Cottage Chic: White Oak Cabinets and Island Define Modern Elegance

White oak reigns supreme in this modern kitchen, adorning both the cabinets and the island with effortless grace. The cabinets, with their sleek design and light wood finish, bring a sense of warmth and sophistication to the space. Their smooth surfaces gleam in the natural light, creating an inviting atmosphere that beckons guests to gather and linger. At the center of it all stands the kitchen island, a masterpiece of white oak craftsmanship. Its clean lines and minimalist design exude contemporary flair, offering both functionality and style. The light hue of the wood brightens the room, while its natural grain adds texture and depth, creating a captivating focal point.

The Art Lover's House

Kelsey Leigh Design Co.

Eco-Friendly in Ball Square

Design Details

Red birch cabinetry, Soapstone countertops and recycled fir flooring contribute to the natural feel of the project.

Sea Cliff Huntington Beach

Remodel Experts, Inc.

Sunnyland Residence

Rosewood Custom Builders

Jenn Baker

BK House Kitchen

Lynn Gaffney Architect, PLLC

Kitchen open to Dining and Living with high polycarbonate panels and sliding doors towards meadow allow for a full day of natural light. Large photo shows mudroom door to right of refrigerator with access from entry (foyer). Cabinets: custom maple with icestone counters (www.icestone.biz). Floor: polished concrete with local bluestone aggregate. Wood wall: reclaimed “mushroom” wood (cypress planks from PA mushroom barns (sourced through www.antiqueandvintagewoods.com).

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.

Stonebridge Stunner

Design Studio West

Step into a kitchen that exudes both modern sophistication and inviting warmth. The space is anchored by a stunning natural quartzite countertop, its veined patterns reminiscent of a sun-drenched landscape. The countertop stretches across the kitchen, gracing both the perimeter cabinetry and the curved island, its gentle curves adding a touch of dynamism to the layout. White oak cabinetry provides a grounding contrast to the cool quartzite. The rich, natural grain of the wood, paired with a crisp white paint, create a sense of airiness and visual lightness. This interplay of textures and tones adds depth and dimension to the space. Breaking away from the traditional rectilinear lines, the island features curved panels that echo the countertop's gentle sweep. This unexpected detail adds a touch of whimsy and softens the overall aesthetic. The warm vinyl flooring complements the wood cabinetry, creating a sense of continuity underfoot.

Open Concept Kitchen

Aniko Nicholson Design

In this open concept kitchen, you'll discover an inviting, spacious island that's perfect for gatherings and gourmet cooking. With meticulous attention to detail, custom woodwork adorns every part of this culinary haven, from the richly decorated cabinets to the shiplap ceiling, offering both warmth and sophistication that you'll appreciate. The glistening countertops highlight the wood's natural beauty, while a suite of top-of-the-line appliances seamlessly combines practicality and luxury, making your cooking experience a breeze. The prominent farmhouse sink adds practicality and charm, and a counter bar sink in the island provides extra convenience, tailored just for you. Bathed in natural light, this kitchen transforms into a welcoming masterpiece, offering a sanctuary for both culinary creativity and shared moments of joy. Count on the quality, just like many others have. Let's make your culinary dreams come true. Take action today and experience the difference.

Eastgate

Baluco

Custom White oak slim shaker kitchen cabinets

Artfully Contrasting Modern Kitchen

Woodland Cabinetry

The mixture of black accents with light woods give this Julia Zettler Design kitchen the ultimate modern look.

Boise Passive House

User

To ensure peak performance, the Boise Passive House utilized triple-pane glazing with the A5 aluminum window, Air-Lux Sliding door, and A7 swing door. Each product brings dynamic efficiency, further affirming an air-tight building envelope. The increased air-seals, larger thermal breaks, argon-filled glazing, and low-E glass, may be standard features for the Glo Series but they provide exceptional performance just the same. Furthermore, the low iron glass and slim frame profiles provide clarity and increased views prioritizing overall aesthetics despite their notable efficiency values.

Modern Kitchen by VelArt

Velart Custom Kitchens & Closets

A Modern Kitchen for a Retreat in the Woods

Amazing Spaces

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

Wildwood - Kitchen

Giulietti Schouten Weber Architects

Project Waverton - Kitchen

desculpto

As we shift our gaze within this captivating open-plan kitchen, the design narrative continues to unfold seamlessly. The veneer doors and shaker-style wall cabinet doors blend effortlessly, offering a perfect marriage of contemporary and traditional elements. From this different vantage point, our attention is drawn to the exquisite island design, where rhythmic arches extend a graceful invitation towards the adjacent living room. These enchanting arches mirror the design finesse seen in the wall cabinets, creating an unbroken visual thread that weaves through the entire space.

REFORMA CASTELLARNAU, SABADELL

Estudio de Interiorismo Laura Martínez, S.L.

Photo by Tina Witherspoon.

Two-Toned Warm Kitchen Remodel

Karr Bick Kitchen and Bath

L-shaped Kitchen with Light Wood Cabinets 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!