Modern Kitchens

Many things make a kitchen a modern kitchen including the appliances, conveniences, the design, the cabinetry, the floors, and the modern kitchen furniture.  When some people say modern kitchen they are talking about the modern kitchen design while others are talking about the modern kitchen accessories and appliances that make cooking more convenient.  Others think that modern kitchen designs are those that incorporate “green” attributes.  There are many ways to make your kitchen look more modern.

Modern kitchens often incorporate decorating elements likes clean lines, minimalist design, or spacious and open floor plans.  The clean lines come from complete kitchen appliances and modern kitchen cabinets that have straight edges and unobtrusive handles.  Minimalist design efforts mean that there are not a lot of decorations or stenciling around the kitchen.  Solid colors in two tone combinations and empty counter tops are good modern kitchen ideas.  The spacious and open floor plans of contemporary kitchens make them good choices for smaller spaces.  You can make a much smaller kitchen feel large by opening up the floor plan.

Modern Kitchen Attributes

One thing you will find about modern kitchens is that they are easier to clean and more efficient. The reason that they are easier to clean is that the surfaces in the contemporary kitchens are smooth lend themselves well to shining. For example, many people have stainless steel appliances that you can polish to a shine. Marble or stone counter tops generally do not look dirty and they can be cleaned by simply wiping them down. Another reason that a contemporary kitchen will look cleaner is that there is generally little clutter on the counter tops. Many modern kitchen cupboards designs are clever enough that there are small nooks and crannies to store various items so the marble tile countertop can stay clear. This lack of clutter and greater organization also makes the kitchen more efficient. Another modern touch for your kitchen cabinets is the lack of kitchen cabinet door handles. Kitchen cabinets with handles that are out of sight continue the clean lines.

You will also find that modern kitchens are greener or more environmentally friendly. The appliances will be energy saving ones so that there is little or no energy wasted. A contemporary kitchen will help facilitate recycling by having multiple places for recycling bins and trashcans. In addition, the efficiency of the kitchen will make sure that you waste less food during preparation.

There are some newer kitchen appliances and gadgets that help to give your kitchen a new age feel.  For example, I know someone who has an electronic cat food dispenser for his cats at the end of his kitchen island.  That way, he does not have to go to the trouble of bending over and filling their bowls.  The food is dispensed automatically on a timer.  Other contemporary kitchen appliances include wine refrigerators, flat surface stovetops, juicers, cappuccino machines, dressing emulsifiers, salad spinners, and refrigerators with filtered water and multiple kinds of ice dispensed form the door.  You will also find unusual kitchen sinks, especially modern kitchen faucets.  Often faucets will be shaped more uniquely.

As I said earlier, modern kitchens have lots of storage so that there are few objects sitting on the counter.  In addition to having many cabinets, there will be specially shaped cabinets for storing certain items.  For example, you could have a very thin cabinet for storing cookie sheets next to the stove.  Contemporary kitchen storage can be made of material others than wood.  Most kitchen cabinet doors are wood, but they do not have to be.  Other popular modern materials include plastic or metal.  Some kitchen cabinet refacing ideas even include cutting out the middle of each door and replacing it with glass or plastic so that the contents can be seen from the outside.

In newer kitchens, it is common to see kitchen islands with stools or kitchen islands with breakfast bar.  This modern addition makes it possible for people to gather while you prepare a meal or have a quick place to sit and grab something to eat without having to set a table.  Other than the island, the only other furniture that you might find in the kitchen is a breakfast nook table set.  The breakfast nook furniture will be more modern so that it matches the rest of the kitchen.  If you have stainless steel appliances and everything else in your kitchen is black and white then a glass table with black metal legs would be a perfect fit.

Interior designers and architects who are going for a modern look will try to use natural light as much as possible. Kitchens should have lots of natural light, so there will be many windows in your contemporary kitchen. There really isn’t any such thing as modern kitchen curtains, so you will most likely see blinds instead as window treatments. When the sun is not shining, you need other modern kitchen lighting. Track lighting and spotlights are very popular modern lighting systems. Another neat gadget that is relatively new is under cabinet lighting. These lights can either be controlled by a switch on the wall or be activated with a tap under the cabinet.

Even the flooring material can make a difference in how modern or contemporary your kitchen feels. Older kitchens use materials like linoleum, carpet, or wood floors. A more modern space will have tile floors. There are many different kinds of tile but the most common in contemporary design are marble or slate tiles. These floors are easy to clean and very durable. Not to mention that they look fantastic and give your kitchen a more elegant feel.