The kitchen is one of the most remodeled rooms in any house. There are so many different and wonderful styles to choose from that it can sometimes be confusing to know where to start. While there are many good options out there, a contemporary kitchen design may serve you best due to its functionality and timeless use of geometric shapes that can be incorporated into the design.
What is Contemporary Kitchen Design?
Contemporary design is characterized by simple lines and geometric themes. It is often referred to as a minimalist style due to the lack of design flourishes and unnecessary embellishments are left out. You’ll also often find an asymmetrical balance in contemporary or modern design.
Also common in contemporary design is the use of artificial materials such as plastic, linoleum, laminates, acrylic, concrete, chrome and glass. But natural materials can certainly be incorporated to complement man-made elements and to soften the industrial feel of contemporary kitchens. You can often find things like wood, stone, and granite as accents and add-ons.
What are the Essential Elements?
In terms of details, in a modern kitchen design you can find things like simple frameless cabinets with very simple hardware. Other typical features include things like frosted glass cabinet doors or panels, many metal components, especially stainless steel appliances, or copper or chrome accents.
And while angles and geometric lines are the standard in contemporary kitchen design, you can still find beautiful curves built into cabinetry or countertops to bring balance to many straight lines. The lighting in a modern kitchen is also very important and, in general, it will be very abundant.
Adjustable track lighting is quite popular in these types of kitchens. When it comes to colors in a contemporary kitchen, surfaces, and countertops in particular, are often a clean white or add a dramatic touch by being toned in a bright, bold color. Pastel, rustic or Tuscan colors are rarely found anywhere in the modern kitchen. If wood is used in the cabinetry, fine-grained varieties such as birch, ash, or maple are most common.
How can I implement a contemporary design in my current kitchen?
Since so much of contemporary kitchen design is about functionality and accessibility, you can start putting in things like well-planned storage cabinets with sliding drawers, lazy pull-outs, or pull-out shelves. Lighting under cabinets can also help with food preparation, as well as adding beautiful aesthetic value.
How can I incorporate green elements into contemporary design?
It is definitely possible to use eco-friendly materials when creating a contemporary kitchen design. For example, you could install energy efficient appliances to save costs and energy. You can also choose bamboo hardwood flooring or sustainable hardwood varieties. And of course, don’t forget to design a great system to manage your recycling.
Designing a contemporary kitchen can give you a fresh, clean, and simple look that can remain fashionable for years to come and provide great functional benefits to everyone who uses the space.