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World-Inspired Kitchen Ideas and Designs

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Hawaii Residence
Hawaii Residence
UserUser
Photography by Matthew Millman
Photo of a world-inspired kitchen in Hawaii with flat-panel cabinets and stainless steel appliances.
Plantation by the Sea
Plantation by the Sea
Archipelago Hawaii Luxury Home DesignsArchipelago Hawaii Luxury Home Designs
Photographer: Augie Salbosa
Photo of a world-inspired open plan kitchen in Hawaii with raised-panel cabinets, wood worktops and green cabinets.
Mid-Century Asian
Mid-Century Asian
Richard Landon DesignRichard Landon Design
Because the refrigerator greeted guests, we softened its appearance by surrounding it with perforated stainless steel as door panels. They, in turn, flowed naturally off the hand-cast glass with a yarn-like texture. The textures continue into the backsplash with the 1"-square mosaic tile. The copper drops are randomly distributed throughout it, just slightly more concentrated behind the cooktop. The Thermador hood pulls out when in use. The crown molding was milled to follow the angle of the sloped ceiling. Roger Turk, Northlight Photography
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Tropical Home
Tropical Home
BARRETT STUDIO architectsBARRETT STUDIO architects
This bioclimatic custom residence on a small lake in Orlando, Florida, brings open, flow through living to its tropical garden site. Three pavilions provide live/work/guest spaces, intertwining architecture with awesome mature live oaks. Dramatic cantilevers provide shade and dynamic movement. The simplicity of the architecture meets a cooly casual materials palette, including ocala block, galvalume, and corrugated cement siding on the exterior, with terrazzo floors, louvered windows and exposed block on the interior.
Tropical Kitchen
Tropical Kitchen
Photo of a large world-inspired galley open plan kitchen in Hawaii with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, wood worktops, multi-coloured splashback, integrated appliances, limestone flooring, multiple islands and limestone splashback.
Balinese Influenced Kitchen
Balinese Influenced Kitchen
Robin Rigby Fisher, CMKBD/CAPS/CLIPPSRobin Rigby Fisher, CMKBD/CAPS/CLIPPS
“I don’t want my kitchen to look like anyone else’s.” This was the client’s request to the designer. Influenced by the style of Bali and the client’s own design sense, the new style was dubbed “Julinese” (her name is Julie). In keeping with the Balinese style, bold design elements were chosen – 6” pyramidal columns stained with a deep java finish, support the 3” thick Purple Dunas granite countertops and the custom glass eating bar. The electrical outlets are housed in these columns. Further supporting the Balinese theme, the ceiling over the island was raised in a pyramid style – evoking an outdoor feel. Kable lighting illuminates the kitchen. Topping the cabinets along the walls and the window sill are dark grey 3” thick concrete counters. When the folding windows are open, the sill becomes a 15” deep serving bar for outdoor entertaining. For ergonomics – the dishwasher and microwave were raised to 42” and 54” comparatively. Additional Design elements: Cork floors in Autumn and Black Pepper finish Custom design cabinet doors support the strong linear lines. Stainless Steel Farm Sink Eclipse Architectural Folding window and door Cheng Design Custom Hood
Private Residence 4 in Southwest Florida
Private Residence 4 in Southwest Florida
Collins DuPont Design GroupCollins DuPont Design Group
Lori Hamilton
This is an example of a world-inspired kitchen in Miami with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, beige cabinets and beige floors.
Kanae Lot 1
Kanae Lot 1
GM Construction, Inc.GM Construction, Inc.
This is an example of a world-inspired grey and cream kitchen in Hawaii with metro tiled splashback.
Price
Price
Freestyle InteriorsFreestyle Interiors
Large world-inspired l-shaped kitchen/diner in Miami with a submerged sink, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, dark hardwood flooring, granite worktops, mosaic tiled splashback, an island and brown floors.
Kitchen, Tribecca Loft, New York City
Kitchen, Tribecca Loft, New York City
Vanni Archive/Architectural PhotographyVanni Archive/Architectural Photography
World-inspired single-wall open plan kitchen in New York with a built-in sink.
Bonefish Bay
Bonefish Bay
JMA INTERIOR DESIGNJMA INTERIOR DESIGN
Photography by Barry Fitzgerald
Photo of a world-inspired kitchen/diner in Miami with white cabinets, integrated appliances and raised-panel cabinets.
St. Louis Heights
St. Louis Heights
Barker Kappelle Construction, LLCBarker Kappelle Construction, LLC
Bradbury Photography
World-inspired galley kitchen/diner in Hawaii with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, light hardwood flooring, a double-bowl sink, laminate countertops and stainless steel appliances.
Coastal Living | Davis Island | Interior Design
Coastal Living | Davis Island | Interior Design
Studio M Interior DesignStudio M Interior Design
Daniel Newcomb
Design ideas for a world-inspired u-shaped kitchen/diner in Tampa with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, granite worktops, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tiled splashback and stainless steel appliances.
Hale Aina By The Sea
Hale Aina By The Sea
Archipelago Hawaii Luxury Home DesignsArchipelago Hawaii Luxury Home Designs
Photography: Augie Salbosa Kitchen remodel Sub-Zero / Wolf appliances Butcher countertop Studio Becker Cabinetry Cork flooring Ice Stone countertop Glass backsplash
P A L M E R A L
P A L M E R A L
House of HackneyHouse of Hackney
World-inspired kitchen in London.
Contemporary Style in Laguna Beach, California
Contemporary Style in Laguna Beach, California
Wendi Young DesignWendi Young Design
Toby Ponnay
This is an example of a world-inspired kitchen in Orange County with stainless steel appliances.
A modern country kitchen
A modern country kitchen
Johnny Grey Studios.Johnny Grey Studios.
Our brief was to create a calm, modern country kitchen that avoided cliches - and to intrinsically link to the garden. A weekend escape for a busy family who come down to escape the city, to enjoy their art collection, garden and cook together. The design springs from my neuroscience research and is based on appealing to our hard wired needs, our fundamental instincts - sociability, easy movement, art, comfort, hearth, smells, readiness for visitors, view of outdoors and a place to eat. The key design innovation was the use of soft geometry, not so much in the planning but in the three dimensionality of the furniture which grows out of the floor in an organic way. The soft geometry is in the profile of the pieces, not in their footprint. The users can stroke the furniture, lie against it and feel its softness, all of which helps the visitors to kitchen linger and chat. The fireplace is located in the middle between the cooking zone and the garden. There is plenty of room to draw up a chair and just sit around. The fold-out doors let the landscape into the space in a generous way, especially on summer days when the weather makes the indoors and outdoors come together. The sight lines from the main cooking and preparation island offer views of the garden throughout the seasons, as well as people coming into the room and those seating at the table - so it becomes a command position or what we call the sweet spot. This often results in there being a family competition to do the cooking. The woods are Canadian Maple, Australian rosewood and Eucalyptus. All appliances are Gaggenau and Fisher and Paykel.
Kitchen
Kitchen
Architectural Design & ConstructionArchitectural Design & Construction
Tropical Light Photography.
Inspiration for a medium sized world-inspired u-shaped open plan kitchen in Hawaii with stainless steel appliances, a submerged sink, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, orange splashback, stone slab splashback and an island.
Madeira Condo Remodel in Marco Island, FL
Madeira Condo Remodel in Marco Island, FL
41 West41 West
World-inspired u-shaped kitchen/diner in Miami with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, integrated appliances, granite worktops, stone slab splashback, porcelain flooring and an island.

World-Inspired Kitchen Ideas and Designs

Want to discover beautiful world-inspired kitchen ideas to inspire your new kitchen design? You’ve come to the right place. You can discover millions of world-inspired 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 world-inspired photos to inspire you for your next kitchen project on Houzz.

What kind of world-inspired 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 world-inspired 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 world-inspired 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 world-inspired 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 world-inspired 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 world-inspired kitchen storage ideas should I consider?

If you want to keep your world-inspired 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 world-inspired 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 world-inspired 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 Moroccan style 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 world-inspired 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 world-inspired 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.

Check out these popular kitchen pages below:

KITCHEN
KITCHEN
John Lum Architecture, Inc. AIAJohn Lum Architecture, Inc. AIA
Stuart Szerwo photographer
Photo of a world-inspired kitchen in San Francisco with wood worktops and medium wood cabinets.
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