What makes the modern kitchen modern? What do homeowners and home buyers think of the latest kitchen design trends, and is the modern kitchen the way to go when planning a kitchen remodel?
If you’re planning to update your kitchen, keep reading to learn the design elements that take your kitchen from dated and drab to sleek and modern. Our kitchen remodelers at Hunter Kitchen & Bath share several modern styles and design ideas that could suit your kitchen layout.
Planning Your New Kitchen: Start with Functionality
So you want to update to a modern kitchen; where do you start? Consider how you use your kitchen now.
- How many people in your family regularly cook meals?
- Do you use more fresh ingredients, or do you keep a lot of dry goods available in the pantry?
- What works for you now in your current kitchen layout, and what do you need to change as you plan your new kitchen design?
Consider which modern kitchen features you want in your remodel plan. Smart appliances can help you automate your kitchen tasks with handy tools and programmable settings. They can also sync with each other and other smart home controls.
If you plan to upgrade your kitchen with the latest in smart kitchen appliances and tools, don’t forget to install hidden panels, additional outlets, and a voice-control assistant device like Alexa or Google Home to keep your kitchen looking sleek. Clean lines and natural textures are popular in modern kitchens, and too many screens can clutter your design.
Minimalist Kitchen Design
Minimalism is everywhere in modern home design right now. This style focuses on clean lines, no clutter, and solid neutral colors, usually in lighter shades. Try quartz countertops from a leading brand like Cambria. Dark gray or black can also be minimalist, but darker colors tend to convey a sense of luxury, and minimalism is often about getting back to the basics of a functional, streamlined kitchen.
Natural Modern Kitchen Design
Some people think minimalism often appears cold between the stainless steel appliances and white cabinetry. If you want a warm, inviting kitchen, natural materials, and textures could be the best design choice. You can mix warm wood cabinets with natural stone countertops or keep white cabinets at the lower level and use natural-edge wood shelves for dishes on the upper level.
Natural minimalism tends to use natural wood and fiber textures in certain elements, such as breakfast bar seating, wooden knife blocks, and Grothouse butcher block countertops.
Rough edges, stone backsplashes, and organic shapes are popular in the modern natural kitchen. Natural wood grain is also coming back on trend, with many homeowners updating old wood cabinets by stripping away old varnish and applying natural-colored stains that show off the grain pattern.
While traditional hardwood flooring wouldn’t typically be a good option in a wet area like a kitchen, other flooring options can emulate a wood floor, often more affordably and with greater durability and humidity resistance. Natural stone tile is also a good fit in a kitchen, as it is typically waterproof.
Industrial Kitchen Design
If you have a vaulted ceiling in your kitchen space or a unique floor plan that isn’t common in many home kitchens, an industrial design might suit the space. Modern industrial design incorporates exposed brick or blocks, dark colors, open spaces, and nickel, brass, or copper fixtures and accents.
Industrial minimalism can also include vintage pewter elements like faucets and range hoods, as well as wireframe seats and vintage industrial light fixtures.
Industrial accents mix well with other popular design trends, such as a magnetic knife strip behind the stove in a minimalist kitchen with a white tile backsplash or an industrial hanging light fixture over the natural-stone kitchen island in a modern natural kitchen. Open wood or wire rack shelves are also popular options in an industrial design kitchen.
Most of the industrial designs are popular now a trend toward vintage looks, favoring exposed pipes, wireframe light fixtures, vertical windows for lots of natural light, and exposed lightbulbs. Other popular upgrades include dedicated hot water faucets near the stove to fill pots or kettles, as well as incorporating smart kitchen features that blend in with the rest of the kitchen.
Get Your Modern Dream Kitchen in Bryn Mawr, PA
When you’re ready to remodel your kitchen, contact our experienced kitchen design team at Hunter Kitchen & Bath in Bryn Mawr, PA. An interior designer will meet with you in your home for a free one-hour consultation. Call us at 484-872-8801 or fill out our online form today.