This contemporary, super-smart kitchen in Old Welwyn is part of a new extension that was designed with the open space of the garden in mind. The understated, bespoke kitchen design (from our Handmade in Hitchin range) means the focus is on the outdoors when the sliding doors are open or through the expanse of glass in the colder months. Keeping it contemporary, the handleless cabinets have been hand painted in F&B’s All White and Little Greene’s Dock Blue. Providing a warm, tactile contrast is the Wide Planked Oak 60mm Breakfast Bar which extends from the kitchen island, down to the floor and provides seating on both sides. Deep drawers and large cabinets provide ample storage and easy accessibility whilst the floating, oak shelves are perfect for displaying cookery books and artefacts. Integrated Miele appliances ensure the sleek, uncluttered finish is maintained with the induction hob & downdraft extractor inset unobtrusively on the Silestone Eternal Calacatta Gold Quartz worktop. And, in turn, this popular durable worktop perfectly partners the (wow factor) splashback in Hand Silvered Antiqued Mirror. A real feature of this family kitchen is the bespoke extra-large pantry which was commissioned as a drinks cabinet with integrated wine cooler. Serving both functional and visual purposes it’s designed using the same flat slab doors as the kitchen cabinets but with bi-fold opening and flush handles. However, it’s the inside where the magic lies - integrated lighting, the same Silestone Eternal Calacatta Gold Quartz worktop, solid oak wine glass holders and antiqued mirror glass - It’s these details that make it a thing of beauty!

Open House

Matthew Gallant Photography

matthew gallant

St. Andrews Country Club

Premium Kitchens

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Omega Furniture

Construction Resources

Barbara Brown Photography

Toorak Residence

Kitchens by Matric

Contemporary Coastal Style House

I For Style

The light-filled kitchen is striking with the metallic splashback, polished concrete island benchtop and diagonally laid timber floors, which are a striking feature throughout the living areas.

Upper Eastside Apartment

Pleasant Living, LLC

Holding true to the architecture and period of the building, we created this hard working kitchen to accommodate both a family or a drove of caterers. Photo: Jim Koch

Eclectic Sophistication

Bilotta Kitchen & Home

For this expansive kitchen renovation, Designer, Randy O’Kane of Bilotta Kitchens worked with interior designer Gina Eastman and architect Clark Neuringer. The backyard was the client’s favorite space, with a pool and beautiful landscaping; from where it’s situated it’s the sunniest part of the house. They wanted to be able to enjoy the view and natural light all year long, so the space was opened up and a wall of windows was added. Randy laid out the kitchen to complement their desired view. She selected colors and materials that were fresh, natural, and unique – a soft greenish-grey with a contrasting deep purple, Benjamin Moore’s Caponata for the Bilotta Collection Cabinetry and LG Viatera Minuet for the countertops. Gina coordinated all fabrics and finishes to complement the palette in the kitchen. The most unique feature is the table off the island. Custom-made by Brooks Custom, the top is a burled wood slice from a large tree with a natural stain and live edge; the base is hand-made from real tree limbs. They wanted it to remain completely natural, with the look and feel of the tree, so they didn’t add any sort of sealant. The client also wanted touches of antique gold which the team integrated into the Armac Martin hardware, Rangecraft hood detailing, the Ann Sacks backsplash, and in the Bendheim glass inserts in the butler’s pantry which is glass with glittery gold fabric sandwiched in between. The appliances are a mix of Subzero, Wolf and Miele. The faucet and pot filler are from Waterstone. The sinks are Franke. With the kitchen and living room essentially one large open space, Randy and Gina worked together to continue the palette throughout, from the color of the cabinets, to the banquette pillows, to the fireplace stone. The family room’s old built-in around the fireplace was removed and the floor-to-ceiling stone enclosure was added with a gas fireplace and flat screen TV, flanked by contemporary artwork. Designer: Bilotta’s Randy O’Kane with Gina Eastman of Gina Eastman Design & Clark Neuringer, Architect posthumously Photo Credit: Phillip Ennis

Large Kitchen

Rick Ritivoy CGR Project Designer

Double island concept keeps the cook from being crowded by guests and allows plenty of room to spread out guests and food. The suspended soffit helps make high ceilings more interesting by breaking up the empty space above the direct sight line of upper cabinets.

Elegant Contemporary Kitchen

The Kitchen Company

This custom contemporary kitchen designed by Gail Bolling pairs cool gray cabinetry with a crisp white waterfall countertop while the backsplash adds just a touch of shine. It is a national award-winning design.

Industrial Farm House

Christopher Simmonds Architect

The client’s brief was to create a space reminiscent of their beloved downtown Chicago industrial loft, in a rural farm setting, while incorporating their unique collection of vintage and architectural salvage. The result is a custom designed space that blends life on the farm with an industrial sensibility. The new house is located on approximately the same footprint as the original farm house on the property. Barely visible from the road due to the protection of conifer trees and a long driveway, the house sits on the edge of a field with views of the neighbouring 60 acre farm and creek that runs along the length of the property. The main level open living space is conceived as a transparent social hub for viewing the landscape. Large sliding glass doors create strong visual connections with an adjacent barn on one end and a mature black walnut tree on the other. The house is situated to optimize views, while at the same time protecting occupants from blazing summer sun and stiff winter winds. The wall to wall sliding doors on the south side of the main living space provide expansive views to the creek, and allow for breezes to flow throughout. The wrap around aluminum louvered sun shade tempers the sun. The subdued exterior material palette is defined by horizontal wood siding, standing seam metal roofing and large format polished concrete blocks. The interiors were driven by the owners’ desire to have a home that would properly feature their unique vintage collection, and yet have a modern open layout. Polished concrete floors and steel beams on the main level set the industrial tone and are paired with a stainless steel island counter top, backsplash and industrial range hood in the kitchen. An old drinking fountain is built-in to the mudroom millwork, carefully restored bi-parting doors frame the library entrance, and a vibrant antique stained glass panel is set into the foyer wall allowing diffused coloured light to spill into the hallway. Upstairs, refurbished claw foot tubs are situated to view the landscape. The double height library with mezzanine serves as a prominent feature and quiet retreat for the residents. The white oak millwork exquisitely displays the homeowners’ vast collection of books and manuscripts. The material palette is complemented by steel counter tops, stainless steel ladder hardware and matte black metal mezzanine guards. The stairs carry the same language, with white oak open risers and stainless steel woven wire mesh panels set into a matte black steel frame. The overall effect is a truly sublime blend of an industrial modern aesthetic punctuated by personal elements of the owners’ storied life. Photography: James Brittain

Handmade Bespoke Inframe Kitchen

Planet Furniture

This is an Inframe kitchen which is hand painted in two Little Greene colours - Slaked Lime Green Deep and French Grey Dark – both of which are an ideal match for the resilient and durable Lagoon Quartz worktop and but also a lovely contrast to the Planked Oak at the curved end of the island. Specially commissioned, to form a feature of the room, is the bespoke large dresser with its floating oak shelves, perfect for display and the glazed cupboards which are handy for accessibility as well as looking classic and timeless. Keeping it contemporary the owners chose an elegant Antiqued Mirror splashback with gold backing which helps to elevate this classic Shaker out-of-the-ordinary and adds a real touch of pzzazz! Other great choices are the gorgeous Lacanche Macon Classic Range Cooker in Mandarin - a bang-on-trend colour which adds warmth and personality as well as being a really good cooker and the large Liebherr fridge freezer in Stainless Steel. An essential for family living, and something we’re regularly asked to build, is the chalk board cupboard which has a convenient push-to-open mechanism and shelves inside. The cool limestone flooring is a great choice and keeps it practical - timely considering the owners welcomed their first child during the build! The design, space and colour scheme of this kitchen have all been thoughtfully considered to accommodate the large solid oak dining table which our lovely owners base their entertaining of family and friends around – and isn’t that what it’s all about?!

Soft Contemporary Residence

M2 Design Group

This contemporary kitchen features marble waterfall edge countertops, appliances by subzero and wolf, stainless steel backsplash, and a solid walnut dining bar counter.

Custom modern house

JCL Design & Build

Custard Kitchen Case Study

Roundhouse

Roundhouse Metro matt lacquer bespoke kitchen in Farrow & Ball Railings with recessed Bronze handle detail and Farrow & Ball Charlotte Lock inside pocket door unit. Grigio Piombo Lapitec Satin worksurface and stainless steel splashback. Designed in collaboration with Samantha Todhunter Deisgn. Photography by Nick Kane

Central Photography

Central Photography

Expansive Kitchen with Metallic 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!