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Welcome to one of our most popular kitchen design ideas gallery. This is where we feature both contemporary and modern kitchen ideas – my hand-selected favorites as well as an extensive set of tips and images to achieve this style. Please note, while “modern” in design is a very specific type of design, the fact of the matter is many people looking for modern are actually looking for contemporary kitchen designs.
In order to come up with the very specific design ideas, we create most designs with the assistance of state-of-the-art AI interior design software.
Therefore, this page features both modern and contemporary kitchens.
Related: All Modern homes | Modern Closet Ideas | Modern Bathroom Ideas | Modern Bedroom Ideas | Modern Living Room Ideas | Types of Fennel | Modern Foyer Ideas | Fantastic Kitchens with Black Appliances | Modern Dining Room Ideas
Modern Kitchen Style Statistics
10.62 percent of kitchens are reported to be in the modern design style. Given the popularity of modern kitchen design that’s not very many given traditional (31.41%), contemporary (25.18%) and transitional (16.42%), makeup quite a bit more.
The Trend
What’s interesting about the trend based on online searches (we use software to determine this) is that “modern” is far more popular than “contemporary”. Yet, in the chart above, you’ll notice that “contemporary” is more popular.
Why the difference?
The reason for the difference is that in the chart and stats above, those numbers are self-reported mostly by industry experts (interior designers), whereas the trend numbers based on all online searches are done by laypeople. Lay people tend to use “modern” when they really mean “contemporary”.
Great Modern Kitchen Photos
Here’s my favorite section which includes my hand-picked modern and contemporary kitchen designs that I think are the best.
1. Modern galley kitchen
A modern white kitchen with galley layout featuring high gloss cabinetry and stainless steel appliances. There’s a rustic island in the middle with a raised countertop paired with multi-colored round stools.
2. Modern marble L-shape white kitchen
Above is a modern marble l-shaped luxury kitchen with long island, two double-wall ovens all flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows by Luca Lanzetta Group.
3. Amazing woodwork
4. Brown and White Contemporary
5. Modern kitchen design in a glass house
Photos: Redfin / Wicklund Real Estate
6. Stark White with U-Shaped Island
7. Stone Island
8. All Wood
The above kitchen is all wood designed by yh2 architects. You can’t tell by the photo above, but the kitchen is part of a huge great room that extends like a bridge above a small ravine. It’s a fabulous house – you can see the entire house here.
9. Contemporary Cathedral
10. Floating kitchen island
11. Natural Wood with Dark Gray (plus 2 islands)
12. No Cabinets
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13. Sleek Gray
14. Long Single Wall with Island
15. Modern Industrial
16. Modern White
17. L-Shape with Wood, White and Subway Tile
18. Small Black and White Modern Kitchen with White Brick Wall
19. Brown and White with Breakfast Nook
20. Contemporary Black and Light Wood
21. White with Marble Backsplash
22. Light Wood and White (and Bright)
23. Massive L-Shaped Island
24. White Minimalist
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25. Modern Glam
26. Ultra Luxury Modern
27. Minimalist Modern Narrow Kitchen
28. Industrial modern hipster kitchen
When you’re upgrading your kitchen, modern design is something you may wish to consider. However, your concept of a modern kitchen design is often much different than a designer’s. While you may think modern designs contain furniture, appliances, and colors which are popular now, they use ideas from the past.
29. Black counters and backsplash kitchen
30. Modern white and brown kitchen with white waterfall island
31. Open-space kitchen with a small island
32. Gray and white color scheme modern kitchen
33. Modern brown kitchen with a thick marble countertop
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34. Contemporary custom kitchen
35. Single wall kitchen with a large waterfall-style island
36. L-shape brown kitchen with a breakfast bar island
37. White modern kitchen with bookshelves
38. White modern kitchen with bookshelves
This modern kitchen pairs its charming light hardwood flooring with a black and white kitchen island that also serves as a breakfast bar paired with white stools and topped with pendant lights.
39. Modern farmhouse kitchen with brass accents
Light wood elements combine to the white scheme of this kitchen to bring a fresh and cozy look. Brass accents from the hardware and lighting add elegance to the area.
40. Sleek kitchen with large exposed beams
Contemporary chandeliers hanging from the large beamed ceiling illuminate this kitchen. It is enhanced by strip lights from the center island that’s crowned with an elegant marble countertop.
41. Eat-in kitchen with great views
Bright and airy kitchen with sleek white cabinets contrasted by a rustic two-tier island. It has large windows and doors that provide a wonderful view of the surrounding.
42. Kitchen with caged pendants
This kitchen showcases white cabinetry, marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a multi-use island well-lit by a couple of eye-catching caged pendants.
43. Kitchen with a touch of blue
Blue island and lower cabinets bring a nice interest to this modern kitchen. It goes well with the white upper cabinets and slate appliances.
44. Kitchen with black marble island
This is a close look at the modern kitchen that has a black marble kitchen island across from the built-in white cabinetry of the wall with a section that has opaque cabinet doors.
45. Kitchen with white and stainless steel
This is a view of the kitchen that has consistent white modern cabinetry and a white kitchen island to pair with the stainless steel appliances and elements. These are then accented by the hardwood flooring and wall paneling.
Modern Design Definition
In interior design terms, modern designs involve a certain time period, the 1920s to the 1950s to be exact, which never changes. Some people include Mid-century modern kitchens. These designs contain clean lines, natural materials, and a minimalist style.
If this is the type of design that you want, then there are several modern kitchen design ideas you may find appealing. However, most people when looking for modern, are really looking for contemporary kitchen designs, which is what this article technically is about. We debated for months whether to stick to the strict definition or open it to contemporary as well.
Purists will not like our decision and I totally understand that, but at the end of the day, we chose to offer up what people want which is modern and contemporary designs.
Flooring
In a study of over 1.78 million kitchens, researchers found that almost 11% of them were modern designs, yet this style falls in line with most other styles by having hardwood as by far the most common flooring material. Despite all the composite products out there for home improvement, good ole natural wood is still favored for petty much every style.
Cabinet Materials and Styles
The cabinet finishes in kitchens with a modern design aesthetic are often acrylic with high gloss or flat panel wood cabinets. In fact, approximately 66% of modern kitchens have flat-panel cabinetry design. Since this design involves having clean lines, flat-panel cabinetry is usually found in these kitchens.
For contemporary design, wood is the most common, usually a flat-faced design. Ornate is sometimes implemented but that typically falls under another kitchen style such. As for modern kitchen countertops, engineered quartz is the most common material with granite a somewhat distant second.
Any Kitchen Size
Modern kitchens suit any size kitchen, from small one-wall kitchens to large ones. In fact, some modern efficiencies make modern features a great style for small kitchen spaces. The use of a center island or a counter defining the kitchen area from the dining or living area is also common since open floor plan kitchens are very popular.
The islands or counters can also provide space for eating in the kitchen, which is something many homeowners want. Along with working well for any kitchen size, modern designs also suit different kitchen layouts. Whether it is an L-shape kitchen or a single-wall kitchen, the clean lines and minimalist style can be applied to most kitchens layouts.
If you like kitchens with an uncluttered, clean aesthetic, then you may find that modern design is right for your home.
Modern Kitchen Lighting
Without a doubt, the two most used modern and contemporary kitchen lighting options are a combination of recessed and pendant. Recessed provides the room-wide illumination while the pendants illuminate either the peninsula or island surface. However, not just any pendant light will do.
It must be a modern or contemporary design. Check out the many photos in this extensive article to get an idea of examples.
Modern Kitchen Appliances
When it comes to modern/contemporary kitchen appliances, there are 3 considerations. They are:
- Current cooking technologies: Examples of current cooking technologies that are popular include sous vide, air frying, steam oven, brewing, custom coffee preparation, and water purification.
- Modern design: Modern appliance design can be black or stainless steel. In some cases something that pops like red or blue work as well. Some have stark bare faces while others no so much. The variety is broad. At the end of the day, modern appliances are used in all kitchen designs.
- Design: There are many different types of kitchen faucets and sinks that meed the contemporary design element.
- Smart technology: Today’s appliances come with apps and hook into the internet so that you can control them remotely and/or by voice. We are at the early stages of this technology, but it’s already amazing and will advance very, very quickly.
Check out our in-depth modern kitchen appliances guide here.
Modern Backsplash
Subway tiles work, but so too do regular white tiles and even colored tile. Mosaic isn’t a good choice for modern. You typically want a more stark, unicolor design that coincides with the simpler modern design overall.
However, for the contemporary kitchen, the options are seemingly endless – grays, earth tones, and even brighter colors work given a contemporary kitchen is merely one that is a current design.
Stools
Most contemporary kitchens have stool seating either at the island or peninsula. It’s a hallmark feature of today’s kitchens. You can go modern rustic, strict modern and everything in between.
You definitely want the stools to be a stand-out feature as well as comfortable.
Sink and Faucet
Sink and faucet innovation is incredible with respect to design and features.
Design: There are many different types of kitchen sinks and faucets that meed the contemporary design element.
Features: In addition to providing water and catching water, they extend, operate via a sensor, offer instant hot water and more. The innovation is amazing.
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