Kowalske Kitchen & Bath was the remodeling contractor for this beautiful Waukesha first floor remodel. The homeowners recently purchased the home and wanted to immediately update the space. The old kitchen was outdated and closed off from the great room. The goal was to design an open-concept space for hosting family and friends. LAYOUT The first step was to remove the awkward dining room walls. This made the room feel large and open. We tucked the refrigerator into a wall of cabinets so it didn’t impose. Seating at the island and peninsula makes the kitchen very versatile. DESIGN We created an elegant entertaining space to take advantage of the lake view. The Waukesha homeowners wanted a contemporary design with neutral colors and finishes. They chose soft gray lower cabinets and white upper cabinets. We added texture with wood accents and a herringbone marble backsplash tile. The desk area features a walnut butcher block countertop. We also used walnut for the open shelving, detail on the hood and the legs on the island. CUSTOM CABINETRY Frameless custom cabinets maximize storage in this Waukesha kitchen. The upper cabinets have hidden light rail molding. Angled plug molding eliminates outlets on the backsplash. Drawers in the lower cabinets allow for excellent storage. The cooktop has a functioning top drawer with a hidden apron to hide the guts of the cooktop. The clients also asked for a home office desk area and pantry cabinet.

Spruce Ave.

Ashley Martin Home

Oceanview Spanish Kitchen

MODEL DESIGN INC.

Updated kitchen features split face limestone backsplash, stone/plaster hood, arched doorways, and exposed wood beams.

Westchester Farmhouse

Hamilton Architects

Bell Canyon Residence

Hsu McCullough

On the interior, the Great Room comprised of the Living Room, Kitchen and Dining Room features the space defining massive 18-foot long, triangular-shaped clerestory window pressed to the underside of the ranch’s main gable roofline. This window beautifully lights the Kitchen island below while framing a cluster of diverse mature trees lining a horse riding trail to the North 15 feet off the floor. The cabinetry of the Kitchen and Living Room are custom high-gloss white lacquer finished with Rosewood cabinet accents strategically placed including the 19-foot long island with seating, preparation sink, dishwasher and storage. The Kitchen island and aligned-on-axis Dining Room table are celebrated by unique pendants offering contemporary embellishment to the minimal space.

Piney Point Modern

Jamestown Estate Homes

Clean, modern kitchen with Hudson Valley "Glendale' pendant lights, stainless Thermador appliances and sleek quartz countertops. Inset cabinets, Sherwin Williams "Iron Ore" paint on the island, and a marble tile backsplash in a brick pattern.

Chicago Lakeview Home

Luxe Nest

Farmhouse Kitchen

House Beautiful featured Luxury Remodel of Classic Palmolive Condo

Summer Thornton Design, Inc

Modern Farmhouse | 2019 Dry Creek Parade

Solitude Homes

Sunset Blvd

Alpine Lumber

Builder | Thin Air Construction | Photography | Jon Kohlwey Designer | Tara Bender Starmark Cabinetry

Mettawa Illinois French Country Kitchen with Art Tile Backsplash

Orren Pickell Building Group

Chef's kitchen with white perimeter recessed panel cabinetry. In contrast, the island and refrigerator cabinets are a dark lager color. All cabinetry is by Brookhaven. Kitchen back splash is 3x6 Manhattan Field tile in #1227 Peacock with 4.25x4.25 bullnose in the same color. Niche is 4.25" square Cordoba Plain Fancy fIeld tile in #1227 Peacock with fluid crackle finish and 3.12 square Turkistan Floral Fancy Field tile with 2.25x6 medium chair rail border. Design by Janet McCann. Photo by Mike Kaskel.

Outside In - Bar + Kitchen

Drewett Works

This photo: For a couple's house in Paradise Valley, architect C.P. Drewett created a sleek modern kitchen with Caesarstone counters and tile backsplashes from Art Stone LLC. Porcelain-tile floors from Villagio Tile & Stone provide contrast to the dark-stained vertical-grain white-oak cabinetry fabricated by Reliance Custom Cabinets. Positioned near the base of iconic Camelback Mountain, “Outside In” is a modernist home celebrating the love of outdoor living Arizonans crave. The design inspiration was honoring early territorial architecture while applying modernist design principles. Dressed with undulating negra cantera stone, the massing elements of “Outside In” bring an artistic stature to the project’s design hierarchy. This home boasts a first (never seen before feature) — a re-entrant pocketing door which unveils virtually the entire home’s living space to the exterior pool and view terrace. A timeless chocolate and white palette makes this home both elegant and refined. Oriented south, the spectacular interior natural light illuminates what promises to become another timeless piece of architecture for the Paradise Valley landscape. Project Details | Outside In Architect: CP Drewett, AIA, NCARB, Drewett Works Builder: Bedbrock Developers Interior Designer: Ownby Design Photographer: Werner Segarra Publications: Luxe Interiors & Design, Jan/Feb 2018, "Outside In: Optimized for Entertaining, a Paradise Valley Home Connects with its Desert Surrounds" Awards: Gold Nugget Awards - 2018 Award of Merit – Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home – Custom The Nationals - 2017 Silver Award -- Best Architectural Design of a One of a Kind Home - Custom or Spec http://www.drewettworks.com/outside-in/

Vallejo Court Project

AFT Construction

Open Kitchen with large island. Two-tone cabinetry with decorative end panels. White quartz counters with stainless steel hood and brass pendant light fixtures.

Blessings Golf Course Home

Celtic Custom Homes

The knobs and pulls came from a company called "Top Knobs" and the color of them is brushed bronze. The kitchen faucet is from "Trinsic" and the color is champagne, the faucet number is #9159CZDST

Brainerd Lakes Shingle Style

John Kraemer & Sons

Builder: John Kraemer & Sons | Architecture: Murphy & Co. Design | Interiors: Engler Studio | Photography: Corey Gaffer

Great Room Island

Francie Milano Kitchens inc.

Wood-Mode "Brandywine Recessed" cabinets in a Vintage Nordic White finish on Maple. Wood-Mode Oil-Rubbed Bronze Hardware. Taj Mahal Leathered Quartzite Countertops with Ogee Edges on Island and 1/8" Radius Edges on Perimeter. Photo: John Martinelli

Glen Haven Residence

Ponciano Design

Dimensions (Contemporary)

Capitol Countertops

Add another dimension to your design with a variety of on-trend edge profiles and laminate surfaces. Exclusive edge profiles and an assortment of beautiful color and pattern options bring distinct style to any space.

ALCHEMY

KabCo Kitchens

A South Florida Ranch was updated with a new kitchen, layout, cabinets, appliances and quartz counters. Stone walls, restored hardwood floors and over-sized pendants add charm and warmth to this bright space.

Large Open Plan Kitchen 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!