Contemporary Kitchen Ideas and Designs
What kind of contemporary kitchen design should I go for?
With so many kitchen ideas and photos to look at you might be a bit overwhelmed when it comes to picking your own contemporary kitchen design. If you are updating your kitchen you know what a big and important decision it is to get the design right – the kitchen can be the hub and heart of the home, and it’s unlikely that you would invest in renovating your kitchen again in a few years. But fear not, focusing first on the important elements like layout, cabinet style, worktops and appliances will help you to bring together your dream kitchen design. Additional elements like kitchen lighting, cupboard storage and decor can come after in the kitchen planning process.
A kitchen designer or fitter can help you to decide the layout of your contemporary kitchen in terms of where to place your kitchen units, appliances and island (if you’re having one), but if you prefer to handle this yourself you can focus on where you want your key elements of your kitchen to be – the oven, hob, sink and fridge. Of course you might be constricted by space, but try to envisage the easiest and most efficient layout based on how you usually like to cook and prepare your food. If you’re fed up of always having to carry dirty pans and pots across the room to the sink, place the sink closer to your oven and hob. Once you have the core elements sorted, consider extra layout considerations, such as where your bins will be stored, where the cutlery draw should be and where small contemporary kitchen appliances can be installed.
Should I include a kitchen island?
Kitchen island ideas are abundant these days; it seems most kitchen designs include a kitchen island, if not multiple islands. However, if the layout doesn’t work, especially if you have a small kitchen, then there’s no necessity to add in a kitchen island. You can add a breakfast bar or counter to your existing kitchen units, or stick with a good old-fashioned dining table if you don’t need the extra work surfaces.
That said, if you do have the room, take a look at some contemporary kitchen island ideas to see if the designs inspire you for your kitchen. There are a huge variety of island designs to cater to different needs – you can have sinks, ovens, hobs, wine storage and all sorts of drawers and organisers built-in, you can have separate bars and counters that extend from your island, or you could go for a kitchen island on wheels to make your kitchen layout more versatile.
What contemporary kitchen storage ideas should I consider?
If you want to keep your contemporary kitchen well-stocked and well-equipped but don’t want it spilling over with clutter, then you’ll need to rely on good kitchen storage. Apart from the usual fitted kitchen cupboards and drawer space, there are many other ways of keeping your kitchen tidy. Whilst a large kitchen pantry is the dream of most homeowners, it can’t always be a reality. However, there are now lots of pull out compartments and drawers with trays and shelving that can act as mini kitchen pantries, and you can install handy cupboard organisers that fit onto the inside of the door to make the most of your cupboard space. You can also look at corner drawers and cupboards that open up to reveal lots of extra storage. Rails or small shelves along your kitchen walls or splashback can help with hanging utensils or pans, or storing small items like herbs and spices in an usually empty space.
Buy extra kitchen storage products for your home on Houzz
Are there small kitchen ideas for small contemporary spaces?
If you’re working with a galley kitchen, a one-wall kitchen in an open plan space or just a pretty small kitchen, there are some small kitchen ideas that can help you get the most out of your cooking and dining area. If you find that you don’t utilise the back of your cupboards (maybe they become the graveyard for out-of-date tin cans), you could decide to go with shallower kitchen units to free up some extra floor space in front of your cabinets. As mentioned, open shelving or glass-fronted cabinets are a popular trend and they should make the space feel more open and less boxed-in. However, if you have the capacity for it, cupboards and contemporary kitchen units that maximise the floor-to-ceiling space you have will mean you can use all of that for valuable kitchen storage. Wall or ceiling racks could be a useful solution for hanging pans and pots if you’ve run out of cupboards in which to store them. Kitchen ideas and contemporary accessories such as baskets, trolleys and storage jars are both aesthetically pleasing and practical as they give you extra storage space. Kitchen appliances like a fridge or dishwasher can be tucked away in built-in units in fitted kitchens so they blend into your layout and don’t make the space look crowded.
Discover all the small kitchen ideas you could need by taking a look at photos of compact kitchens.
What sort of contemporary kitchen lighting should I go for?
In the kitchen you need to have practical lighting – no one wants to chop, cut and cook in a dingy room. Kitchen ceiling lights are probably the best way to go, but should you opt for recessed spotlights or traditional hanging ceiling lights? While spotlight LED kitchen lighting will give you excellent light, they may not fit with a design that’s not contemporary. Traditional chandelier lights could work for other kitchen styles, and of course, kitchen pendant lighting comes in all sorts of styles, colours and designs. While the popular choice is to go with one or two pendant lights over your kitchen island, you could also opt for a single pendant light over your dining space, or a few spaced out across your kitchen. Of course, if you want good lighting for your worktops, under-cabinet lighting is the way forward. Speak to your kitchen supplier about having this pre-installed, or there are a number of easy-install options you can fit yourself or with the help of a lighting expert or electrician.
In the market for your contemporary kitchen lighting today? Once you’ve found some inspiring kitchen lighting ideas here, take a look at our kitchen lighting products to find the new lights for your kitchen project.
Whether you want inspiration for planning a contemporary kitchen renovation or are building a designer kitchen from scratch, Houzz has 583,681 images from the best designers, decorators, and architects in the country, including Neptune Home Germany and Base Interior. Look through kitchen photos in different colours and styles and when you find a contemporary kitchen design that inspires you, save it to an Ideabook or contact the Pro who made it happen to see what kind of design ideas they have for your home. Explore the beautiful contemporary kitchen ideas photo gallery and find out exactly why Houzz is the best experience for home renovation and design.
- Ceramic Tile (23969)
- Glass Tile (20442)
- Glass Sheet (19199)
- Metro Tile (16708)
- Stone Slab (14137)
- Mosaic Tile (10380)
- Porcelain Tile (8940)
- Stone Tile (8853)
- Marble (6013)
- Matchstick Tile (3546)
- Mirror (3348)
- Metal Tile (3069)
- Cement Tile (1809)
- Wood (1718)
- Window (1212)
- Brick (807)
- Limestone (389)
- Travertine (328)
- Terracotta Tile (284)
- Slate (257)
- Medium Hardwood (41337)
- Light Hardwood (38177)
- Porcelain Tile (24411)
- Dark Hardwood (23245)
- Ceramic Tile (20323)
- Concrete (7412)
- Vinyl (3613)
- Laminate (3003)
- Marble (2882)
- Travertine (2653)
- Limestone (2282)
- Slate (1955)
- Cement Tile (1842)
- Bamboo (1334)
- Lino (1252)
- Cork (977)
- Terracotta Tile (833)
- Painted Wood (704)
- Plywood (247)
- Terrazzo (210)
- Carpet (99)
- Brick (86)
Inspiration for a contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in London with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, grey splashback, black appliances and an island.
New Back Splash for my kitchen! - tl_higgs
The modern kitchen allows both a connection to the garden and family at any point with lots of natural light and a timber breakfast bar. Facing a living area that allows for a family room for everyone to enjoy.
Breakfast bar, the sleek grey cupboards and lighting - arundathy_shan
French & Tye
Medium sized contemporary galley kitchen/diner in London with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, concrete flooring, an island, grey floors and black worktops.
Kitchen with window seat in bay window - vcmcdougall
Neptune Home
Contemporary kitchen in Dusseldorf.
three leveled kitchen cupboard, pretty cool, maybe we could just get 2 Inna few? - thomas_lewis93
Design ideas for a medium sized contemporary single-wall kitchen/diner in London with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, mirror splashback, an island and grey floors.
Seating arrangement at end of island - jonpaul_middleton
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John Gauld
Photo of a medium sized contemporary kitchen/diner in Cheshire with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white appliances, porcelain flooring, an island, white floors and white worktops.
The transition between the living furniture and kitchen is so smooth that you would not say when one ends and the other starts.. a number of well organized cabinets make this ‘L’ shaped element very useful and neat and elegant at the same time. - Photo by Daniele Petteno
Love the dark grey. Looks more expensive than lighter colour cupboards.
Goes well with the ash colour floor. - charlie_smedley
A stylish contemporary kitchen designed and installed for our client in Hertfordshire with ceramic worktops, beautiful wooden accents and grey lacquer cabinetry in a symmetrical design.
partition doors - denis_mayer9019478
Nathalie Priem Photography
This is an example of a contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in London with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, metallic splashback, mirror splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood flooring and an island.
Love mirror splashback & colours. - angela_barrett55
Contemporary single-wall kitchen/diner in London with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, beige splashback, black appliances, light hardwood flooring, an island, beige floors and beige worktops.
Photo Credit - Andrew Beasley
Inspiration for a contemporary galley open plan kitchen in London with flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, grey splashback, glass sheet splashback, an island and beige floors.
Interesting Sliding doors - Static Window to left where kitchen is. - godschild100
Introducing the Camden Dove Grey handleless door, with its silky matt finish creates a superb top end contemporary kitchen for the discerning shoppers. Choose your accessories and appliances from our range to complete the look and create the most contemporary of kitchens.
Idea de cocina integrada al living con piso de madera - albert_p
This is an example of a medium sized contemporary u-shaped kitchen in London with recessed-panel cabinets, green cabinets, medium hardwood flooring, an island, brown floors, a belfast sink, metro tiled splashback and stainless steel appliances.
The things that I like in this picture are the ways everything is organized. The wine bottles somewhat merging with the kitchen in this cool way, or the stairs making this home unique from other homes. I don't like the colour choices but I'm willing to look besides those. - henderik_vanderhuizen
Alistair Nicholls
Contemporary l-shaped kitchen in London with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, an island and beige floors.
island with lip for stools - jonathan_pittham
Alex Maguire
Contemporary kitchen/diner in London with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood flooring, an island, brown floors and grey worktops.
Megan Taylor
Inspiration for a medium sized contemporary kitchen in London with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, grey splashback, black appliances and an island.
I like the social space of this kitchen, hob on island with bar stools and ovens at eye height behind. - katierollings120
Anna Stathaki
This is an example of a contemporary l-shaped kitchen/diner in London with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, white splashback, black appliances, no island, grey floors, white worktops and concrete flooring.
Medium sized contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Essex with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartz worktops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, integrated appliances, medium hardwood flooring, an island, grey worktops, white cabinets and brown floors.
White grey and wooden floor - jme999