UltraCraft Piper door in Kona Vertical Finish

Mary Porzelt of Boston Kitchen Designs

Palomar

Che Interiors

The client came to us looking for a kitchen remodel for her Redwood City home. She donned a wild, colorful skirt and a charming personality—and she was looking to echo her style in her home. We were smitten with the client who travels the world with her partner collecting odd and wonderful items: goose feet salt-and-pepper stoneware, strange furniture, off-the-wall lamp fixtures, and a cow portrait from Istanbul aptly titled Miss Cow. To match and balance their collection and personalities, we embraced the eclectic in subtle but significant ways. First, we brought the outside in. We removed a few walls to open the kitchen into the dining and living space and to the large, floor-to-ceiling windows that lined the west side of the home. These look over a large acre of land that’s carefully kept and worked to grow an abundance of vegetables, and they introduced a vibrant scene to the kitchen. We chose soft, light colors for the kitchen cabinets and backspace with simple, homey stainless steel and glass wall cabinets. This allowed the clients’ colorful accessories and fresh goods to shine. Then, as a statement piece, we used a faux marble backsplash and countertop—understated to marry well with the vibrant home, but iconic. We contrasted this with a Belgian-blue Neolith countertop on the island where the goose feet stoneware would live. As the final touch, we brought in Miss Cow, whose bright green background and pink nose added the perfect pop of color and demanded attention. Finally, we vetted a contractor to work on the updates—someone both we and the client could trust.

View from Family Room

Matrix Design Group LLC

The seagrass counter and island stools add texture and interest to the kitchen. Photo Credit: Kathy Bustard, Mija Art + Design www.mijaartanddesign.com

Kitchen and Great Room

ING Construction

Complete ADU Build; Framing, drywall, insulation, carpentry and all required electrical and plumbing needs per the ADU build. Installation of all tile; Kitchen flooring and backsplash. Installation of hardwood flooring and base molding. Installation of all Kitchen cabinets as well as a fresh paint to finish.

College Park Renovation

Piller & Putz Construction

Amsterdam

Cocottes Studio

Baypointe Drive 2

Dream Kitchen and Bath

Bentley Home

Bentley Construction LLC

Laser cut backsplash

Karen Liberman Design, LLC

Karen Liberman

Finger Pull Kitchen Cabinets

Improva

Rockville, MD First Floor Addition

Cabinet Discounters, Inc.

This expansive kitchen pairs maple cabinets from Brighton Cabinetry in a maple natural finish and Wabash door style along with ocre granite counter tops. Along with regular kitchen amenities, the kitchen offers many unique features including a window seat, built-in wine fridge and multiple storage areas for pots, pans and cookbooks. Dan Krotz, Cabinet Discounters, Inc.

Purple Passion

Rhonda Knoche Design

This colorful family wanted to reflect their love of art, color and their personality in a bold way. Long time fans of purple, orange and Moroccan styles, they sought a designer who would help support that adventure vs. the more traveled path of neutral trends. Cabin 40 Images

Prince "Purple Rain" Tribute Kitchen

Nar Design Group

What used to be a cramped and dark space with mustard linoleum floors and 360 degrees of wood paneling, has become a sleek and modern reflection of a home owner’s courage and passion for living the dream. Flat panel cabinet doors and a kidney shaped island table give an appreciative nod towards mid-century aesthetics. Intentional design choices and current technology such as the recessed range hood and The Galley workstation assures the new space will function to the highest degree. Storage is plentiful between all of the large drawers and deep cabinets, the metal tambour cabinet houses all of the smaller appliances. The multi-tiered island showcases a variety of colors and textures working in perfect harmony. The higher side faces the doorway to the kitchen and acts as a bit of visual separation between it and the Entry. Dekton counters are the perfect maintenance free surface. A fitting and affectionate tribute to a brilliant musician. Photo credit: Fred Donham of PhotographerLink

Modern handleless kitchen in Kent

Greygreen (SE) Ltd

Lisa, and her husband, had come together combining two families of teenagers. This kitchen had to be stylish and fit in with their ‘leisure’ area, which included a cinema room and ‘Pub’ room with a fullsize snooker table, for entertaining friends and relatives. This beautiful handleless Biefbi Italian kitchen area, with its large radius units and high gloss doors (6 coats of lacquer, features all the conveniences of a modern kitchen; fridge, oven, dishwasher, waste disposal unit, hob and a ceiling mounted hood with lighting. The white quartz worktop, with a white ceramic sink unit, and featured bar area allowed for casual dining, drinks and coffees

New Project

Karen Linder Interior Designs

Derwood, MD Kitchen Quartz

Cabinet Discounters, Inc.

Dan Krotz, Cabinet Discounters, Inc.

Purple Kitchen with Light Hardwood Floors 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!