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  1. Kitchen
  2. Layout: U-shape

Contemporary U-shaped Kitchen Ideas and Designs

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City studio apartment
City studio apartment
Black and Milk | Interior Design | LondonBlack and Milk | Interior Design | London
Small contemporary u-shaped kitchen in London with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, engineered stone countertops, white splashback, white appliances, no island and stone slab splashback.
Bartow Point Drive
Bartow Point Drive
Rethink Design StudioRethink Design Studio
Sources: Island: Custom (Rethink Design Studio x Structured Green) Stools: Organic Modernism Dining table: DWR Dining chairs: DWR Pendant light: Stamen (Smoke) - DWR Wall Color: BM Herbal Escape 1487 Flooring: Heart of Pine Richard Leo Johnson
Rancher Mid Peninsula
Rancher Mid Peninsula
Front Street BuildersFront Street Builders
Design ideas for a contemporary u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, composite countertops, white splashback, metro tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood flooring and an island.
Italian Contemporary Kitchen in Hoffman Estates
Italian Contemporary Kitchen in Hoffman Estates
Advance Design Studio, Ltd.Advance Design Studio, Ltd.
The family wanted a rustic/Italian feel that still had an updated/modern look to it. They also wanted to keep with the traditional style of their home and décor. Tumbled travertine backsplash added a rustic feel to the kitchen, but we kept the design pretty clean and simple for a more timeless look. We added some Sonoma tantrum glass detail behind the cooktop and behind the built-ins for a pop of color that played off the granite. For the cabinetry, we used Dura Supreme. A black distressed island, and an ivory paint w/ espresso glaze on the perimeter. The creamy St. Cecilia countertops added warmth and pulled the white and black cabinetry together, and added plenty of extra seating. The charming oil rubbed bronze hardware and lighting fixtures really play nicely off the black island. The new medium toned oak hardwood flooring throughout the entire house gives it a very warm and inviting feel. The new layout provides them plenty of space for multiple cooks so they’re family can all relax and be together in the space.
Orange Blaze
Orange Blaze
Davida's Kitchen & TilesDavida's Kitchen & Tiles
Here you can see where one of the drawer-fronts actually lifts up to reveal the microwave. A great disguise. Photo: Bob Narod
This is an example of a small contemporary u-shaped kitchen/diner in DC Metro with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige splashback, glass tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood flooring and no island.
Stone Cliff Entry to 2014 Parade of Homes
Stone Cliff Entry to 2014 Parade of Homes
St George Luxury Home GroupSt George Luxury Home Group
http://www.mykalsphotography.com/
Large contemporary u-shaped kitchen/diner in Salt Lake City with a double-bowl sink, dark wood cabinets, granite worktops, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances and multiple islands.
Viscont White granite countertops with Cherry cabinets
Viscont White granite countertops with Cherry cabinets
Stone ProjectsStone Projects
Viscont White kitchen
This is an example of a large contemporary u-shaped kitchen/diner in Boston with a submerged sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite worktops, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood flooring and an island.
Downtown Escape
Downtown Escape
UserUser
Bringing the outdoors in and letting ample light flood the room, this window back splash was the perfect opportunity to do so. Stainless Steel undermounted sinks allow a clean look next to the white easy to clean quartz counter top. A built up flamed black absolute granite adds texture and creates an informal eat-in kitchen space.
Bosque Residence
Bosque Residence
Equiterra Regenerative DesignEquiterra Regenerative Design
Patrick Coulie
This is an example of an expansive contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Albuquerque with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island and a submerged sink.
Shylo's N. Houston
Shylo's N. Houston
The Kitchen SourceThe Kitchen Source
Medium sized contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Dallas with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback and stainless steel appliances.
Modern
Modern
VESTAVESTA
This home is located in the in the heart of Northcenter and situated on an oversized lot with a tremendous view of a landscaped backyard garden. The client’s desire was to open the back kitchen wall to take advantage of the garden view and to incorporate the kitchen into the rest of the home. By adding a 3’-0” deep addition at the sink wall and increasing the overall size of the windows, Vesta was able to expand the views and to open the floor plan to create a functional island. The island in turn, added space for food prep & prep sink along with casual seating. By removing the adjoining Dining Room wall, Vesta created an open floor plan that enhanced the Owners everyday living experiences. The new Dining Buffet added storageand a visual break while maintaining the open feel. By using warm horizontal walnut tones, it allowed a reference back to the original mid-century feel of the décor of the home. Adding playful highlights of apple green, we took advantage of a palette that brought the natural outside elements back into the environment.
Naples Beach Coastal Retreat Kitchen
Naples Beach Coastal Retreat Kitchen
41 West41 West
View of Kitchen from outdoor kitchen: Island contemporary kitchen in Naples, Florida. Features custom cabinetry and finishes, double islands, Wolf/Sub-Zero appliances, super wide pompeii stone 3 inch counter tops, and Adorne switches and outlets. 41 West Coastal Retreat Series reveals creative, fresh ideas, for a new look to define the casual beach lifestyle of Naples. More than a dozen custom variations and sizes are available to be built on your lot. From this spacious 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom model, to larger 4 and 5 bedroom versions ranging from 3,500 - 10,000 square feet, including guest house options.
Rustic Contemporary Kitchen in Barrington
Rustic Contemporary Kitchen in Barrington
Advance Design Studio, Ltd.Advance Design Studio, Ltd.
When you see the before photos of this kitchen, the finished product is nearly unrecognizable! This is because the original kitchen was 10x10, and wall separated the kitchen area from the eating area. Opening up the 2 spaces was exactly what this new kitchen needed! Since the dining area was directly adjacent to the family room, the designer at Advance Design created a low wall of matching decorative book case cabinets with a granite top to create separation needed between the spaces. This bank also eloquently held a beautifully wood appointed supporting column necessary for the structural ceiling load. The focal point of the new kitchen is the hand-painted backsplash centered under a wooden hood in the chef’s special cooking area. A completely functional island now has space for several stools, and even has a decorative touch with the shelving unit facing the eating area. The space next to the refrigerator became an efficiently organized bill paying area for the lady of the house, complete with pull out file drawers hidden behind matching kitchen cabinets. Replacing the “black hole” of a pantry; pull out shelves grace the interior of new pantry units suitable for the family of five busy people. Existing hardwood oak was repaired and refinished on the entire first floor. A light patterned gold granite works effortlessly with the tumbled marble backsplash that enjoys hints of weathered iron looking details that coordinate nicely with the cabinetry hardware. What makes this kitchen special is how elegant it appears despite the rustic feel of the knotty alder cabinetry. Clean design lines lend an air of sophistication to the otherwise “rustic” looking materials. Now this active family can enjoy the open space, cooking and hanging out together is now an enjoyable pastime.
Selwyn Ave
Selwyn Ave
Bridget ThorntonBridget Thornton
Sam Mahayni
Contemporary u-shaped kitchen in Auckland with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, black splashback, mosaic tiled splashback and stainless steel appliances.
River Hills
River Hills
Bernbaum-Magadini ArchitectsBernbaum-Magadini Architects
Photo of a contemporary u-shaped kitchen/diner in Dallas with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite worktops, metallic splashback, ceramic splashback and stainless steel appliances.
modern kitchen in piedmont
modern kitchen in piedmont
building Lab, inc.building Lab, inc.
photo: scott hargis
Design ideas for a medium sized contemporary u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, a submerged sink, engineered stone countertops, porcelain flooring, an island, metallic splashback and grey floors.
Beach Harmony
Beach Harmony
Candace Nordquist InteriorsCandace Nordquist Interiors
Photo Credit: Roger Turk
This is an example of a large contemporary u-shaped kitchen/diner in Seattle with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite worktops, grey splashback, stone tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood flooring, an island and brown floors.
Bright Modern Kitchen
Bright Modern Kitchen
The Chuba CompanyThe Chuba Company
Modern Kitchen
Photo of a medium sized contemporary u-shaped kitchen/diner in Minneapolis with a belfast sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, laminate countertops, multi-coloured splashback, glass tiled splashback and concrete flooring.
Berkeley Kitchen & Bathroom
Berkeley Kitchen & Bathroom
Levitch Associates, IncorporatedLevitch Associates, Incorporated
Close up view of Peninsula with eating area. Photo by Sunny Grewal
This is an example of a medium sized contemporary u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with a belfast sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, metro tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood flooring, a breakfast bar and brown floors.
Addison Residence
Addison Residence
Maydan Architects, Inc.Maydan Architects, Inc.
Inspiration for a contemporary u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets and stainless steel appliances.

Contemporary U-shaped Kitchen Ideas and Designs

Want to discover beautiful contemporary kitchen ideas to inspire your new kitchen design? You’ve come to the right place. You can discover millions of contemporary kitchen designs and ideas; from kitchen islands and storage units, to all sorts of kitchen lighting ideas, such as pendant lighting or under cabinet lighting. Whether you want inspiration for all-in-one fitted kitchen designs, some small kitchen ideas or maybe just some tips for improving your kitchen decor, there are tons of contemporary photos to inspire you for your next kitchen project on Houzz.

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.

How do I choose my kitchen units and cabinets?

When picking out kitchen units and cupboard styles for a fitted kitchen, you’ll first want to consider the more practical questions – how many units do you need? How many cupboards and drawers do you need? Do you need extra kitchen storage built into your units? It’s always best to overestimate how much kitchen storage you’ll need as we all tend to have a habit of filling up whatever current space we have to the maximum. Next you can consider kitchen cabinet style and colour. Shaker style cabinets and raised and recessed panel cabinets offer a more traditional kitchen cabinet look, while flat panel cabinet doors tend to lend more to the modern and contemporary style. However, going for raised or recessed panel work in a striking colour such as dark blue, green or black can still work with contemporary kitchen ideas. White kitchens can give a sleek and clean feel, but remember you may have to do a bit more cleaning of those cupboard doors if you want everything to stay shiny and fresh. Of course, grey kitchens are the neutral colour choice du jour and can be paired with pale and rich shades alike if you want your fitted kitchen cupboards to contrast with your worktop, splashback, floor, or all of the above. Exposed shelving and storage is also popular for eclectic, Scandi and industrial-inspired looks, so you could opt for glass-fronted cabinets or no wall-mounted cabinets at all. Remember that this will require more restraint in what you can store and more effort in keeping it looking presentable compared to what is stored away hastily behind cupboard doors. The kitchen cupboard handles are also another element to decide upon – do you want traditional round knobs, modern metal bars, country kitchen cup handles or maybe to go ultra sleek with a completely handleless kitchen?

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.

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