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Open Plan Kitchen Ideas and Designs

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Manzanita Drive Addition & Remodel
Manzanita Drive Addition & Remodel
Burton ArchitectureBurton Architecture
modern kitchen addition and living room/dining room remodel photos: Cesar Rubio (www.cesarrubio.com)
This is an example of a modern open plan kitchen in San Francisco.
APPARTEMENT FESSART
APPARTEMENT FESSART
UserUser
Bertrand Fompeyrine
Design ideas for a medium sized scandi galley open plan kitchen in Paris with a double-bowl sink, wood worktops, black appliances, light hardwood flooring, an island and brown splashback.
Palmetto Bluff - Private Residence
Palmetto Bluff - Private Residence
Linda McDougald Design | Postcard from Paris HomeLinda McDougald Design | Postcard from Paris Home
This lovely home sits in one of the most pristine and preserved places in the country - Palmetto Bluff, in Bluffton, SC. The natural beauty and richness of this area create an exceptional place to call home or to visit. The house lies along the river and fits in perfectly with its surroundings. 4,000 square feet - four bedrooms, four and one-half baths All photos taken by Rachael Boling Photography
A Plan for the Ages
A Plan for the Ages
Meadowlark Design+BuildMeadowlark Design+Build
A Meadowlark kitchen that's both functional and fashionable. In this LEED Platinum home by Meadowlark Design + Build in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
This is an example of a medium sized traditional u-shaped open plan kitchen in Detroit with medium wood cabinets, black appliances, medium hardwood flooring, shaker cabinets, a breakfast bar, beige floors, black worktops and laminate countertops.
Kitchen Island with Custom Wine Storage
Kitchen Island with Custom Wine Storage
General AssemblyGeneral Assembly
Open plan kitchen and living room with custom kitchen island that includes wine storage. Open shelving mounted on steel brackets support dishes and provide for light from above.
Schaaf
Schaaf
Old School CabinetsOld School Cabinets
Photo of a classic open plan kitchen in Minneapolis with recessed-panel cabinets and light wood cabinets.
Studio - Paris 5
Studio - Paris 5
Cécile Humbert - Design d'intérieurCécile Humbert - Design d'intérieur
Cuisine noire avec plan de travail en bois massif et étagères. Ouverte sur le salon avec délimitation au sol par du carrelage imitation carreaux de ciment.
Kitchen
Kitchen
Laidlaw Schultz architectsLaidlaw Schultz architects
Design ideas for a midcentury open plan kitchen in Orange County with flat-panel cabinets and dark wood cabinets.
LivingHomes C6 designed by the Curated
LivingHomes C6 designed by the Curated
Izumi Tanaka PhotographyIzumi Tanaka Photography
Sustainable pre-fab home unveiled by LivingHomes designed by The Curated for TED Conference in Long Beach. Photos by Izumi Tanaka
Inspiration for a modern open plan kitchen in Los Angeles.
Evanston Project
Evanston Project
Jane Kelly, Kitchen and Bath DesignerJane Kelly, Kitchen and Bath Designer
Inspiration for a traditional open plan kitchen in Other.
Transitional Kitchen
Transitional Kitchen
Photo of a traditional open plan kitchen in Denver with recessed-panel cabinets, stainless steel appliances, medium wood cabinets and multi-coloured splashback.
Sellwood Writer's Loft
Sellwood Writer's Loft
Angela Todd Studios | Portland, ORAngela Todd Studios | Portland, OR
When Portland-based writer Donald Miller was looking to make improvements to his Sellwood loft, he asked a friend for a referral. He and Angela were like old buddies almost immediately. “Don naturally has good design taste and knows what he likes when he sees it. He is true to an earthy color palette; he likes Craftsman lines, cozy spaces, and gravitates to things that give him inspiration, memories and nostalgia. We made key changes that personalized his loft and surrounded him in pieces that told the story of his life, travels and aspirations,” Angela recalled. Like all writers, Don is an avid book reader, and we helped him display his books in a way that they were accessible and meaningful – building a custom bookshelf in the living room. Don is also a world traveler, and had many mementos from journeys. Although, it was necessary to add accessory pieces to his home, we were very careful in our selection process. We wanted items that carried a story, and didn’t appear that they were mass produced in the home décor market. For example, we found a 1930’s typewriter in Portland’s Alameda District to serve as a focal point for Don’s coffee table – a piece that will no doubt launch many interesting conversations. We LOVE and recommend Don’s books. For more information visit www.donmilleris.com For more about Angela Todd Studios, click here: https://www.angelatoddstudios.com/
Hollywood Regency Kitchen
Hollywood Regency Kitchen
Peg Berens Interior Design LLCPeg Berens Interior Design LLC
Please visit my website directly by copying and pasting this link directly into your browser: http://www.berensinteriors.com/ to learn more about this project and how we may work together! The modern custom cabinets and the 1-1/2" thick solid glass countertop adds a hint of excitement to the home. Robert Naik Photography.
beach house kitchen
beach house kitchen
UserUser
kelleya dn company home
Photo of an eclectic open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with open cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback and metro tiled splashback.
Tegnérgatan 25a
Tegnérgatan 25a
coloredhomecoloredhome
Foto: Gustav Aldin SE 360
Design ideas for a small urban single-wall open plan kitchen in Stockholm with medium wood cabinets, wood worktops, white splashback, glass tiled splashback and medium hardwood flooring.
Appartement 90M2 à Neuilly
Appartement 90M2 à Neuilly
KERMAREC - Menuiserie & RénovationKERMAREC - Menuiserie & Rénovation
Photo of a medium sized contemporary galley open plan kitchen in Paris with a submerged sink, white cabinets, beige splashback, integrated appliances, medium hardwood flooring and no island.
Paradise Valley Residence
Paradise Valley Residence
180 degrees180 degrees
Baxter Imaging, LLC
Inspiration for a modern open plan kitchen in Phoenix with flat-panel cabinets and stainless steel appliances.
Open Kitchen to Living
Open Kitchen to Living
Carlos Delgado ArchitectCarlos Delgado Architect
Houzz Feature - How to Configure Your Kitchen Sink: https://www.houzz.com/magazine/how-to-configure-your-kitchen-sink-stsetivw-vs~14444958
Bratislava Apartment
Bratislava Apartment
Gut GutGut Gut
This is an example of an industrial single-wall open plan kitchen with open cabinets, blue cabinets and turquoise worktops.
Contemporary Shaker Kitchen
Contemporary Shaker Kitchen
Tom HowleyTom Howley
This bright and light shaker style kitchen is painted in bespoke Tom Howley paint colour; Chicory, the light Ivory Spice granite worktops and Mazzano Tumbled marble flooring create a heightened sense of space.

Open Plan Kitchen Ideas and Designs

Want to discover beautiful kitchen ideas to inspire your new kitchen design? You’ve come to the right place. You can discover millions of kitchen designs and ideas; from kitchen islands and storage units, to all sorts of kitchen lighting ideas, such as pendant lighting or under cabinet lighting. Whether you want inspiration for all-in-one fitted kitchen designs, some small kitchen ideas or maybe just some tips for improving your kitchen decor, there are tons of photos to inspire you for your next kitchen project on Houzz.

What kind of kitchen design should I go for?

With so many kitchen ideas and photos to look at you might be a bit overwhelmed when it comes to picking your own kitchen design. If you are updating your kitchen you know what a big and important decision it is to get the design right – the kitchen can be the hub and heart of the home, and it’s unlikely that you would invest in renovating your kitchen again in a few years. But fear not, focusing first on the important elements like layout, cabinet style, worktops and appliances will help you to bring together your dream kitchen design. Additional elements like kitchen lighting, cupboard storage and decor can come after in the kitchen planning process. A kitchen designer or fitter can help you to decide the layout of your kitchen in terms of where to place your kitchen units, appliances and island (if you’re having one), but if you prefer to handle this yourself you can focus on where you want your key elements of your kitchen to be – the oven, hob, sink and fridge. Of course you might be constricted by space, but try to envisage the easiest and most efficient layout based on how you usually like to cook and prepare your food. If you’re fed up of always having to carry dirty pans and pots across the room to the sink, place the sink closer to your oven and hob. Once you have the core elements sorted, consider extra layout considerations, such as where your bins will be stored, where the cutlery draw should be and where small kitchen appliances can be installed.

Should I include a kitchen island?

Kitchen island ideas are abundant these days; it seems most kitchen designs include a kitchen island, if not multiple islands. However, if the layout doesn’t work, especially if you have a small kitchen, then there’s no necessity to add in a kitchen island. You can add a breakfast bar or counter to your existing kitchen units, or stick with a good old-fashioned dining table if you don’t need the extra work surfaces. That said, if you do have the room, take a look at some kitchen island ideas to see if the designs inspire you for your kitchen. There are a huge variety of island designs to cater to different needs – you can have sinks, ovens, hobs, wine storage and all sorts of drawers and organisers built-in, you can have separate bars and counters that extend from your island, or you could go for a kitchen island on wheels to make your kitchen layout more versatile.

How do I choose my kitchen units and cabinets?

When picking out kitchen units and cupboard styles for a fitted kitchen, you’ll first want to consider the more practical questions – how many units do you need? How many cupboards and drawers do you need? Do you need extra kitchen storage built into your units? It’s always best to overestimate how much kitchen storage you’ll need as we all tend to have a habit of filling up whatever current space we have to the maximum. Next you can consider kitchen cabinet style and colour. Shaker style cabinets and raised and recessed panel cabinets offer a more traditional kitchen cabinet look, while flat panel cabinet doors tend to lend more to the modern and contemporary style. However, going for raised or recessed panel work in a striking colour such as dark blue, green or black can still work with contemporary kitchen ideas. White kitchens can give a sleek and clean feel, but remember you may have to do a bit more cleaning of those cupboard doors if you want everything to stay shiny and fresh. Of course, grey kitchens are the neutral colour choice du jour and can be paired with pale and rich shades alike if you want your fitted kitchen cupboards to contrast with your worktop, splashback, floor, or all of the above. Exposed shelving and storage is also popular for eclectic, Scandi and industrial-inspired looks, so you could opt for glass-fronted cabinets or no wall-mounted cabinets at all. Remember that this will require more restraint in what you can store and more effort in keeping it looking presentable compared to what is stored away hastily behind cupboard doors. The kitchen cupboard handles are also another element to decide upon – do you want traditional round knobs, modern metal bars, country kitchen cup handles or maybe to go ultra sleek with a completely handleless kitchen?

What kitchen storage ideas should I consider?

If you want to keep your kitchen well-stocked and well-equipped but don’t want it spilling over with clutter, then you’ll need to rely on good kitchen storage. Apart from the usual fitted kitchen cupboards and drawer space, there are many other ways of keeping your kitchen tidy. Whilst a large kitchen pantry is the dream of most homeowners, it can’t always be a reality. However, there are now lots of pull out compartments and drawers with trays and shelving that can act as mini kitchen pantries, and you can install handy cupboard organisers that fit onto the inside of the door to make the most of your cupboard space. You can also look at corner drawers and cupboards that open up to reveal lots of extra storage. Rails or small shelves along your kitchen walls or splashback can help with hanging utensils or pans, or storing small items like herbs and spices in an usually empty space. Buy extra kitchen storage products for your home on Houzz

Are there small kitchen ideas for small spaces?

If you’re working with a galley kitchen, a one-wall kitchen in an open plan space or just a pretty small kitchen, there are some small kitchen ideas that can help you get the most out of your cooking and dining area. If you find that you don’t utilise the back of your cupboards (maybe they become the graveyard for out-of-date tin cans), you could decide to go with shallower kitchen units to free up some extra floor space in front of your cabinets. As mentioned, open shelving or glass-fronted cabinets are a popular trend and they should make the space feel more open and less boxed-in. However, if you have the capacity for it, cupboards and kitchen units that maximise the floor-to-ceiling space you have will mean you can use all of that for valuable kitchen storage. Wall or ceiling racks could be a useful solution for hanging pans and pots if you’ve run out of cupboards in which to store them. Kitchen ideas and accessories such as baskets, trolleys and storage jars are both aesthetically pleasing and practical as they give you extra storage space. Kitchen appliances like a fridge or dishwasher can be tucked away in built-in units in fitted kitchens so they blend into your layout and don’t make the space look crowded. Discover all the small kitchen ideas you could need by taking a look at photos of compact kitchens.

What sort of kitchen lighting should I go for?

In the kitchen you need to have practical lighting – no one wants to chop, cut and cook in a dingy room. Kitchen ceiling lights are probably the best way to go, but should you opt for recessed spotlights or traditional hanging ceiling lights? While spotlight LED kitchen lighting will give you excellent light, they may not fit with a design that’s not contemporary. Traditional chandelier lights could work for other kitchen styles, and of course, kitchen pendant lighting comes in all sorts of styles, colours and designs. While the popular choice is to go with one or two pendant lights over your kitchen island, you could also opt for a single pendant light over your dining space, or a few spaced out across your kitchen. Of course, if you want good lighting for your worktops, under-cabinet lighting is the way forward. Speak to your kitchen supplier about having this pre-installed, or there are a number of easy-install options you can fit yourself or with the help of a lighting expert or electrician. In the market for your kitchen lighting today? Once you’ve found some inspiring kitchen lighting ideas here, take a look at our kitchen lighting products to find the new lights for your kitchen project.

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