Gorgeous French Country style kitchen featuring a rustic cherry hood with coordinating island. White inset cabinetry frames the dark cherry creating a timeless design.

The Evans Floor Plan as a Model Home

farm sink in island

We created a practical, L-shaped kitchen layout with an island bench integrated into the “golden triangle” that reduces steps between sink, stovetop and refrigerator for efficient use of space and ergonomics. Instead of a splashback, windows are slotted in between the kitchen benchtop and overhead cupboards to allow natural light to enter the generous kitchen space. Overhead cupboards have been stretched to ceiling height to maximise storage space. Timber screening was installed on the kitchen ceiling and wrapped down to form a bookshelf in the living area, then linked to the timber flooring. This creates a continuous flow and draws attention from the living area to establish an ambience of natural warmth, creating a minimalist and elegant kitchen. The island benchtop is covered with extra large format porcelain tiles in a 'Calacatta' profile which are have the look of marble but are scratch and stain resistant. The 'crisp white' finish applied on the overhead cupboards blends well into the 'natural oak' look over the lower cupboards to balance the neutral timber floor colour.

Franklin Farmhouse feel

Terri Sears, Kitchen and Bath Designer

Photography by Melissa M. Mills

Malvern East

Heartly

Reformas en Murcia

G2S Construcción & Diseño

West Annapolis

Rogue Home Interiors

Modern farmhouse kitchen with a rustic, walnut island which features a shelf to stash electronics for easy access.

Daniel Island Drive

Delpino Custom Homes

Photography by Patrick Brickman

Pasteur

Pamela Martin

Transitional Kitchen and First Floor Flock Remodel - Naperville

Redstart Construction, Inc.

Picture Perfect House

Frost Island with Perfect Veining on Counter Top

Kitchen Intuitions

Large Frost colored island with a thick counter top gives a more contemporary look.

Iwe-house

スレッドデザインスタジオ

キッチン

Santa Cruz Modern Ranch Home

Lydia Lyons Designs

Heath Little Diamond ceramic tile backsplash, painted cabinets, stained oak floating shelves.

Allentown, Pa New Build Pennsylvania Custom Farmhouse and Barn

lisa furey interiors

Fortson Avenue

Spruill Custom Homes, LLC

48м2 ЖК Заельцовский

Бюро интерьеров Method

Eclectic & Colorful, Greensboro, NC

Jessica Dauray Interiors/Elements Of Style

luna bianco: modern elegance in a 1960s home renovation

CRL Stone

Creating a sleek, modern and minimal new-look in a traditional 1960s built home, Luna Bianco is the ideal choice for a busy family kitchen that needs to work hard and look good. When the owners of the three-bed semi-detached property in Cheshire approached CSS Granite for help sourcing the perfect worksurface to complement their choice of handleless furniture in timeless matt white, Luna Bianco by CRL Stone was suggested as the ideal solution. Extended to create a larger kitchen and living area, the space, measuring around 7m long by 4m wide, was designed to be functional and modern, with a working kitchen complete with island at the centre of the room. The handleless furniture is sleek and modern, giving the kitchen a light, airy feel, with the homeowners envisaging a white stone worktop with a slight pattern as a practical solution. Matching shades of white can be more complex than it sounds, however, and after much searching, the property owners were unable to find the ideal surface with a non-repetitive, soft pattern that they wanted. Until that is, they were shown a sample of Luna Bianco. “When we saw a sample of Luna Bianco we instantly understood that this was the one. We arranged to go and see a full size slab of the stone and we liked it even more. It is very original, very different from any stone we had looked at. We like that it has golden shades as well as grey and white,” the homeowner explains. una Bianco (Super Honed) is a cool grey and white quartz surface featuring cloud-like swirls and soft grey veining. With all the enduring and durable qualities CRL Quartz offers, this extremely versatile design can be paired with a multitude of colour palettes and textural design elements. “Our kitchen has a lot of stone including the splashbacks, worktops and the island with waterfalls. We had some concerns that it could be very busy with too much pattern. However there was no need to worry, Luna Bianco looks wonderful and the pattern is very subtle. We also like its matt finish, which again is very modern and different from most stones,” comments the homeowner. With the hob integrated into the central island, seating running along its length and a long black pendant lighting above, this is now the perfect space for cooking and socialising.

NICOLLET

Kate Roos Design LLC

With the wall between the kitchen and living room removed, the hood surround with it's subtle curves becomes a commanding focal point. Two islands, one for work and one for socializing, help define the space. The new oak floors throughout the first floor add a casual and inviting feel.

Open Plan Kitchen with White Benchtop 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!