When this client purchased an Auckland apartment ‘off the plans’, they wanted to put their stamp of quality on it. With considerable renovation experience and a keen eye for good design they knew how to elevate the proposed apartment fit-out to be a stand out in the development. This project went at a cracking pace and was heaps of fun! The intended aesthetic was strong, cohesive and sophisticated with the stone benchtop material as the feature. Whilst they came to Honour Creative with clear ideas of how they would like to approach the kitchen design, their clarity of vision was balanced with an openness to how to best work with their space and specific needs to create a space unique to them.

#JoshuaTreeCustomBuild

Kitchen & Bath Design Center

Mike Kaskel photography

Projekt H1 | Offenes Wohnen

SieMatic - moebelplus Deutschland GmbH & Co KG

Fotograf: René Jungnickel

Classic Coastal

White Sands Coastal Development

This 4,000-square foot home is located in the Silverstrand section of Hermosa Beach, known for its fabulous restaurants, walkability and beach access. Stylistically, it’s coastal-meets-traditional, complete with 4 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, a 3-stop elevator and a roof deck with amazing ocean views. The client, an art collector, wanted bold color and unique aesthetic choices. In the living room, the built-in shelving is lined in luminescent mother of pearl. The dining area’s custom hand-blown chandelier was made locally and perfectly diffuses light. The client’s former granite-topped dining table didn’t fit the size and shape of the space, so we cut the granite and built a new base and frame around it. The bedrooms are full of organic materials and personal touches, such as the light raffia wall-covering in the master bedroom and the fish-painted end table in a college-aged son’s room—a nod to his love of surfing. Detail is always important, but especially to this client, so we searched for the perfect artisans to create one-of-a kind pieces. Several light fixtures were commissioned by an International glass artist. These include the white, layered glass pendants above the kitchen island, and the stained glass piece in the hallway, which glistens blues and greens through the window overlooking the front entrance of the home. The overall feel of the house is peaceful but not complacent, full of tiny surprises and energizing pops of color.

Indianapolis, IN

Madison County Cabinets, Inc.

Cherry inset kitchen with granite tops and massive hood Craig Thomas

Cheyenne Elegance

Raw Urth Designs

Design: Montrose Range Hood Finish: Light Washed Steel Handcrafted by Raw Urth Designs Photographed by Chris Reilmann Photo

Emerald Diamond Kitchen

Mercury Mosaics and Tile

Alyssa Lee Photography

Lake Cottage Chic

Mary Rossi Designs

Caesarstone Piatra Grey Quartz Countertop with Carrara Marble Subway Tile

By Design Kitchen and Bath Solutions

Here is a beautiful home on the side of a hill in Graham, TX. The customer kept her original cabinetry but added Caesarstone Piatra Grey Quartz Countertops and Carrara Marble 2X4 Subway tile. What a transformation from her original formica countertop and 4" backsplash. Thank you to our customer Debra Haley for the wonderful photos!

Town & Country Remodel

Liberty Building Group

Traditional family kitchen

Improva

Hamptons Luxury in Surrey Hills

Let's Talk Kitchens & Interiors

Our client was undertaking a major renovation and extension of their large Edwardian home and wanted to create a Hamptons style kitchen, with a specific emphasis on catering for their large family and the need to be able to provide a large entertaining area for both family gatherings and as a senior executive of a major company the need to entertain guests at home. It was a real delight to have such an expansive space to work with to design this kitchen and walk-in-pantry and clients who trusted us implicitly to bring their vision to life. The design features a face-frame construction with shaker style doors made in solid English Oak and then finished in two-pack satin paint. The open grain of the oak timber, which lifts through the paint, adds a textural and visual element to the doors and panels. The kitchen is topped beautifully with natural 'Super White' granite, 4 slabs of which were required for the massive 5.7m long and 1.3m wide island bench to achieve the best grain match possible throughout the whole length of the island. The integrated Sub Zero fridge and 1500mm wide Wolf stove sit perfectly within the Hamptons style and offer a true chef's experience in the home. A pot filler over the stove offers practicality and convenience and adds to the Hamptons style along with the beautiful fireclay sink and bridge tapware. A clever wet bar was incorporated into the far end of the kitchen leading out to the pool with a built in fridge drawer and a coffee station. The walk-in pantry, which extends almost the entire length behind the kitchen, adds a secondary preparation space and unparalleled storage space for all of the kitchen gadgets, cookware and serving ware a keen home cook and avid entertainer requires. Designed By: Rex Hirst Photography By: Tim Turner

Bienville Transition Kitchen

Jackson Construction, Inc.

Bloomer Rustic

Lampert Lumber

Industrial Home Design

Seabold Architectural Studio

Granite Gallery

Granite by Steve Moon

Hilltop Road

Dichotomy Interiors

warm white oak and blackened oak custom crafted kitchen with zellige tile and quartz countertops.

Harborview Renovation

Bosworth Architect LLC

Kitchen with Grey Benchtop 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!