This view shows both islands in this kitchen. The first used for prep and the second is suited for entertaining or informal meals. The lighting and the backsplash are reflective of this client's sense of whimsy.

Small Mission Beach Studio

Small Interior Solutions

Taylor Abeel Photography

Median Road

Paper House Project

The brief focussed on creating a large living space to the rear of the property, freeing up floor area at the front to add an additional bedroom, WC, and utility. Set within a five-storey terraced property the extensive reconfiguration and extension at lower ground floor presented a number of technical and strategic issues. Through a series of substantial structural interventions, we were able to create a large open plan kitchen/living/dining with direct access to the garden. In order to minimise the impact on neighbours outside whilst maximising a sense of space and volume inside, a deep pitched roof extension with large skylights was added. The resulting space, vaulted with large floor to ceiling heights and bathed in natural light, provides an open plan living arrangement suitable for a growing family. Photographer: Simon Maxwell

Brattle Street

Yankee Craftsman

Time For a Change

Julie Piesz Interiors, Inc.

Contemporary Kitchen

Utopian - Sleak Style with horizontal grain wood

BECKS Quality Cabinets, Inc.

Photographer: Kat Brannaman

Simi Valley Kitchen Remodel

Overland Remodeling & Builders

A complete kitchen remodeling project in Simi Valley. The project included a complete gut of the old kitchen with a new floorplan. The new kitchen includes: white shaker cabinets, quartz countertop, glass tile backsplash, bamboo flooring, stainless steel appliances, pendant lights above peninsula, recess LED lights, pantry, top display cabinets, soft closing doors and drawers, concealed drawer slides and banquette seating with hidden storage

Simply MOD

Lucy Johnson Interior Design

Dale Lang

Contemporary White Kitchen

BGI Design

An airy and light feeling inhabits this kitchen from the white walls to the white cabinets to the bamboo countertop and to the contemporary glass pendant lighting. Glass subway tile serves as the backsplash with an accent of organic leaf shaped glass tile over the cooktop. The island is a two part system that has one stationary piece closes to the window shown here and a movable piece running parallel to the dining room on the left. The movable piece may be moved around for different uses or a breakfast table can take its place instead. LED lighting is placed under the cabinets at the toe kick for a night light effect. White leather counter stools are housed under the island for convenient seating. Michael Hunter Photography

Modern Traditional Petite Chefs Kichen

Frances Herrera Interior Design

My team took a fresh approach to traditional style in this home. Inspired by fresh cut blossoms and a crisp palette, we transformed the space with airy elegance. Exquisite natural stones and antique silhouettes coupled with chalky white hues created an understated elegance as romantic as a love poem.

A First Class Retreat - Kitchen

Mitchell Channon Design

Winner, 2014 ASID Design Excellence Award in Residential Design. A Tiffany-box blue glass backsplash in the kitchen reiterates a color found elsewhere in the home. The undulating Logico ceiling fixture adds a fun set of organic curves. To create a fully integrated appearance, walnut is used on the cabinetry, the refrigerator and other appliances. Photography: Tony Soluri

Kitchens

Kohler

Experience some Southern Charm – the first in a series of kitchens designed exclusively by Kohler and Benjamin Moore. If you love these colors, here’s more to inspire you.

Custom Coastal Residential Remodel Project

Marengo Morton Architects

Wrapped in a contemporary shell, this house features custom Cherrywood cabinets with blue granite countertops throughout the kitchen to connect its coastal environment.

Lady Fern Circle Kitchen

ReVision Design/Remodeling

Photography: Glenn DeRosa

Telegraph Hill Remodel

Michael Tauber Architecture

Photo: J.D. Peterson

An unusual extension created the perfect space to showcase a Shaker kitchen with huge island whilst still leaving a generously sized family garden. Cladding the new steel beams in oak created a beautiful feature in this lovely light room. Keeping the main run of cabinets in a soft shade of white (Little Green Paint Company Shirting) added to this airy feel whilst a contrasting deep blue island (Little Green Paint Company Woad) gave a coastal feel. A vented induction hob on the island means there is no need for an obtrusive ceiling extractor.

Crafted Blue Kitchen & Addition

G. Christianson Construction, Inc.

We expanded this 1974 home from 1,200 square feet to 1,600 square feet with a new front addition and large kitchen remodel! This home was in near-original condition, with dark wood doors & trim, carpet, small windows, a cramped entry, and a tiny kitchen and dining space. The homeowners came to our design-build team seeking to increase their kitchen and living space and update the home's style with durable new finishes. "We're hard on our home!", our clients reminded us during the design phase of the project. The highlight of this project is the entirely remodeled kitchen, which rests in the combined footprint of the original small kitchen and the dining room. The crisp blue and white cabinetry is balanced against the warmth of the wide plank hardwood flooring, custom-milled wood trim, and new wood ceiling beam. This family now has space to gather around the large island, designed to have a useful function on each side. The entertaining sides of the island host bar seating and a wine refrigerator and built-in bottle storage. The cooking and prep sides of the island include a bookshelf for cookbooks --perfectly within reach of the gas cooktop and double ovens-- and a microwave drawer across from the refrigerator; only a step away to reheat meals.

Historic Talmadge-El Cerrito Heights Kitchen Remodel

Kaminskiy Design and Remodeling

Kitchen with an Undermount Sink and Blue 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!