Modern Kitchen: Design Tips

The residential kitchen really has evolved through the years: it's kept up with design trends, new technologies, and the occupant’s habits. It used to be a gathering point where people spent hours cooking, cleaning, and socializing. 

Nowadays, despite being one of the essential areas of a house, we tend to spend less time in our kitchen. Therefore, the expectation of a modern kitchen is simply that of its efficient layout, ergonomic worktops, and modern hardware. 

Are you dreaming of a new, modern kitchen? This article will give you plenty of insight into tips and ideas to best complete your renovation project. 

Modern Kitchen Design: Tips, Ideas, and Examples

Source : Canva

What do you picture when you hear the term "modern kitchen"? Do you see a minimalist, white, beige, and gray kitchen, with built-in cabinets? After all, that's the type of modern kitchen you’ll commonly come across when scrolling through home improvement sites like Pinterest for ideas. 

However, there's more to a modern-designed kitchen than meets the eye. It can also be synonymous with a room with the latest appliances, sleek, dark cabinets, brightly coloured walls, and a host of other features that we'll highlight in this article.

Cabinets and Hardware

In a modern kitchen, we consider both the aesthetics of the cabinets and the functionality of their layout. Narrow and difficult-to-access cabinets aren’t recommended: they're a nuisance to those who have to use them on a daily basis. 

As far as the aesthetic aspect of the cabinets is concerned, for a true, modern look, clean, straight lines, fine curves and, above all, surfaces with little ornamentation are preferred. For example, we see fewer wood-panelled cabinets with carved patterns in kitchens with modern influences.. 

An unlikely upgrade for contemporary kitchens: cabinet door hinges are now smoother and more secure. The panels can be opened and closed with no hassle and done so quietly. These fittings improve the ergonomics of the room, as well as the aesthetics, as they're often kept out of sight.

As for the handles, they're sometimes concealed behind the panel, or they're prominently displayed, depending on the style you're looking for. Most often, they're characterized by their very simple style, devoid of any embellishment. 

Kitchen cabinet materials to prioritize for a modern space:

• Wood;

• Polymer;

• Laminated;

• Acrylic;

• Melamine;

• Polyester.

And a few blog articles to peruse on kitchen cabinets and panels, as well as kitchen ergonomics: 

• Choosing Your Kitchen Cabinet Doors

• Cost of Custom-Made Kitchen Cabinets

• The Ergonomic Kitchen - 5 Ways to Make Your Kitchen More Efficient

Appliances & Ventilation

Source : Shuttershock

Modern kitchens are inextricably tied to state-of-the-art appliances. In this respect, there's a little something for all needs and wants. Modern appliances are generally designed to be energy efficient, ergonomic in design, and technologically advanced, to make life easier. Here are some examples:

• Refrigerators: There's a vast selection of refrigerators available on the market. From smaller models devoid of accessories to large, double-door fridges, there's without a doubt something for everyone. The most important aspect to consider when integrating this type of appliance into your kitchen is to find a model that’s the right size, with a suitable finish to match the rest of the decor. 

• Ovens and hobs: In modern-designed kitchens, we often see ovens built in within the cabinetry, with a cooking hob that’s either on the kitchen island or elsewhere. Otherwise, there are some more traditional ovens, but still with a very modern design, as well as automated functions. 

• Dishwasher: The modern dishwasher is a lot more eco-friendly than older models. The former consumes less water and is very efficient. Some models are even equipped with smart features, like a Wi-Fi connection ithat allows it to be remotely controlled. We also see fingerprint-resistant finishes, which allow you to keep the surface clean without having to wipe it down daily! 

• Range hood: Despite being one of the most important appliances in the kitchen, it’s often overlooked. Depending on your preferences and the layout of the space, you can either install a range hood under the kitchen cabinets or have a freestanding one. Again, when it comes to design, we often see straight, clean lines, solid colours, and flat surfaces. 

• Small appliances: Small appliances such as microwaves, coffee makers and blenders should be well integrated into the decor. Otherwise, they're best tucked away. As for colours, with these small appliances, we see a lot of black, silver, and gold.

Backsplash

In a modern kitchen, the backsplash is at times more subtle and blends in with the decor, but it can also act as the focal aesthetic feature of the space. It’s all a matter of taste! The most important thing is to choose a material that’s easy to clean and that’ll resist daily wear over time. 

We’ve written a few articles on backsplashes, so if you happen to be looking for ideas and information on the subject matter, there’s plenty for the taking! Take a peek at these:

• 10 Examples of Ceramic Backsplashes

• 9 Types of Kitchen Backsplashes

• Tile Kitchen Backsplash: How to Install It

• Kitchen Backsplash Price Guide

• 5 Affordable Kitchen Backsplashes

Lighting

Source : Unsplash

Done are the days of dark or poorly lit kitchens! If you want to cook in the best conditions possible, you have to think about the room's lighting. In modern kitchens, we see a lot of built-in lighting in the ceiling and under the upper cabinets. Some people will even add LED strips inside the cabinets for warmer, enhanced lighting. 

We also see a lot of oversized fixtures mounted over the kitchen island. These can either be in tune with the rest of the decor or serve as a visual focal point throughout. Naturally, installing a home automation system will allow you to control the amount of light needed in the room. 

Plumbing

The latest innovations in kitchen plumbing are intended to make the overall system more efficient and more economical in terms of energy use. As for aesthetics, a lot of plumbing fixtures are black, gold, or solid colours (white, green, blue, silver).

Flooring

Source: Unsplash

Are you looking to create a more modern kitchen decor? If so, you’ll eventually need to upgrade the flooring for one that’s more adapted to the environment that you’re trying to create. Many choices are available in-store; here are some that are most often seen in contemporary kitchens: 

• Ceramic;

• Porcelain;

• Natural stone;

• Concrete;

• Laminate.

And here are multiple articles on kitchen flooring:

• 8 Great Kitchen Flooring Options

• Kitchen Floor Price Guide

• How to Choose Your Kitchen Flooring Material: 6 Top Materials

• 10 Affordable Flooring Materials

Countertop

Among the current kitchen trends, we're seeing a lot of big, smooth, shiny countertops. The most common materials used at the moment are wood, marble, laminate and granite. Indeed, nowadays, far fewer countertops are made of ceramic tiles and other materials that are difficult to clean. 

If you like a smooth surface as mentioned earlier, prioritize these materials:

• Marble;

• Quartz;

• Postform;

• Corian;

• Glass.

The following articles will serve as backbones for new material and design ideas:

• Price Guide for Kitchen Countertops

• How to Choose Your Kitchen Counter

Storage

Source : Canva

Since modern decor is often linked to minimalism, or at least a more streamlined look, it's important to incorporate a lot of storage in your kitchen. This storage will be built-in wherever possible, in the form of cabinets, freestanding units, pantries, islands and open shelves.

In fact, a lot of modern kitchens don't have any upper cabinets, but this is often offset by a kitchen island and a pantry. We also see plenty of kitchens in which the cabinets are built-in or even concealed in the wall (without visible handles). 

Within the cabinets and drawers, dividers are cleverly used to keep everything in its place. The space is thus optimized and more enjoyably used for each’s needs. Here are two interesting articles on the subject matter:

• 5 Kitchen Storage Ideas

• 10 Examples of Tidy and Organized Pantries

Technology (Smart Kitchen)

Since we briefly covered home automation in a previous paragraph, we figured this concept deserves its own subsection! In fact, increasingly more people want to upgrade to a smart kitchen. Home automation can be used to simplify the lives of those who intend to make good use of this space. 

• 5 Ways to Use Home Automation

Here are a few examples of kitchen home automation: 

• Smart faucet (controlled flow, water temperature management);

• Wi-Fi-connected appliances (remote control, glass door fridge);

• Smart thermostats (humidity and room temperature management);

• Personal assistants like Google Nest or Alexa (finding recipes, putting on music).

Decorating a Modern Kitchen

Source : Canva

The crowning jewel of any kitchen has to be the decor. To complement the cabinetry, floor, and countertop, we suggest adding a few decorative elements. If you haven't already done so, you'll also need to choose the wall colour, as well as the other tones and patterns that will be part of the decor.   

Modern Kitchen Patterns & Colours

In a modern kitchen, these colours tones are most often seen:

• White;

• Tan/beige;

• Gray;

• Black;

• Golden;

• Light blue.

However, that doesn't mean you have to limit yourself to these colours! There are plenty of ways to mix and match bright colours while keeping a modern aesthetic and design. 

You might also want to play around with different patterns and textures sparingly to create a nice visual balance.

Working with an interior designer to plan your kitchen layout 

Source : Canva

After reading the previous sections, you probably have a lot of information roaming in your head. So now it's time to digest it all and determine what you want to do with it. If you think you need some more guidance in this area, you may want to contact an interior designer. Such a professional is there to help you with your interior design project. 

Transforming a kitchen is an extensive project, especially if you want to completely alter the way it looks. It's therefore important to surround yourself with professionals who know what they're doing, and with a lot of experience in the field. They can help you create a visual depiction of your kitchen renovation plan, from electrical elements to the layout, and ultimately to the final finishing touches.

Based on your needs, you can hire a designer to create 2D or 3D plans, as well as supervise the work at hand. When it comes to a large-scale kitchen renovation project, it’s a rather alluring service, especially if this is your first big renovation project!

If you’d like more information about kitchen designers or their role in a renovation project, check out these articles:

• Chronicles of a Home Renovation Project: Meeting an Interior Designer

• The Difference Between a Decorator and an Interior Designer

Step-By-Step Renovation Project

Ready to tackle your kitchen renovation project? We've got a nifty tool to help you! Since this is a multi-step project, it'll be especially important to be well organized. To give you a hand, we've put together a helpful document: 

• Kitchen Renovation Guide: Checklist of the Steps to Follow