A kitchen that had been remodel in the 80's required a facelift! The homeowner wanted the kitchen very bright with clean lines. With environmental impact being a concern as well, we installed recycled porcelain floor tile and glass countertops. Adding a touch of warmth with the natural maple completed this fresh modern look.

Craftsman Kitchen

Bombay Sapphire Recycled Glass

Sheffield Sustainable Kitchens

Hampden Avenue

Poulsom Middlehurst Ltd

Adam Scot Images

Recycled Glass Countertop and Custom Cherry Cabinets

Sitka Projects

Ash Creek Photography

Jed & Renee's Kitchen - Left-hand Side

Matter Design & Make Pty Ltd

Jed and Renee had been living in their first home together for a little over one year until the arrival of their first born child. They had been putting up with their 1990’s era kitchen but quickly realised it wasn’t up to scratch with the new demands for space and functionality that a child brings. Jed and Renee’s old kitchen was dark and imposing, lacked bench space and wasted space with inaccessible cupboards on all walls. After experimenting with a few layouts in our CAD program, our solution was to dedicate one wall for tall and deep storage, then on the adjacent and opposite walls create a long wrap-around bench with base level storage below. The bench intersects a dividing wall with an archway into the dining room, nabbing more precious surface space while ensuring the dining walkway is not hindered by rounding off the end corner. Smart storage such as a Kessebohmer pull-out pantry unit, blind corner baskets and a slide-out appliance shelf accessed by a lift-up door make the most of every nook of this kitchen. Top cupboards housing the rangehood also intersect the kitchen’s dividing wall and continue as open display shelving in the dining room for extra storage and visual balance. Simple black ‘D’ handles are a stylish, functional and affordable hardware choice, as is the grey Bettastone benchtop made from recycled glass. Jed and Renee loved the colour and grain of Blackbutt timber but realised that too much timber could be overbearing as it was in their old kitchen. Our solution was to create a mix of hand-painted light green doors to break up and provide contrast against the Blackbutt veneer panels. The result is a light and airy kitchen that opens up the room and invites you inward.

Pool House

Mishi McCoy Interior Design

Mishi McCoy - Pool house complete with custom glass sculpture converted to focal point lighting. Kitchen with refrigerator drawers invite kids to refresh themselves with cold sodas, and the two burner stove is great to keep the grilled food warm while the guests stroll in from a swim. Faux finish, custom painted walls, iridescent glass mosaic backsplash make this pool house easy maintenance, fun, and welcoming.

Historic Orlando Home

Kristina Bruno

Roseville Kraftmaid kitchen

Kitchen Mart

Designer: Kathy Starrett

Warm Modern - Upper Northwest DC

Amicus Green Building Center

Credit: Amicus Green Building Center Cabinets: Birdseye Maple with no added formaldehyde, no VOCs, Greenguard for Schools certified

Schuler Cabinetry: Sugar Creek Maple Harbor Mist Sheer

User

Remodel utilizes an undermount farmhouse sink (Kraus) with a pull down faucet (Giagni) available at Lowe's

Miami beach condo kitchen

Morantz Custom Cabinetry Inc.

Tzvi morantz

Recycled Glass Countertop and Custom Cherry Cabinets

Sitka Projects

Ash Creek Photography

Great backsplash detail with "Phoenix" colors in the recycled glass counters

GlassEco Surfaces by Fisher Recycling

Manufacturer of custom recycled glass counter tops and landscape glass aggregate. The countertops are individually handcrafted and customized, using 100% recycled glass and diverting tons of glass from our landfills. The epoxy used is Low VOC (volatile organic compounds) and emits no off gassing. The newest product base is a high density, UV protected concrete. We now have indoor and outdoor options. As with the resin, the concrete offer the same creative aspects through glass choices. Margaret Rambo

Modern & Bright

MAC Renovations LTD.

Historic Orlando Home

Sophie Piesse Architect, PA

Photographs by Sophie Piesse

Kitchen with Recycled Glass Benchtops and no Island 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!