A lovely home in the Lake Calhoun neighborhood needed a kitchen update. Tiled floors were replaced with wood adding warmth and visual continuity to the room. The cabinets were painted a light gray picking up tones in the quartz counter tops. An iridescent blue-green mosaic back splash tile became the crowning jewel on this charming south Minneapolis home.

Encinitas Hip Beach Kitchen

Premium Cabinets, Oceanside

J Kurz

Curved Seating Peninsula

Adam Gibson Design

They say lively conversation is the spice of life. And we are talking kitchens – so if open floor plans are de rigueur, and guests gravitate to the kitchen, why is it so difficult to have a multi-person conversation while sitting? Eating islands (and peninsulas) are in vogue for good reason: we spend most of our time in the kitchen socializing while we prep and cook. The problem is that when seated in a row, one can usually only see the person to either side. The guest on either side of your immediate neighbor is left out. Changing that straight line to convex has several effects, not the least of which is livelier conversation. The shape adds to the circumference, providing more personal space for all seated, while not intruding too much (often not more than eight inches); a gentle curve permits all guests to see each other with a nod of the head. Curves tend to soften objects, so a convex island adds a feeling of sensuality. Photography ©2014 Adam Gibson

Aspley House

Bella Vie Interiors

Inspiration for a large contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Brisbane with a walk in butlers pantry. Features an integrated sink, flat panel, pale green cabinets with overhead light timber cabinets, open shelves and white engineered stone benchtops. Pale blue kit kat tile splashback and white subway splashback with oak timber flooring.

Traditional White Kitchen in Clear Lake Shores

Bay Area Kitchens

This kitchen in Clear Lake Shores, TX blends traditional styling with all the latest in modern conveniences. All of the glass-door cabinets have LED lighting cleverly integrated into the cabinet sides and shelves. Two Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezers are completely concealed within the cabinetry (can you spot them?). The Wolf combination convection steam oven and the Wolf convection oven are flush-mounted within the cabinetry. There is a pot-filler faucet above the Wolf range-top, and there's a drawer microwave in the island. The white cabinets which are stuffed with specialty storage accessories were custom built so there's no wasted space (see the detail photos). Also notice the stainless steel farmhouse sink, which has a Culligan reverse-osmosis water filtration system below.

Richmond Hill, ON

Artistic Stone Design

Calender

ALLEN ARCHITECTURE LLC

Brian McWeeney

Blue Beauty: A Farmhouse Kitchen Remodel in Fort Worth

Medford Remodeling

Plantation Oaks PVB kitchen

LEVEL UP Design LLC

Redwood City Kitchen and Bath Remodel

Sabrina Alfin Interiors

In collaboration with Darcy Tsung Design, we took a small, cramped kitchen and created an open layout for entertaining. The owner is an accomplished chef who wanted a purpose-built kitchen to house all of her specialty items, including pullouts for a Kitchen Aid mixer, a coffee station, and cabinet inserts for knives, spices, and cutting boards. Our traditional, yet still up to date, design was influenced by the owner's antique heirloom dining table and chairs. We seamlessly incorporated that much beloved set of furniture, and gave a prominent place for the owner's colorful artwork.

Contemporary Kitchen

Northern MN Lakeside Home

Lenox House Design

This lower level bar was a special surprise from wife to husband - the custom Criss Craft boat island was kept under wraps until unveiled in a special moment. The floor is a wide plank floor that mimics wood but with fun blue and grey color tones. The backsplash tile is an oversides arabesque mosaic in a blue that miimics the lake water. The bar is truly a kitchenette for entertaining on the lake level, complete with full fridge, range, dishwasher and built in bar on that far left cabinet. The counterstools were custom made for the project by a local craftsman.

Kitchens

The Gall Group: Design | Build | Remodel

Island blues! We love the navy blue island and family room cabinetry in the newly remodeled kitchen and family room. The wall separating the kitchen and family room was removed creating space for a large oversized island with seating for six The shaker cabinets around the perimeter of the kitchen are painted taupe. Brass cabinet hardware and lighting are mixed expertly with stainless steel appliances. White engineered quartz countertops look beautiful and most importantly, they are extremely durable. The pièce de résistance is the hand-painted navy and white clay backsplash tile. Design credit: Melanie Belew with Belew Design Studio.

Afton Transformation

M.A Architecture

Shawnigan Lake - Kitchen

The Sky is the Limit Design

Jo Ann Richards, Works Photography an unusual blend of mediterranean, Arts and Crafts, and Contemporary styles. Sculptural multilevel curved island

View of the New Kitchen from the Bay Window

KraftMaster Renovations

View of the New Kitchen from the Bay Window

Cabinets, Countertops, Tile Backsplash & Paint / Complete Kitchen Remodel

ING Construction

Mt. Washington, CA - This modern, one of a kind kitchen remodel, brings us flat paneled cabinets, in both blue/gray and white with a a beautiful mosaic styled blue backsplash. It is offset by a wonderful, burnt orange flooring (as seen in the reflection of the stove) and also provides stainless steel fixtures and appliances.

Bamboo kitchen

Susan Brook Interiors

Huge re-model including taking ceiling from a flat ceiling to a complete transformation. Bamboo custom cabinetry was given a grey stain, mixed with walnut strip on the bar and the island given a different stain. Huge amounts of storage from deep pan corner drawers, roll out trash, coffee station, built in refrigerator, wine and alcohol storage, appliance garage, pantry and appliance storage, the amounts go on and on. Floating shelves with a back that just grabs the eye takes this kitchen to another level. The clients are thrilled with this huge difference from their original space.

The Island Pulls Out!

Adam Gibson Design

The pull-out spice racks hidden within the pilasters in the island, which match the pilasters opposite, and a pull-out microwave and refrigerator drawers make for an island that’s all pull-outs below the counter. Photography ©2014 Adam Gibson

Beachy Boho Kitchen

Design Me By Mahlah

This property is located in the beautiful California redwoods and yet just a few miles from the beach. We wanted to create a beachy feel for this kitchen, but also a natural woodsy vibe. Mixing materials did the trick. Walnut lower cabinets were balanced with pale blue/gray uppers. The glass and stone backsplash creates movement and fun. The counters are the show stopper in a quartzite with a "wave" design throughout in all of the colors with a bit of sparkle. We love the faux slate floor in varying sized tiles, which is very "sand and beach" friendly. We went with black stainless appliances and matte black cabinet hardware. The entry to the house is in this kitchen and opens to a closet. We replaced the old bifold doors with beautiful solid wood bypass barn doors. Inside one half became a cute coat closet and the other side storage. The old design had the cabinets not reaching the ceiling and the space chopped in half by a peninsula. We opened the room up and took the cabinets to the ceiling. Integrating floating shelves in two parts of the room and glass upper keeps the space from feeling closed in. The round table breaks up the rectangular shape of the room allowing more flow. The whicker chairs and drift wood table top add to the beachy vibe. The accessories bring it all together with shades of blues and cream. This kitchen now feels bigger, has excellent storage and function, and matches the style of the home and its owners. We like to call this style "Beachy Boho". Credits: Bruce Travers Construction Dynamic Design Cabinetry Devi Pride Photography

Kitchen with Blue Splashback and Mosaic Tile 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!