A Modern Kitchen for a Retreat in the Woods

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

Shaker Ash Kitchen and Floating Media Center

SOLLiD Cabinetry

Design: @rrdesignsllc Build: @maverick_kitchens PC: @realestate_shanebakerstudios

Striking Gold In Estada

SANOMA Kitchen & Bath

Our bold, contemporary kitchen located in Cooper City Florida is a striking combination of of textured glass and high gloss cabinetry tempered with warm neutrals, wood grain and an elegant rush of gold.

N. Clovis Custom Kitchen and Bath

Delerio Construction

Custom dining room nook.

Wimberley Home

C-Reese Architectural Design

In the kitchen we used light hickory cabinets with dark trim. In keeping with the colorful tiles we added colorful ceiling treatments in the kitchen and breakfast area with large dark wood beams for contrast.

Modern Farmhouse Kitchen and Family Room Update

HC Remodel & Design

HC Remodel & Design 2017 Tom Kessler Photography

Orchard Lake Whole House Remodel

MainStreet Design Build

A custom Grabill kitchen was designed with professional grade Wolf and Thermador appliances for an enjoyable cooking and dining experience. Kate Benjamin Photography

Ptarmigan Ranch Log Accented Home

Mountain Log Homes of CO, Inc.

Rustic Contemporary Kitchen, 10 foot island, hand made Sonoma Tile Wroks crackle finish tile

After -kitchen and dining open concept- Covington 2021

Connie Moon Design LLC

Open concept. Removed walls, created more work surface areas, tons of storage and great social area.

Silver Mist Transitional Kitchen Renovation

Cypress Design Co.

Impressive Kitchen feat. Full Height Cambria Quartz Splash

Store with Style

Charming Bungalow

Kitchen Design Partners, Inc.

French Farmhouse Kitchen

Max Hugo Interior Design

Cabinets were refinished to compliment the owner’s French-style furniture in a manner that gives them layers and depth of color. The countertops are an unusual fusion type of granite with blues and greens not commonly found in granite. The movement of the pattern is striking. Pendant lights were added over the island, and the sink was updated to a farmhouse fireclay sink. Except for the granite, sink, and pendant lights, all existing elements of the kitchen were retained and refinished to achieve this stunning, updated look.

Rocky Point Circle

Talie Jane Interiors

Full kitchen remodel. Main goal = open the space (removed overhead wooden structure). New configuration, cabinetry, countertops, backsplash, panel-ready appliances (GE Monogram), farmhouse sink, faucet, oil-rubbed bronze hardware, track and sconce lighting, paint, bar stools, accessories.

Vermont Kitchen

A. Lee Interior Design

Traditional Kitchen Design SW17

Chantel Elshout Studio

Kitchen & Dining space renovation in SW17. A traditional kitchen painted in Little Greene Company - Sage Green and complemented with gorgeous Antique Bronze accents.

Beach Kitchen Remodel

Interiors Unlimited

Cambria Quartz "Portrush" island and custom bar area.

Gainesville Lake Home Remodeling - Kitchen, Butler's Pantry & Laundry

Tracy Tesmer Design/Remodeling

Gainesville Lake Home Kitchen, Butler's Pantry & Laundry Room Remodel

Modern kitchen

KI3 Design

Modern kitchen

Transitional Kitchen and Porch Renovation in Atlanta

Copper Sky Design + Remodel

This custom bar in the kitchen features a wine cooler, open shelving for glasses, and glass front cabinets to showcase wine and other spirits.

Kitchen with Multi-Coloured 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!