Photography: Stephani Buchman

Originally a nearly three-story tall 1920’s European-styled home was turned into a modern villa for work and home. A series of low concrete retaining wall planters and steps gradually takes you up to the second level entry, grounding or anchoring the house into the site, as does a new wrap around veranda and trellis. Large eave overhangs on the upper roof were designed to give the home presence and were accented with a Mid-century orange color. The new master bedroom addition white box creates a better sense of entry and opens to the wrap around veranda at the opposite side. Inside the owners live on the lower floor and work on the upper floor with the garage basement for storage, archives and a ceramics studio. New windows and open spaces were created for the graphic designer owners; displaying their mid-century modern furnishings collection. A lot of effort went into attempting to lower the house visually by bringing the ground plane higher with the concrete retaining wall planters, steps, wrap around veranda and trellis, and the prominent roof with exaggerated overhangs. That the eaves were painted orange is a cool reflection of the owner’s Dutch heritage. Budget was a driver for the project and it was determined that the footprint of the home should have minimal extensions and that the new windows remain in the same relative locations as the old ones. Wall removal was utilized versus moving and building new walls where possible. Photo Credit: John Sutton Photography.

Luigi Rosselli Architects - The Subiaco Oval

Luigi Rosselli Architects

Stone Italiana benchtop and American oak cupboard facing a recessed dark stained jarrah provide a floating effect to the kitchen island. A mirror splashback under the perforated brass woven mesh doors above, adds depth to the kitchen. © Edward Birch

A bit of Tuscany in Pennsylvania

madDesigns kitchens, baths, interiors

Great Falls, Virginia - Contemporary - Kitchen with Outdoor View

Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath

Great Falls, Virginia - Contemporary - Kitchen with Outdoor View by #JenniferGilmer http://www.gilmerkitchens.com Photography by Bob Narod.

Lombardy Lane, Laguna Beach

Clark Collins - Collins Design & Development

Photo by Grey Crawford

Traditional Plank Walnut Hardwood Flooring

Olde Wood Ltd.

This walnut wide plank flooring is cut from dead or fallen virgin wood timbers that are centuries old, walnut features a rich blend of coffee-colored browns with occasional touches of caramel from its light sapwood. It offers an extraordinarily tight grain pattern, sound knots and natural checking.

City: Hollingsworth Park

Linda McDougald Design | Postcard from Paris Home

Santa Barbara Hope Ranch

Andrulaitis + Mixon

The large kitchen island provides not only ample space for preparing meals but is also a great gathering spot for friends and family. Photographer: Jim Bartsch

Tequesta Riverfront

PB Built

Toronto Restoration

Heintzman Sanborn Architecture~Interior Design

Kitchen with mahogany island

GRIFFIN ENRIGHT ARCHITECTS: Mandeville Canyon Residence

Griffin Enright Architects

The open kitchen has a stainless steel counter and ebony cabinets.

Elegantly Detailed Kitchen

TZS Design

Custom Kitchen designed by TZS Design. We design our kitchens from the ground up without any standard cabinet size restrictions. One of our specialties is one of a kind hoods. We produce all construction documents and specifications necessary so your contractor and millworker can build the kitchen of your dreams.

Chicago Residence

LaCantina Doors

LaCantina Doors Aluminum bi-folding door system

Westchester - Lakefront Dutch Colonial

Visbeen Architects

This dramatic design takes its inspiration from the past but retains the best of the present. Exterior highlights include an unusual third-floor cupola that offers birds-eye views of the surrounding countryside, charming cameo windows near the entry, a curving hipped roof and a roomy three-car garage. Inside, an open-plan kitchen with a cozy window seat features an informal eating area. The nearby formal dining room is oval-shaped and open to the second floor, making it ideal for entertaining. The adjacent living room features a large fireplace, a raised ceiling and French doors that open onto a spacious L-shaped patio, blurring the lines between interior and exterior spaces. Informal, family-friendly spaces abound, including a home management center and a nearby mudroom. Private spaces can also be found, including the large second-floor master bedroom, which includes a tower sitting area and roomy his and her closets. Also located on the second floor is family bedroom, guest suite and loft open to the third floor. The lower level features a family laundry and craft area, a home theater, exercise room and an additional guest bedroom.

San Francisco Kitchen

User

Originally asked to resurface custom kitchen cabinets, Michael Merrill Design Studio finished this project with a completely new, crisp and ultra-modern design for the entire 815 square-foot home. Photos © John Sutton Photography

Character House Earthquake Repair

Jamie Armstrong Photography

Elliott Street

EZ FullRehab LLC

Spanish Revival

Distinctive Drywall & Painting

Spacecrafting Photography

Galley Kitchen with Dark Hardwood Floors 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!