Kitchen ideas: kitchen design, colour and island inspiration

Kitchen remodeling is a fun project, but getting started may be difficult. Whether you're working with a tight or a loose budget, you'll be able to implement your vision for the perfect kitchen with the aid of our design suggestions.

In this article, we'll go over some of the most important aspects of kitchen design, from picking the correct layout to adjusting the lighting.

Check out our best kitchen brands guide before making any purchases or before getting started so you know exactly which firms are the most reputable. Their reliability, responsiveness to customers' needs, and cost-effectiveness have all been evaluated by their clientele.

Check out our top kitchen units page to see which three manufacturers' appliances received our highest recommendation after being tested in our own facility.

Ideas for Kitchen Layouts

Prior to beginning, plan out the kitchen's layout. There are six primary types of kitchen designs:

"L" shaped kitchens

Kitchens in the form of a "U"

The G-shaped kitchen

Appliances that only need one wall in the kitchen

Kitchen layouts with an island

Space-saving galleys.

Have a look at our gallery to see some samples of each category:

Pictures of kitchen designs

Typical B&Q L-shaped kitchen designs

Kitchen plans U form Wickes

Plans for G-shaped kitchens on a magnet

Ikea's single-wall open-concept kitchen designs.

Designs for kitchens Continent-like dwelling of the wren

Galley kitchens are a popular kind of kitchen layout.

In an L-shaped kitchen, the two adjacent walls form the two sides of the workspace. In a communal setting, they may work well.

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B&Q's L-shaped kitchen designs

U-shaped kitchen designs by Wickes.

G-shaped magnet kitchen plans

Designs for open-concept kitchens with just one partition at Ikea

Designs for kitchens Continent-like dwelling of the wren

Galley kitchens are a popular kind of kitchen layout.

B&Q, Wickes, Magnet, Ikea, and Wren Kitchens are all shown above (in order shown).

Visit our kitchen planning guide for extra information on getting the details right and avoiding common blunders after you have a better concept of what you want.

Our top kitchen brands list features ratings for these firms based on user feedback and details about how their products fared in our lab tests.

Looking for the best layout for a small kitchen? On see our comprehensive guide to tiny kitchen design, click here.

Carts in the kitchen

People's fantasies of the perfect kitchen often include an extravagant island. There is a wide variety of sizes and functions for kitchen islands. To name a few:

perfect for stowing away more items, and open to a wide range of storage choices

excellent for making a kitchen island with a breakfast bar or extra seats.

ideal for serving as a showpiece or focal point in your cooking space

to quickly and easily make additional room for desk space

convenient for storing cookware and other household necessities

zone off your kitchen for maximum efficiency in an open floor layout.

Consider the flow of traffic in your kitchen and where the island will fit in. What are you planning to do with it? In what ways will this change the way the rest of your kitchen functions? It will be easier to decide on a size and style, as well as where to put it, if you have that information.

Even if you don't have a lot of room, an island may be as large as you want it to be. One on wheels allows you to easily relocate it as necessary (more on this below).

For even more square footage savings, consider a peninsula. This is the part of the space where the cabinets extend out from your present kitchen. View an illustration here.

Think about how much room it will take up and how much free space you will have around it before making any decisions. Consider the "kitchen triangle," a handy diagram for determining the optimal spacing between essential appliances.

Our kitchen planning page has additional information on this, as well as how to incorporate an island into your layout.

To get you started visualizing your ideal kitchen, our collection features a variety of kitchen island designs, from islands with seats to islands that make a statement.

Island kitchen design photos

A wooden-topped, freestanding island in a blue, open-concept kitchen

An under-seat storage area is concealed under a grey kitchen island in a white, conventional kitchen.

With its contemporary blue and white color scheme, this kitchen island is both practical and stylish.

Traditional white kitchen with an open floor layout, with a black island for extra seating.

White, contemporary kitchen with a wooden island that serves as extra storage space.

A little grey island with a wood countertop sits in a white kitchen.

The peninsula of a contemporary kitchen is white and wood.

The kitchen is black and white, with a narrow sitting island in the middle.

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A wooden-topped, freestanding island in a blue, open-concept kitchen

An under-seat storage area is concealed under a grey kitchen island in a white, conventional kitchen.

With its contemporary blue and white color scheme, this kitchen island is both practical and stylish.

Traditional white kitchen with an open floor layout, with a black island for extra seating.

White and contemporary kitchen with a wooden island that has storage

A little grey island in a white kitchen, topped with wood.

Peninsula in a contemporary white and wood kitchen

A black and white kitchen with a thin sitting island.

Free-standing bar stools

Simply put, an island that isn't permanently attached to the counter or another piece of furniture is called a "freestanding kitchen island" (you can see a couple of examples in the gallery above).

Depending on your preference, a freestanding kitchen island may include legs that elevate it somewhat off the floor or even make it more like a table. They might be as little as a speck or as huge as a continent. Keep in mind that these islands often do not have plumbing or appliances installed.

An alternative aesthetic is provided by freestanding islands, which draw attention to the flooring and give the room a more spacious impression. You may experiment with alternative looks and other ways of storing things, too.

You may also get ones that roll on wheels, making it easy to transport from the kitchen to the dining area or vice versa. Most use open shelving rather than cabinets for easier portability.

If you're interested in this model, it's important to choose one that has wheel locks to keep it in place. You should also consider whether or not you have the necessary storage space in your kitchen for the appliance to be relocated.

Alternatively, you might utilize an upcycled piece of furniture, such as a sideboard or console table, as a portable island. Make sure it's completed so that rain won't ruin it.

Check out our Kitchen Planning page for additional information on designing your dream kitchen, and our Small Kitchen Ideas page for creative solutions to working with a limited amount of square footage.