This contemporary kitchen boasts beautiful dark wood cabinets, matching ceramic tile, a stone accent wall, and a stained concrete floor. The contemporary pendants are icing on the cake in this warm kitchen. Photo by Johnny Stevens

WilliamsYork Residence

DRAW Architecture

Main interior spaces flow into a south facing solarium, spreading natural light throughout the home.

Darien Single Family House

Alto Kitchens

This beautiful mid-century-modern style house was built recently. We were happy to working with the architect and the contractor teams to deliver this amazing, functional and beautiful kitchen. The family is very happy in their new kitchen.

Hoffman Residence Kitchen

Kailey J. Flynn Photography

Photo by Kailey J. Flynn Photography

Modern Global-Chic Eichler in San Rafael, California

LMB Interiors

In the kitchen, tractor seat barstools were sourced (retail) by the client. Another money-saving tactic: The backsplash tile is Heath, but rather than selecting the expensive shapes from the Series 5 collection that our client was drawn to at first, we chose a stock size and shape and created visual interest by installing the tiles in a herringbone pattern. Pendant lights (splurge) from Design Within Reach. Photo credit: Suzanna Scott

Contemporary Loft Living

Kitchen & Bath Concepts

This high rise, loft style kitchen incorporates modern design elements using stylish materials and hidden appliances. The horizontal, lift up wall cabinets and floating shelves allows sufficient and functional storage in this minimalist design layout. The soft grey color palette in the cabinetry blends in with the industrial elements of the dwelling structure yet allows the purple accent wall and surrounding art to stand out as focal points in this kitchen. One of the most important requests this client had was that the kitchen needed to take advantage of the dramatic skyline views. The appliances needed to be hidden from view as best possible. A soft, neutral color palette so that she could incorporate her favorite colors, purple and black, in accessories and art. Everything needed a place to be stored so there would be no clutter on the countertops. Due to the structural requirements in the building, a large concrete support column was the biggest design challenge. The location of this column made it difficult to ensure that the client had adequate walkway clearance between the living area and kitchen without sacrificing storage. In the original layout, the shape and location of the island and its attachment to the concrete column blocked the fantastic view of the city skyline. In order to improve this walkway clearance, the island was pushed out further into the kitchen so that it became in-line with the column. A shallow depth, tall cabinet then replaced a standard 24” deep cabinet to widen the walk-space. In conjunction with moving the island, the shape of it was altered so that the cook-top could be relocated to allow the client to cook, congregate and take in the fabulous view of the city. Designed by Tiffany Edwards and Micqui McGowen. Interior Design by Natalie Schorr. Photographed by Miro Dvorscak.

Calais Street Kitchen and living area

David Money Architects

Taran Wilkhu

Figured Maple Kitchen

Jim Farris Cabinets

The contrasting colors and textures make this contemporary style kitchen quite stunning. Figured maple veneers, black granite, white marble, stainless steel, ebonized oak, and stained concrete are just some of the high-end finishes that really make this kitchen pop! We actually built this kitchen twice, once before Hurricane Ike, and once after. - photos by Jim Farris

Norman Sizemore

Copyrights: WA design

Irving Street II

Davida's Kitchen & Tiles

Bob Narod

The Gnaraloo Retreat

THE RURAL BUILDING COMPANY

With sun pouring in through the high light windows over the free form living, there's something so comfortable about sitting in a room with nothing but a gentle breeze passing through. And with the bifold doors open at both ends of the living space, it's hard to not feel relaxed in a room that offers views at both ends.

Outhouse

LOYN + CO ARCHITECTS

Charles Hosea

Cuisines en béton ciré

MATIERES MARIUS AURENTI

Cuisine en béton ciré gris Perle Marius Aurenti. Réalisation Nancy Geernaert.

NW Modern

Hammer & Hand

Eckert and Eckert Photography

Rustic Kitchen

Bandon Bluff House

Johnston Architects

The great room has an open kitchen and view north and west to the river and ocean.

Casa Narigua

P+0 Arquitectura

FCH

Haus P

HANS JÜRGEN LANDES FOTOGRAFIE

Herzeliya Apartment

Peled Studios

Design: Kedem Shinar Photography: Peled Studios

Kitchen with Grey 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!