With tall ceilings, an impressive stone fireplace, and original wooden beams, this home in Glen Ellyn, a suburb of Chicago, had plenty of character and a style that felt coastal. Six months into the purchase of their home, this family of six contacted Alessia Loffredo and Sarah Coscarelli of ReDesign Home to complete their home’s renovation by tackling the kitchen. “Surprisingly, the kitchen was the one room in the home that lacked interest due to a challenging layout between kitchen, butler pantry, and pantry,” the designer shared, “the cabinetry was not proportionate to the space’s large footprint and height. None of the house’s architectural features were introduced into kitchen aside from the wooden beams crossing the room throughout the main floor including the family room.” She moved the pantry door closer to the prepping and cooking area while converting the former butler pantry a bar. Alessia designed an oversized hood around the stove to counterbalance the impressive stone fireplace located at the opposite side of the living space. She then wanted to include functionality, using Trim Tech‘s cabinets, featuring a pair with retractable doors, for easy access, flanking both sides of the range. The client had asked for an island that would be larger than the original in their space – Alessia made the smart decision that if it was to increase in size it shouldn’t increase in visual weight and designed it with legs, raised above the floor. Made out of steel, by Wayward Machine Co., along with a marble-replicating porcelain countertop, it was designed with durability in mind to withstand anything that her client’s four children would throw at it. Finally, she added finishing touches to the space in the form of brass hardware from Katonah Chicago, with similar toned wall lighting and faucet.

New County Road

Signature Interior Designs

White kitchen with stacked wall cabinets, custom range hood, and large island with plenty of seating.

Docking Drawer in a Mamaroneck kitchen

Studio Dearborn

A 1920s colonial in a shorefront community in Westchester County had an expansive renovation with new kitchen by Studio Dearborn. Countertops White Macauba; interior design Lorraine Levinson. Photography, Timothy Lenz.

Wimbledon Modern Shaker Kitchen

Brayer Design

Modern Shaker Kitchen Pantry cabinet with breakfast station and pocket doors. Photography by Nick Smith

kitchen 126

Savvy Kitchens

Edgerton 1910 / Point Breeze

Shelton Design//Build

Built and designed by Shelton Design Build Photo by: MissLPhotography

Bright and Beautiful Kitchen & Mudroom Remodel

Howell Custom Building Group

The kitchen was renovated to create a brighter and more functional space for entertaining. An earth-based, neutral color palette in combination with a wall of windows overlooking the backyard creates a serene feeling. The focal point of the kitchen is an expansive center island topped with an unusually large, single slab of Victoria Falls quartzite that features a continuous wave of grain throughout the stone. Off of the kitchen, the three season room was converted to an insulated, four season breakfast room. Tall windows with transoms above and paneling below accentuate the feeling of being in a sunroom.

Vintage Kitchen Remodel

TKS Design Group

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW The homeowners came to us looking to update the kitchen in their historic 1897 home. The home had gone through an extensive renovation several years earlier that added a master bedroom suite and updates to the front façade. The kitchen however was not part of that update and a prior 1990’s update had left much to be desired. The client is an avid cook, and it was just not very functional for the family. The original kitchen was very choppy and included a large eat in area that took up more than its fair share of the space. On the wish list was a place where the family could comfortably congregate, that was easy and to cook in, that feels lived in and in check with the rest of the home’s décor. They also wanted a space that was not cluttered and dark – a happy, light and airy room. A small powder room off the space also needed some attention so we set out to include that in the remodel as well. See that arch in the neighboring dining room? The homeowner really wanted to make the opening to the dining room an arch to match, so we incorporated that into the design. Another unfortunate eyesore was the state of the ceiling and soffits. Turns out it was just a series of shortcuts from the prior renovation, and we were surprised and delighted that we were easily able to flatten out almost the entire ceiling with a couple of little reworks. Other changes we made were to add new windows that were appropriate to the new design, which included moving the sink window over slightly to give the work zone more breathing room. We also adjusted the height of the windows in what was previously the eat-in area that were too low for a countertop to work. We tried to keep an old island in the plan since it was a well-loved vintage find, but the tradeoff for the function of the new island was not worth it in the end. We hope the old found a new home, perhaps as a potting table. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Angie Seckinger Photography

Kitchen

Siobhan Loates Interiors

Tom Sullam Photography Schiffini kitchen Saarinen Tulip table Vitra Vegetal Chair

Deluxe in Alexandria

Erin Hoopes

This whole house renovation done by Harry Braswell Inc. used Virginia Kitchen's design services (Erin Hoopes) and materials for the bathrooms, laundry and kitchens. The custom millwork was done to replicate the look of the cabinetry in the open concept family room. This completely custom renovation was eco-friend and is obtaining leed certification. Photo's courtesy Greg Hadley Construction: Harry Braswell Inc. Kitchen Design: Erin Hoopes under Virginia Kitchens

Lake Michigan Modern

Cannarsa Structure and Design

Lewisham provenance Kitchen

piqu

This recently completed provenance by piqu kitchen design makes the most of the limited space available and whilst not the biggest project, everything has been included that you would need. Designed and handcrafted in our workshop in Orpington, the end result is very clean and uncluttered and we absolutely love the cool and calming colours from Farrow & Ball – Treron and School House White coupled with the brass fittings, lighting and Quorn stone floor chosen by our clients.

KitchenCRATE Custom Arrowwood Drive

kitchen & bath CRATE

KitchenCRATE Custom Arrowwood Drive | Countertop: Bedrosians Glacier White Quartzite | Backsplash: Bedrosians Cloe Tile in White | Sink: Blanco Diamond Super Single Bowl in Concrete Gray | Faucet: Kohler Simplice Faucet in Matte Black | Cabinet Paint (Perimeter Uppers): Sherwin-Williams Worldly Gray in Eggshell | Cabinet Paint (Lowers): Sherwin-Williams Adaptive Shade in Eggshell | Cabinet Paint (Island): Sherwin-Williams Rosemary in Eggshell | Wall Paint: Sherwin-Williams Pearly White in Eggshell | For more visit: https://kbcrate.com/kitchencrate-custom-arrowwood-drive-in-riverbank-ca-is-complete/

Alamo Contemporary Kitchen with Custom Copper Hood

Gayler Design Build

When this family approached Gayler Design Build, they had a unique, octagon-shaped room that lacked flow and modern amenities. The home initially was constructed from three small houses that were "joined" together to create this unusual shape. It was important for the family to keep the open floor plan but add more functional space, to include new cabinetry and a large center island. In order to build the open floor plan, Gayler Design Build had to design around a central post and refinish the octagon concrete flooring, which was cut to reconfigure items in space and access sewer lines, etc.

A perfect retreat in Houston, Texas

By Design Interiors, Inc.

This Kitchen was renovated into an open concept space with a large island and custom cabinets - that provide ample storage including a wine fridge and coffee station. The details in this space reflect the client's fun personalities! With a punch of blue on the island, that coordinates with the patterned tile above the range. The funky bar stools are as comfortable as they are fabulous. Lastly, the mini fan cools off the space while industrial pendants illuminate the island seating. Maintenance was also at the forefront of this design when specifying quartz counter-tops, porcelain flooring, ceramic backsplash, and granite composite sinks. These all contribute to easy living. Builder: Wamhoff Design Build Photographer: Daniel Angulo

Seneca Gardens kitchen

Designer Builders Inc.

O'Brien Harris Transitional

O'Brien Harris LLC

A Kitchen in Hove

deVOL Kitchens

Green Kitchen with Quartzite 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 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!