alair Kirkland

The Cliffs at Keowee Springs

ALUXURA

Butler's Pantry with Sliding Solid Ash Interior Pocket Door.

Modern White Quartz Kitchen Remodel, Orange CA

OC Builders Group

Contemporary Kitchen with Recessed-panel Cabinets 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!