photos by Susan Teare • www.susanteare.com

Ultimate Entertaining Space

Justina Auer

Tall wall of storage and built in appliances adore the main passageway between sun room and great room.

Crisp Architects

Renovated kitchen in old home with low ceilings. Photography: Rob Karosis

View of big picture window, morning sun. Ytk Photography

Blue Lake Galley Kitchen

Arcata Cabinet & Design Company

Narrow kitchens have no fear! With a great designer, great product and motivated homeowners, you can achieve dream kitchen status. Moving the sink to the corner and the big refrigerator towards the end of the kitchen created lots of continuous counter space and storage. Lots of drawers and roll-outs created a space for everything - even a super lazy susan in the corner. The result is a compact kitchen with a big personality. Nicolette Patton, CKD

Jane Street Brownstone

Key+Shade Interior Design

Francine Fleischer Photography

Vintage Galley

PowerSmith Design

XL Visions

Sage Green Country Cottage Kitchen with Farmhouse Sink

Caves Kitchens

The maple cabinets and the farmhouse sink work together and present a warm and country touch to the kitchen. The window brings in the right amount of light to brighten the sage kitchen and reflect off the refinished oak floors. -Allison Caves, CKD Caves Kitchens

Nomadic Nest

Andrew Mikhael Architect

Kitchen is Center In our design to combine the apartments, we centered the kitchen - making it a dividing line between private and public space; vastly expanding the storage and work surface area. We discovered an existing unused roof penetration to run a duct to vent out a powerful kitchen hood. The original bathroom skylight now illuminates the central kitchen space. Without changing the standard skylight size, we gave it architectural scale by carving out the ceiling to maximize daylight. Light now dances off the vaulted, sculptural angles of the ceiling to bathe the entire space in natural light.

1904 Cornwall on Hudson Kitchen

User

Contemporary Craftsman Kitchen

DesignAnts LLC

Cool and contemporary with rustic accents this modest sized kitchen is full of custom details with both modern and vintage accessories. Soapstone countertops combined with custom designed birch inset cabinets, bronze hardware, artisan handmade and glazed tile. European fully integrated fridge-freezer, antique restored white enamel gas stove, terra cotta tile mudroom floor. Large bright windows surround the built-in eating nook, with storage inside, easy access open shelving for dinnerware, and bowls nearby.

Kitchen Wet Bar - Addition

Realty Restoration, LLC

Christopher Davison, AIA

Croton On Hudson Kitchen

Joan Bigg Design LLC

Working within a set of constraints, whether of space or budget, challenges my creativity and leads to a beautiful end result. The old kitchen used the space very poorly. The intent was just to replace the countertop. But once we investigated, the inferior cabinets needed replacing, too, so a rethink of space usage created a small and stylish kitchen of lasting quality.

Kitchen Renovation

Truitt Foug Architects

Hester + Hardaway Photgraphers

Monterey Colonial Update

Broderick Design Associates

The butler pantry off of the kitchen provides additonal beverage and dish storage as well as an area for serving and clean up during larger events. Photo: Dave Adams

100 Square Foot Kitchen Remodel

David Heide Design Studio

Architecture & Interior Design: David Heide Design Studio -- Photos: Greg Page Photography

Transitional Farmhouse Kitchen

Talianko Design Group, LLC

This Transitional Farmhouse Kitchen was completely remodeled and the home is nestled on the border of Pasadena and South Pasadena. Our goal was to keep the original charm of our client’s home while updating the kitchen in a way that was fresh and current. Our design inspiration began with a deep green soapstone counter top paired with creamy white cabinetry. Carrera marble subway tile for the backsplash is a luxurious splurge and adds classic elegance to the space. The stainless steel appliances and sink create a more transitional feel, while the shaker style cabinetry doors and schoolhouse light fixture are in keeping with the original style of the home. Tile flooring resembling concrete is clean and simple and seeded glass in the upper cabinet doors help make the space feel open and light. This kitchen has a hidden microwave and custom range hood design, as well as a new pantry area, for added storage. The pantry area features an appliance garage and deep-set counter top for multi-purpose use. These features add value to this small space. The finishing touches are polished nickel cabinet hardware, which add a vintage look and the cafe curtains are the handiwork of the homeowner. We truly enjoyed the collaborative effort in this kitchen. Photography by Erika Beirman

GE Kitchen Appliances

Baron's Major Brands

GE appliances answer real-life needs. Define trends. Simplify routines. And upgrade the look and feel of the living space. Through ingenuity and innovation, next generation features are solving real-life needs. With a forward-thinking tradition that spans over 100 years, today’s GE appliances sync perfectly with the modern lifestyle.

Spring Mill Renovation

Jarrett Design

This beautiful, cozy farmette, set in idyllic surroundings, has served its family quite well, with one exception – the kitchen. The homeowners came to us looking to improve the functionality of the small, but very charming kitchen space that serves as the gathering area for their friends and family. While modernizing was important, they wanted the updates to reflect the style of the home. Incorporating reproduction antique-style tiger maple with warm white cabinetry, soapstone tops and sink, the result speaks for itself. The period sconces, lighting, faucet and hardware, are the finishing touches in this hard-working kitchen. Matt Villano Photography

Kitchen with Soapstone 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!