Another view of the kitchen from the home's foyer.

Location: Port Townsend, Washington. Photography by Dale Lang

An Elegantly Functional Kitchen in Durham

Maximizing the functionality of this space, and coordinating the new kitchen with the beautiful remodel completed previously by the client were the two most important aspects of this project. The existing spaces are elegantly decorated with an open plan, dark hardwood floors, and natural stone accents. The new, lighter, more open kitchen flows beautifully into the client’s existing dining room space. Satin nickel hardware blends with the stainless steel appliances and matches the satin nickel details throughout the home. The fully integrated refrigerator next to the narrow pull-out pantry cabinet, take up less visual weight than a traditional stainless steel appliance and the two combine to provide fantastic storage. The glass cabinet doors and decorative lighting beautifully highlight the client’s glassware and dishes. Finished with white subway tile, Dreamy Marfil quartz countertops, and a warm natural wood blind; the space warm, inviting, elegant, and extremely functional. copyright 2013 marilyn peryer photography

Bellevue Somerset Remodel

Kayron Brewer, CMKBD / Studio K B

Drew Rice, Red Pants Studio

Clean and Bright

Cabinet Joint

From bare studs to bright and stunning, This customer tore their former kitchen down to its foundation in order to build this kitchen inspo. With a soft blend of whites, grays, and Hickory wood throughout the space, the natural light from the windows makes this kitchen glow with warmth. This kitchen is an example of when simplistic elegance is enough. Featuring a custom beverage bar, a charming small desk, a walk-in pantry, as well as an intentional bottom-heavy design with few wall cabinets, this kitchen marries aesthetics and functionality, the familiarity of a farmhouse and the efficiency of a commercial kitchen.

Reclaimed Character | Renovation

My House Design/Build/Team

Saving the original stained glass picture window from 1916, we created a focal point with a custom designed arch alcove with dentil molding. Leaded glass upper cabinets add ambiance and sparkle to the compact kitchen.

Kitchen

TKS Design Group

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW Referred by past clients, the homeowners of this Glen Ellyn project were in need of an update and improvement in functionality for their kitchen, mudroom and laundry room. The spacious kitchen had a great layout, but benefitted from a new island, countertops, hood, backsplash, hardware, plumbing and lighting fixtures. The main focal point is now the premium hand-crafted CopperSmith hood along with a dramatic tiered chandelier over the island. In addition, painting the wood beadboard ceiling and staining the existing beams darker helped lighten the space while the amazing depth and variation only available in natural stone brought the entire room together. For the mudroom and laundry room, choosing complimentary paint colors and charcoal wave wallpaper brought depth and coziness to this project. The result is a timeless design for this Glen Ellyn family. Photographer @MargaretRajic, Photo Stylist @brandidevers Are you remodeling your kitchen and need help with space planning and custom finishes? We specialize in both design and build, so we understand the importance of timelines and building schedules. Contact us here to see how we can help!

Glen Abbey

Clearcut Construction, Inc.

Sherwood Park Custom Home - Rift Cut White Oak with Natural Lacquer

Scott Arthur Millwork & Cabinetry Ltd

This custom kitchen features rift cut white oak 1" slim shaker doors, finished with our natural lacquer, quartz countertops, textured subway tile back splash, honey bronze cabinetry hardware, panelled appliances and recessed cabinet lighting.

Project 131 (before & after)

Cutting Edge Design

Archer Street Remodel

First Choice Custom Builders

White cabinetry, taupe island and beautiful lighted cabinets above coffee bar. White subway tile from counter to ceiling.

Huntington Beach Private Residence

CDC Designs

Sturton Street

Raydan Watkins Architects Cambridgeshire

Open plan dining kitchen looking towards the main house

Mid Century Dream

SARA VANDERSTELT with Creative Kitchens

Mid Century Dream Welborn Forest Cabinetry Avenue Slab Door Style Cherry in Wheat / Natural Stain HARDWARE : Chrome Finger Pulls COUNTERTOPS KITCHEN : Blanco Aspen Quartz Coutnertops BUILDER : D&M Design Company

A Warm Welcome

TKS Design Group

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW The homeowner and his wife had lived in this beautiful townhome in Oak Brook overlooking a small lake for over 13 years. The home is open and airy with vaulted ceilings and full of mementos from world adventures through the years, including to Cambodia, home of their much-adored sponsored daughter. The home, full of love and memories was host to a growing extended family of children and grandchildren. This was THE place. When the homeowner’s wife passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, he became determined to create a space that would continue to welcome and host his family and the many wonderful family memories that lay ahead but with an eye towards functionality. We started out by evaluating how the space would be used. Cooking and watching sports were key factors. So, we shuffled the current dining table into a rarely used living room whereby enlarging the kitchen. The kitchen now houses two large islands – one for prep and the other for seating and buffet space. We removed the wall between kitchen and family room to encourage interaction during family gatherings and of course a clear view to the game on TV. We also removed a dropped ceiling in the kitchen, and wow, what a difference. Next, we added some drama with a large arch between kitchen and dining room creating a stunning architectural feature between those two spaces. This arch echoes the shape of the large arch at the front door of the townhome, providing drama and significance to the space. The kitchen itself is large but does not have much wall space, which is a common challenge when removing walls. We added a bit more by resizing the double French doors to a balcony at the side of the house which is now just a single door. This gave more breathing room to the range wall and large stone hood but still provides access and light. We chose a neutral pallet of black, white, and white oak, with punches of blue at the counter stools in the kitchen. The cabinetry features a white shaker door at the perimeter for a crisp outline. Countertops and custom hood are black Caesarstone, and the islands are a soft white oak adding contrast and warmth. Two large built ins between the kitchen and dining room function as pantry space as well as area to display flowers or seasonal decorations. We repeated the blue in the dining room where we added a fresh coat of paint to the existing built ins, along with painted wainscot paneling. Above the wainscot is a neutral grass cloth wallpaper which provides a lovely backdrop for a wall of important mementos and artifacts. The dining room table and chairs were refinished and re-upholstered, and a new rug and window treatments complete the space. The room now feels ready to host more formal gatherings or can function as a quiet spot to enjoy a cup of morning coffee.

Arlington S Pershing Ct Kitchen

Elena Eskandari - Case Design/Remodeling Inc.

Silver Spring, MD Transitional Kitchen Renovation

FineCraft Contractors, Inc.

Kitchen

Pike Properties

Denver Modern Kitchen

Laura Medicus Interiors

A view with the client’s existing 48″ Wolf rangetop and stainless hood. This stove was on the wall opposite and I wanted to give it some prominence and some breathing room. Photo by Sara Yoder, Styled by Kristy Oatman

Kitchen with Subway Tile Splashback and Brown Floor 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!