Modern kitchens are known for neutral color palettes, minimalist cabinetry, and strong, metallic accents. The modern kitchen design trends taking over what you see on Instagram these days lend a timeless and subtle elegance to any home. They tend to feel sophisticated and sleek, but certain elements from other design styles can make them feel more homely. Some people believe that a modern kitchen is reserved for city apartments, but it can work in homes of any design style.
Unless you’re an experienced designer, the chance is that you don’t know where to start in your design process, and that’s why we’re here to help. This article will look at what makes a modern kitchen, from current trends to colors, and how to turn your kitchen into a fabulous modern design.
The interesting thing about modern kitchen design is that it changes significantly every century. Right now, modern kitchen design involves lots of clear lines with no raised edges, minimalist color schemes, and clever storage solutions.
Modern kitchen design blends current elements with traditional, Scandinavian, country-style, and industrial design, creating a sleek look that’s still inviting. This type of kitchen often features a pop of color in the form of a tablecloth, vase, furniture, or wall artwork to ensure that the kitchen doesn’t feel sterile or cold. Big windows and bold lighting fixtures are also common in modern kitchens, as they lend an air of space and openness.
Modern kitchens can work well in rooms of any size and are designed to feel big and sleek.
Modern kitchens are all about clean lines, block colors, and bold and chic design. Materials like stainless steel work well in a modern kitchen, as it adds a sturdy industrial feel. Stainless steel may come in the form of accents, like domed pendant lights, or something bigger, like a cooker or fridge.
Because modern kitchen design doesn’t incorporate many patterns or obvious artwork, it draws its beauty from textures. This texture often comes in stone-like tiles, marble benchtops, large white floor tiles, untreated concrete walls, and horizontally-grained timber.
· Wood: while modern kitchen design focuses on cool tones and materials like steel and stone, wood can be a warming element to introduce. Combining the modern kitchen design with something more Scandinavian or even country-style can add a sense of homeliness.
· Dark surfaces: this 2021 trend has emerged due to a shift toward minimalist, two-tone kitchens. You can offset dark worktops and countertops with lighter furniture, for a luxurious yet comfortable feel.
· Glossy white surfaces: white is the quintessential modern kitchen color, and glossy cabinets take it one step further. A glass backsplash also adds another reflective element, which can add lots of visual space to a kitchen.
· A pop of color: this has been popular in previous years, and it’s no surprise that it’s still popular today. Amid black, white, and grey walls, appliances and furniture, an eye-catching set of bar stools or a striking piece of artwork can bring the room together.
While white is the obvious choice for a modern kitchen, muted hues are also popular. Shades like black and dark grey are often seen as little more than accent colors, but when you use them on surfaces like worktops, backsplashes, and flooring, you can use them to make a kitchen feel homely and inviting. If you want to elevate this sense of coziness, you can combine these darker tones with textured wood for a charming rustic feel.
The best thing about a modern kitchen is that it allows for much individuality, and color choice is no exception. Whether you love nature and want to depict this with a sage green backsplash, or prize your morning coffee ritual and want this reflected with soft mocha cabinetry, it’s entirely up to you.
There are many elements you can hone in on when designing your modern kitchen, from cabinetry and appliances to flooring and wall colors.
When designing your cabinetry, you have the opportunity to create cohesion or make it stand out. For example, if your modern kitchen focuses on blue-grey hues, and you want to add that famous modern pop of color, pick a complementary tone for your cabinets. Or, if you’re going for a blended look, choose the same color and material as you have for your countertops.
If you love the idea of a modern kitchen, but want to express your creativity through patterns, consider tile layouts for going with an extremely popular trend this year. Go with a teal backsplash or a subway-style white tile for an inner-city feel.
A modern kitchen is extremely versatile. It works well with clean, sleek appliances, like a brushed gold mixer tap, matching pots and pans adorning the walls, a deep granite sink, or a matching mid-century toaster and kettle.
Aside from getting rid of clutter, there are plenty of ways to make a small kitchen feel more spacious and modern.
When it comes to making a small space look bigger, there’s a lot to be said about color choices. Cool tones like light blues and greens are soft and airy, but they’re also calming in a space where you want to feel relaxed and inspired to cook!
You can also make your kitchen space look more modern by introducing reflective surfaces. Sure, you’re tricking yourself into seeing a bigger room, but if it works, who cares? You can use a large framed mirror on a wall for the same room-enlarging effect as a mirrored wall. The mirror will reflect the room and light, giving a more open feeling. For a similar effect, top your dining room table or side table with a fitted piece of beveled plate mirror or source a mirrored chest of drawers.
Another way to make a small apartment kitchen look more modern is by creating more floor space, or at least the illusion of more floor space. Rather than having bulky appliances and furniture, opt for those with thin, subtle legs to make the floor look bigger.
Last year, basic and cool grey was a popular color for kitchen cabinets, but trends are moving toward a more diverse version of grey this year. Have you ever heard of “greige?” Well, you have now!
As you’d expect, it’s a blend of grey and beige, and design experts anticipate it to be hugely popular for the kitchens of 2021. The combination of grey and beige creates a richer tone that works in either cool or warm color schemes. The grey-to-beige ratio in your paint mix will determine whether it’s a warm or cool neutral.
Also popular among kitchen design experts are deep bronze, coffee, greyed blues, forest, and yellowed greens.
White kitchens have been a staple across generations, but many kitchen design experts would argue that this design trend has overstayed its welcome in 2021. While clean and easy to design, all-white kitchens don’t allow for as much dynamism and depth as kitchens with more variety. Instead, deep blues and greens are a popular choice for creating an inviting feel to your kitchen.
As we’ve learned, there are many design elements that make a kitchen look modern. While other design styles like traditional, country-style and Scandinavian are a little more strict with what constitutes each look, modern kitchens are a bit freer. When designing a modern kitchen, the only things you must have are clean lines, block colors, and a sense of space.
A great layout is the biggest winner when designing a kitchen. You want to create a harmonious “traffic flow” between the fridge, cooker, and sink while making the most of your space. If you’re short on storage space, look at galley layouts, as this type of design makes great use of one or two long storage units along the wall.
With the help of a designer, you can make any space into a beautiful modern kitchen, whether you live in a countryside cottage or an inner-city condo. Modern kitchens are inherently sleek and stylish, yet open and welcoming.
The process of designing and renovating your kitchen can seem daunting at first, but with the right help, it can be a relatively hassle-free process.
At Skipp, we’re passionate about kitchen design and helping our customers achieve their design dreams. We are proud to provide easy, cost-effective options for homeowners who want their ideal modern kitchens without all the stress. We take away the effort of hiring designers, architects, contractors, plumbers, and electricians. We can save you time and money on the modern kitchen you’ve always wanted.
In just 4 easy steps, we’ll help you take a seed of an idea, design your dream kitchen, and get it built. With us, you don’t have to play the part of project manager, while juggling the rest of your life – simply plan your dream kitchen and see it come to life. Click here for your free Renovation Estimate today!
