THE SETUP Client Background: Our clients, a couple who have transitioned into the empty nest phase, have cherished their home for over three decades without undergoing any significant renovations. With a newfound desire to adapt their living space to better suit their current lifestyle, they’ve embarked on a journey to reimagine their kitchen — the heart of their home. Their aspiration is to cultivate a serene, neutral-toned sanctuary on the first floor that seamlessly merges with their family room, ensuring a harmonious and inviting environment. Design Inspiration: The renovation is inspired by the couple’s penchant for soft, calming neutrals, using their cherished family room and the kitchen’s existing tile flooring as the cornerstone for the color scheme. This approach aims to foster a sense of warmth and tranquility throughout. Design Objectives: Harmonize the kitchen with the family room by adopting a soothing, neutral color scheme, ensuring a seamless flow across the first floor. Enhance kitchen functionality with thoughtfully designed cabinetry, providing a designated place for every item and maximizing storage efficiency. Cultivate an inviting and comfortable atmosphere that reflects the homeowners’ desire for a calm and relaxing space. Design Challenges: The homeowners wish to retain the existing kitchen tile flooring and integrate it into a refreshed, modern design. Accommodating a dining area spacious enough for family visits without compromising the kitchen’s open feel or functional layout. Despite liking the current placement of plumbing and appliances, the homeowners aspire for a more open floor plan to facilitate better movement and interaction. The need to amplify natural light in the kitchen, especially around the sink area, where existing lighting is insufficient. Preserving the half-wall between the kitchen and family room, a feature the homeowners want to keep, while ensuring it complements the new design. THE RENEWED SPACE Design Solutions: By choosing a neutral color palette that complements the existing tile, the design unifies the kitchen with the adjacent spaces. The tile’s grout was cleaned and restored, enhancing the floor’s appearance and integrating it seamlessly with the new kitchen aesthetic. The inclusion of a larger island with seating for two, alongside maintaining a substantial dining table, was achieved by optimizing the spatial layout. This allowed for a sociable yet functional kitchen, accommodating large family gatherings without feeling crowded. Minor adjustments to the kitchen’s layout maintained the preferred locations for plumbing and appliances while introducing an ‘open’ design concept. Strategic modifications, such as angling the pantry wall, improved the flow and accessibility within the space. Replacing the garden window with a broader, standard window significantly increased natural light, transforming the sink area into a bright, welcoming space with enhanced views of the outdoors. The decision to keep the half-wall was ingeniously leveraged to define the dining area while maintaining an open connection to the family room. This feature not only serves as a visual separator but also ties the two spaces together through the shared color scheme and design elements. The homeowners are thrilled with their newly remodeled kitchen, which has become a hub of warmth and hospitality. Hosting a wedding shower and a birthday party, they have shared their renewed space with friends and family, who have been equally enamored. This remodel has not only met their functional and aesthetic desires but has also enriched their home with a fresh sense of serenity and joy. The upstairs part of the home is shaping up nicely. Here’s their newly remodeled primary bathroom.

Kitchen Renovation Project in Spring Hill (Timber Pines)

DCI Home Improvements

A great example of use of color in a kitchen space. We utilized seafoam green and light wood stained cabinets in this renovation in Spring Hill, FL. Other features include a double dishwasher and oversized subway tile.

Windy Creek - Classic Kitchen

In the Deets

Classic kitchen & pantry, dining, great room, and mudroom remodel. Two-tone rift cut white oak and white cabinetry, zellige-style backsplash, plaster hood, and brass fixtures.

2 tone kitchen: sage green and navy

Tracey Stephens Interior Design Inc

Removing a cramped eating alcove, useless closet and pantry closet opened up the kitchen for better flow and spaciousness.

Space, Storage, and Style Upgrades

Meadowlark Design+Build

A ground floor remodel creating larger, more functional rooms without increasing the property's actual size. Meadowlark incorporated custom cabinetry solutions that not only added to the flow of the rooms but also added storage and purpose.

Park Kitchen & Baths

HDR Remodeling Inc.

Family Friendly Kitchen

Peregrine Design Build

Custom pantry storage and a coffee bar, make the most of this wall space.

The Kelso | Bellevue Modern Farmhouse

JayMarc Homes

The Kelso's Kitchen is a beautiful and well-appointed space that exudes elegance and functionality. The black subway tile creates a striking backsplash that adds depth and contrast to the overall design. The glass display cabinets and hutches provide an opportunity to showcase and highlight exquisite dinnerware and glassware. The gold cabinet hardware and pot filler add a touch of luxury and sophistication to the space. The stainless steel appliances, including a Wolf range, offer both durability and high-performance for all culinary needs. The white cabinets and white quartz kitchen countertops create a clean and timeless aesthetic that brightens the room and provides ample workspace. Overall, the Kelso's Kitchen is a perfect blend of style, functionality, and luxury, making it a delightful space for cooking and entertaining.

Bedford Village

Erika Jayne Design Build

Tired of the original, segmented floor plan of their midcentury home, this young family was ready to make a big change. Inspired by their beloved collection of Heath Ceramics tableware and needing an open space for the family to gather to do homework, make bread, and enjoy Friday Pizza Night…a new kitchen was born. Interior Architecture. Removal of one wall that provided a major obstruction, but no structure, resulted in connection between the family room, dining room, and kitchen. The new open plan allowed for a large island with seating and better flow in and out of the kitchen and garage. Interior Design. Vertically stacked, handmade tiles from Heath Ceramics in Ogawa Green wrap the perimeter backsplash with a nod to midcentury design. A row of white oak slab doors conceal a hidden exhaust hood while offering a sleek modern vibe. Shelves float just below to display beloved tableware, cookbooks, and cherished souvenirs.

Alguno Spec Home

Dawn Hearn Interior Design

MANOA VALLEY HILLSIDE KITCHEN

Jule Lucero, Interior & Architectural Designer

COMPLET REMODEL OF 1950'S KITCHEN. NEW WALLS, NEW FLOORS, NEW CEILING, NEW CABINETS, COUNTERS, BACKSPLASH, APPLIANCES, LIGHTING AND PLUMBING FIXTURES

MANOA VALLEY HILLSIDE KITCHEN

Jule Lucero, Interior & Architectural Designer

COMPLET REMODEL OF 1950'S KITCHEN. NEW WALLS, NEW FLOORS, NEW CEILING, NEW CABINETS, COUNTERS, BACKSPLASH, APPLIANCES, LIGHTING AND PLUMBING FIXTURES

Chulainn- A

Apex Design & Drafting

Kitchen Remodel - Bellevue, Washington

Ellen Weiss Design

Full kitchen remodel in Bellevue, Washington.

Boho Bungalow Kitchen

Arcata Cabinet & Design Company

Texas Transitional

Gibson Gimpel Interior Design

Pantry with built-in cabinetry, patterned marble floors, and natural wood pull-out drawers

Modern Americana

Amy Troute Inspired Interior Design

ATIID collaborated with these homeowners to curate new furnishings throughout the home while their down-to-the studs, raise-the-roof renovation, designed by Chambers Design, was underway. Pattern and color were everything to the owners, and classic “Americana” colors with a modern twist appear in the formal dining room, great room with gorgeous new screen porch, and the primary bedroom. Custom bedding that marries not-so-traditional checks and florals invites guests into each sumptuously layered bed. Vintage and contemporary area rugs in wool and jute provide color and warmth, grounding each space. Bold wallpapers were introduced in the powder and guest bathrooms, and custom draperies layered with natural fiber roman shades ala Cindy’s Window Fashions inspire the palettes and draw the eye out to the natural beauty beyond. Luxury abounds in each bathroom with gleaming chrome fixtures and classic finishes. A magnetic shade of blue paint envelops the gourmet kitchen and a buttery yellow creates a happy basement laundry room. No detail was overlooked in this stately home - down to the mudroom’s delightful dutch door and hard-wearing brick floor. Photography by Meagan Larsen Photography

Kitchen Spaces

Rachael Elise Design

Piso en Lavapiés, Madrid

StudioMadera s.l.

Bernal Heights Sustainable Kitchen

Sabrina Alfin Interiors

Detail shot of Art Deco arch with built in niches for coffee maker and cookbooks.

Kitchen with Quartz Benchtops and Ceramic 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!