Designing a modern kitchen means taking a new look at many materials and applying them in new and innovative ways. From stainless steel to laminate countertops, the modern kitchen is about sleek lines, ease of maintenance and rich, eye popping color.
The Modern Kitchen Cabinet
There are many ways to utilize the kitchen cabinets to give a kitchen a modern feel. Frosted and semi-opaque glass can be used in place of solid panels to give a shadowy impression of the contents within. Back lighting the glass panels brings a soft glow to the space and helps highlight the design.
Slab doors in deep, rich woods, or bright laminate colors create a sleek look that can light up the space. Bold color choices are an integral part of the modern kitchen, and bringing them to the kitchen cabinets makes a big statement, saying a lot about the space and the homeowner.
Stainless cabinet doors, with horizontal lines can help to visually enlarge and elongate a small or narrow kitchen. Combining these cabinets with a stainless counter and appliances helps to create an unbroken looks that can broaden the space.
Kitchen Counter Choices
While granite counters are still a popular choice for many kitchens today, many modern kitchens are beginning to embrace alternative choices. Quartz counters, with there uniform look, ease of cleaning and durability have long been popular in modern kitchens. Stainless counters, with integrated sinks, drain boards and cutting stations help bring new utility to the kitchen, while giving a sleek, uniform look to the space.
Laminate countertops, long used in many kitchen designs have been making a comeback in the contemporary kitchen. Bright colors, often paired with brightly colored cabinets in the same material, offer bold, fun choices in counters today.
Freestanding and Moveable Cabinets and Islands
Modular and freestanding components are gaining in popularity and use in the modern kitchen. Utility islands that can be moved to one side to gain space, and brought out again for use are ideal for smaller kitchen. Freestanding stoves and cabinets, help bring an airy, open feel to the kitchen, perfect for lofts and open floor plan homes.
Glass Tiles and Accents
Glass backsplashes, counters, cabinet doors and accents are great way to add pops of color to a kitchen. Mixing multiple colors of glass can be a way to pull together different components of the kitchen design in the backsplash, while bold colored kitchen lights and pendants can add a focal point to a stainless kitchen.
Look for sleek glass, with clean lines and edges to compliment the slab door styles and cleaned edged counters. Highlight glass backsplashes with undercabinet lighting to brighten up and bring a focus to the space.
Keep lines clean and colors bold to help create a sleek appearance. Try using one material in multiple places, such as laminate counters and cabinets, or a glass backsplash and island. By bringing one material and color through the kitchen, it helps to open the space and give visually larger feel. Make choices assertively, and begin enjoying the color, light and utility that a modern kitchen can bring today.
Sarabeth Asaff - Sarabeth Asaff is a freelance writer and artist with a passion for cooking and good food. Growing up in the kitchen of her Lebanese ...
