Ease of entertaining was key for the owners, so maximising the home’s formal rooms, designing a kitchen for large-scale cooking and creating outdoor spaces to gather are much-loved additions.

Contemporary Australian Cabin Kitchen

Element Design Studio

A modern Australian design with finishes that change over time. Connecting the bushland to the home with colour and texture.

Modern Farmhouse-Upstate

Crisp Architects

Smooth Concrete counter tops with pendant lighting. Photographer: Rob Karosis

West London Kitchen and Living Room

Uncommon Projects Ltd

Bespoke Uncommon Projects plywood kitchen. Oak veneered ply carcasses, stainless steel worktops on the base units and Wolf, Sub-zero and Bora appliances. Island with built in wine fridge, pan and larder storage, topped with a bespoke cantilevered concrete worktop breakfast bar. Photos by Jocelyn Low

Pleasanton Custom Home

Ridgecrest Designs

Kitchen featuring white oak lower cabinetry, white painted upper cabinetry with blue accent cabinetry, including the island. Custom steel hood fabricated in-house by Ridgecrest Designs. Custom wood beam light fixture fabricated in-house by Ridgecrest Designs. Steel mesh cabinet panels, brass and bronze hardware, La Cornue French range, concrete island countertop and engineered quartz perimeter countertop. The 10' AG Millworks doors open out onto the California Room.

NoMad Apartment Renovation (Apartment combination)

Eric Soltan Architectural & Interiors Photography

Photo credit: Eric Soltan - www.ericsoltan.com

Island Family Retreat

Martha's Vineyard Interior Design

Eric Roth Photography

Japandi Kitchen

Sustainable Kitchens

Blending the warmth and natural elements of Scandinavian design with Japanese minimalism. With true craftsmanship, the wooden doors paired with a bespoke oak handle showcases simple, functional design, contrasting against the bold dark green crittal doors and raw concrete Caesarstone worktop. The large double larder brings ample storage, essential for keeping the open-plan kitchen elegant and serene.

Navarin

Fabienne Stevens Hausmann

Küchenarbeitsplatte mit Beton Ciré

Heinemann Homestaging & Redesign

Industrial Kitchen Design Ideas

Everingham Design

Black Kitchen Collection By Darash

By Darash - Kitchen Cabinets, Vanities & Closets

La Quinta Modernist Home - Kitchen

Bradshaw Construction

This 6,500-square-foot one-story vacation home overlooks a golf course with the San Jacinto mountain range beyond. The house has a light-colored material palette—limestone floors, bleached teak ceilings—and ample access to outdoor living areas. Builder: Bradshaw Construction Architect: Marmol Radziner Interior Design: Sophie Harvey Landscape: Madderlake Designs Photography: Roger Davies

Contemporary Beach House

Zugai Strudwick Architects

Modern kitchen, subway tiles, concrete bench tops with recycled timber cabinets. Under floor heating and sunlight concrete slab keeps the house warm in winter. Concealed sliding doors disappear into the wall.

Hunter Douglas Palm Beach Polysatin Shutters

L & L Window Fashions

Custom Hunter Douglas NewStyle Hybrid Shutters with Front Tilt and BiFold Track

Geddes Ravine Residence

Beechwood Building & Design

Contemporary styling and a large, welcoming island insure that this kitchen will be the place to be for many family gatherings and nights of entertaining. Jeff Garland Photogrpahy

Kitchen

Sugatsune America, Inc.

Handles are made by Sugatsune

Mainland St. Bachelor Pad

Falken Reynolds Interiors

Photo by: Lucas Finlay A successful entrepreneur and self-proclaimed bachelor, the owner of this 1,100-square-foot Yaletown property sought a complete renovation in time for Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. The goal: make it party central and keep the neighbours happy. For the latter, we added acoustical insulation to walls, ceilings, floors and doors. For the former, we designed the kitchen to provide ample catering space and keep guests oriented around the bar top and living area. Concrete counters, stainless steel cabinets, tin doors and concrete floors were chosen for durability and easy cleaning. The black, high-gloss lacquered pantry cabinets reflect light from the single window, and amplify the industrial space’s masculinity. To add depth and highlight the history of the 100-year-old garment factory building, the original brick and concrete walls were exposed. In the living room, a drywall ceiling and steel beams were clad in Douglas Fir to reference the old, original post and beam structure. We juxtaposed these raw elements with clean lines and bold statements with a nod to overnight guests. In the ensuite, the sculptural Spoon XL tub provides room for two; the vanity has a pop-up make-up mirror and extra storage; and, LED lighting in the steam shower to shift the mood from refreshing to sensual.

Tanglewood Townhome Kitchen

Design House, Inc

photographed by VJ Arizpe, designers at Design House in Houston.

Pleasanton Custom Home

Ridgecrest Designs

Large Kitchen with Concrete 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!