Kim Duffin for Sublime Luxury Kitchens & Bathrooms

This sky home with stunning views over Brisbane's CBD, the river and Kangaroo Point Cliffs captures the maturity now found in inner city living in Brisbane. Originally from Melbourne and with his experience gain from extensive business travel abroad, the owner of the apartment decided to transform his home to match the cosmopolitan lifestyle he has enjoyed whilst living in these locations. The original layout of the kitchen was typical for apartments built over 20 years ago. The space was restricted by a collection of small rooms, two dining areas plus kitchen that did not take advantage of the views or the need for a strong connection between living areas and the outdoors. The new design has managed to still give definition to activities performed in the kitchen, dining and living but through minimal detail the kitchen does not dominate the space which can often happen in an open plan. A typical galley kitchen design was selected as it best catered for how the space relates to the rest of the apartment and adjoining living space. An effortless workflow is created from the start point of the pantry, housing food stores as well as small appliances, and refrigerator. These are within easy reach of the preparation zones and cooking on the island. Then delivery to the dining area is seamless. There are a number of key features used in the design to create the feeling of spaces whilst maximising functionality. The mirrored kickboards reflect light (aided by the use of LED strip lighting to the underside of the cabinets) creating the illusion that the cabinets are floating thus reducing the footprint in the design. The simple design philosophy is continued with the use of Laminam, 3mm porcelain sheets to the vertical and horizontal surfaces. This material is then mitred on the edges of all drawers and doors extenuate the seamless, minimalist, cube look. A cantilevered bespoke silky oak timber benchtop placed on the island creates a small breakfast/coffee area whilst increasing bench space and creating the illusion of more space. The stain and other features of this unique piece of timber compliments the tones found in the porcelain skin of the kitchen. The half wall built behind the sinks hides the entry point of the services into the apartment. This has been clad in a complimentary laminate for the timber benchtop . Mirror splashbacks help reflect more light into the space. The cabinets above the cleaning zone also appear floating due to the mirrored surface behind and the placement of LED strip lighting used to highlight the perimeter. A fully imported FALMAC Stainless Rangehood and flyer over compliments the plasterboard bulkhead that houses the air conditioning whilst providing task lighting to the island. Lighting has been used throughout the space to highlight and frame the design elements whist creating illumination for all tasks completed in the kitchen. Achieving "fluid motion" has been a major influence in the choice of hardware used in the design. Blum servo drive electronic drawer opening systems have been used to counter act any issues that may be encounter by the added weight of the porcelain used on the drawer fronts. These are then married with Blum Intivo soft close drawer systems. The devil is in the detail with a design and space that is so low profile yet complicated in it's simplicity. Steve Ryan - Rix Ryan Photography

Traditional Pantry

CLOSET FURNISHINGS & CABINETRY

Traditional white pantry. Ten feet tall with walnut butcher block counter top, Shaker drawer fronts, polished chrome hardware, baskets with canvas liners, pullouts for canned goods and cooking sheet slots.

Greenpoint Townhouse

A.Jennison Interiors

Photo - Jessica Glynn Photography

Priest Lake Waterfront Home

Hendricks Architecture

Karl Neumann Photography

New build oak framed cottage - Herefordshire

Border Oak Ltd

Armani Fine Woodworking African Mahogany Butcher Block Countertop

Armani Fine Woodworking

Armani Fine Woodworking African Mahogany butcher block countertop with Monocoat finish. Armanifinewoodworking.com. Custom Made-to-Order. Shipped Nationwide.

Meriam Hill House

JW Construction

Shelly Harrison

Second Nature Buttermilk Ivory Kitchen

NJK Interiors

Cornish Blue Kitchen

George Robinson Kitchens

Detail of the stunning maple wood worktop in this bespoke kitchen. Plug lids neatly conceal the integrrated waste bin unit and undermounted circular sink when not in use.

Wonderfully Rustic

PB Kitchen Design

A unique combination of materials and design details blend to form an originally rustic kitchen with a European flair. The centerpiece of the design is the over mantle hood with surrounding reclaimed beams. A La Cornue range is a fitting complementary piece. An artisan rich space, the sink is hand hammered in pewter and table island base custom fabricated in hammered iron. The pantry doors are repurposed with the grill work made from a vintage fence! Cabinets in custom green, alder wood on island, Sub Zero integrated refrigerator, Miele Coffee maker and single wall oven, La Cornue 36” Cornue Fe range. Photographer - Bruce Van Inwegen

Bailie Scott House Kitchen

British Standard by Plain English

Cupboards painted in "Hardwick White No: 5" by Farrow and Ball. Tourmaline ironmongery available from British Standard with a kitchen order. Copper sink by The French House (no longer available).

Kitchen in Barn Conversion- Rutland, Leicestershire

Hill Farm Furniture Ltd

As featured in The Sunday Times. The owners of this period property wanted to add their own personal stamp without having to choose between design and functionality. Hill Farm offered practical solutions without compromising on style or space – side-by-side under counter fridges, bi-fold doors with adjustable shelves, maximum work space – created from solid wood and hand painted.

JacksonBuilt Custom Homes

Farm Cottage

Rosewood Custom Cabinetry & Millwork

Colonial Kitchen by David D. Harlan Architects

Nantucket-Inspired Remodel and Furnish

Jeff Sheats Designs, Inc

2009 Showcase Home on Park Alley

Witt Construction

Cambridge Contemporary Kitchen

LDa Architecture & Interiors

Projet (Punta) Camas

Berkail

Située à Marseille, la pièce de cet appartement comprenant la cuisine ouverte et le salon avait besoin d’une bonne rénovation. L’objectif ici était de repenser l’aménagement pour optimiser l’espace. Pour ce faire, nous avons conçu une banquette, accompagnée de niches en béton cellulaire, offrant ainsi une nouvelle dynamique à cette pièce, le tout sur mesure ! De plus une nouvelle cuisine était également au programme. Une agréable surprise nous attendait lors du retrait du revêtement de sol : de magnifiques carrelages vintage ont été révélés. Plutôt que d'opter pour de nouvelles ressources, nous avons choisi de les restaurer et de les intégrer dans une partie de la pièce, une décision aussi astucieuse qu’excellente. Le résultat ? Une pièce rénovée avec soin, créant un espace de vie moderne et confortable, mais aussi des clients très satisfaits !

ECO BERLIN THREE LEVEL REMODEL

Raini Peters - Interior Design & Styling

Made from FSC Certified solid wood oak kitchen full custom design U shaped kitchen. Marble benchtops flow to the ceiling. Brush brass skirting boards with seamless push to open doors. Eco friendly natrual vegatable oil light grey flooring high quaitly seamless alternative. Matt black power coated slide to open kitchen windows.

Kitchen with Wood Benchtops 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!