Emerging in the early 20th century as a result of industrialization, the modern style remains relevant today, constantly evolving and acquiring new features. The maximum functionality and compactness of such a design make it a perfect solution for small kitchens in city apartments. By its nature, the modern style is close to contemporary trends – high-tech and minimalism, although it has a number of differences.
Key features of the modern style
The first thing that catches the eye when looking at a modern style kitchen interior is its gloss. Smooth shiny surfaces reflect light, thus giving depth to the room. Darkened and semi-transparent glass, polished steel, plastic, and chrome inserts are used in the finish and furniture. Geometrically, straight horizontal lines and smooth, rounded shapes predominate. There are a minimum of open shelves, objects and appliances are hidden behind monochrome furniture facades, there is no decor.
Overall, such a design looks pragmatic and can sometimes resemble an office. However, considering the purpose of a kitchen, this is more of a plus – it’s easier to maintain order in a restrained interior, and the environment promotes focus and time-saving.
Color solutions
The color palette for modern style kitchens is quite rich: both achromatic tones and saturated berry, green, blue, traditional beige-brown, orange-yellow, golden or purple are used. Meanwhile, the texture of the materials is perfectly smooth, clean, and almost always glossy.
White modern style kitchen
A shiny, snow-white kitchen is the best option for a small area. Metallic elements, rounded corners, and glass surfaces will underline the modern style. To avoid the feeling of a sterile procedure room, you can add a little wood (floor, countertops), brightly design the backsplash, place colorful dishes and chairs.
Black modern style kitchen
Black color in modern style is often used in accent contrasts, highlighting white and steel. But there are also quite avant-garde options in the form of coal-colored sets. Sometimes they can be diluted with wooden textures or large colored elements (for example, part of the facades is painted in orange, red, yellow). Black should be used in spacious rooms.
Red modern style kitchen
In combination with white and metallic, glossy red color will give the kitchen interior a joyful brightness. The shade can be chosen any – from classic scarlet to noble burgundy or frivolous pink. In small rooms, it is desirable to use light, muted tones for small accents or individual cabinets.
Blue Modern-Style Kitchen
Sky-blue, turquoise, and dark-blue in a modern style appear futuristic, resembling the interiors of spaceships from movies. Colors from this range are calming and cooling, so they are good for southern rooms. Also, according to psychologists, blue decreases appetite, so it would be easier to stick to a diet in such a kitchen.
Green Modern-Style Kitchen
The color of spring foliage is the best choice if you want to make the kitchen bright and simultaneously serene. A beige wall would make a good background for green furniture, and gray and wooden inserts will further accentuate its beauty.
Brown Modern-Style Kitchen
Shades of brown, from beige to bitter chocolate, are a timeless classic in the design of apartments and houses. In a modern-style kitchen, such a palette will look respectable and restrained, especially if complemented by a milky white, cream, or ivory background. You can also experiment with brighter elements – green, orange, yellow.
Kitchen Finish
Innovative materials, everything modern and practical, are the hallmarks of the modern style. This is a completely urban design, in which natural textures are completely replaced by artificial ones, and even the texture of wooden furniture does not show through the layer of glossy enamel.
Floor
Even though people have started using polymer self-leveling floors relatively recently, it seems as if it was created for modern style – what other coating can boast such a smooth seamless surface?
However, you shouldn’t neglect traditional materials either: linoleum, tiles, porcelain tiles, or water-resistant laminate are also suitable. The main thing is that the floor ends up being monochrome and with a mirror effect.
Walls
In a modern-style kitchen, you can create a flawlessly smooth vertical background using glossy paint (acrylic or latex water-dispersion paint), vinyl washable wallpapers, or facing PVC panels. You should prefer a monochrome finish, but a pattern in the form of faint stripes or wavy lines is also acceptable.
For the backsplash, you should choose a water-resistant coating, for instance, a glass panel. If you put narrow wallpapers with a cityscape behind it, you can diversify the interior and add an additional perspective to it.
Ceiling
The perfect solution for a modern-style kitchen ceiling is a mirrored stretch film. In white color, it visually increases the height of the room and expands the space.
You can also just paint it or install a suspended drywall structure of an oval or asymmetrical shape (for example, over the dining area). A slatted ceiling with metallic or plastic elements would also harmoniously fit here.
Textiles
If fabrics are used in modern design, they are used minimally. From a practical and stylistic point of view, blinds, compact Roman, roller, or pleated curtains are optimal for a kitchen window. It’s better to choose synthetic textiles with water-repellent properties.
Tablecloths in this style are not provided, as well as chair covers, couch cushions, etc.
Furniture and appliances for a modern style kitchen
Distinctive features of modern kitchen furniture include a smooth, shiny plastic-like surface, streamlined shapes, lack of fillings, decor, forged or separately attached elements. Everything looks monolithic, as if straight off the assembly line. This seems to be how science fiction writers half a century ago imagined the interior of the 21st century.
Kitchen set
The choice of materials for the set is small – solid wood, chipboard or fiberboard, MDF. The facades can be painted with enamel, covered with PVC film or plastic panels. If the doors are attached to an aluminum profile, this not only suits the style but also increases the product’s lifespan by protecting the ends from moisture. A characteristic feature of modern sets is horizontally oriented facades with narrow handles-lines made of polished steel.
If the kitchen has a low ceiling, it’s desirable to balance the height with large vertical elements (refrigerator, pantry cabinet, hood with a long pipe). In a small space, it is better to arrange the set in a G-shape, making maximum use of the corners. If the room is large, other types of layout will work as well.
Dining area
Modern style furniture for the dining area includes compact tables or narrow stands on two round metal tube legs, low one-two-seater sofas with rounded corners, solid plastic chairs and high stools, again on steel legs.
The advantage of such furniture is its low price, light weight, and hygiene – smooth surfaces are very easy to clean from dust, they do not accumulate crumbs and dirt.
If there is not enough space for a full dining area, an extended windowsill, a partition stand, folding or extendable structures can be used as a table.
Storage Systems
For convenient placement of dishes, kitchen utensils, appliances, products, and various small items, the set should include spacious shelves, pull-out drawers, vertical and corner grills, and radius structures.
When ordering furniture, it’s also worth identifying niches for built-in appliances – this way, the modern style kitchen will look neat and well thought out. Open shelves are not welcomed here due to their impracticality. Perhaps the only exceptions are a few semi-transparent glass facades behind which you can store goblets and cups.
Refrigerator
To prevent the refrigerator from looking bulky against the backdrop of narrow cabinets, it’s worth allocating a separate niche for it. In a small kitchen, you can adapt a pantry for this. A compact model with 2-3 shelves will fit well within the set itself at a convenient level.
In the modern style, it’s not necessary to hide the refrigerator, and other appliances, especially if they are contemporary, with beautiful design and chrome doors.
Lighting in a modern style kitchen
The atmosphere of any room greatly depends on the lighting. The best addition for a modern-style kitchen would be neutral white or natural yellowish lamp shades.
The most comfortable, economical, and safe solution right now is LED technology. Point diode lights can be installed around the perimeter of the ceiling, built into the set above the countertop.
In the center of the kitchen, as well as over the dining area, a pendant chandelier will be appropriate – made of steel, ceramic or glass, streamlined, in the form of a steel pipe or table lamp.
Modern style kitchen design – photos
We have collected more options for decorating kitchens in the modern style in our photo selection. These projects will help you see what such design can look like in real conditions.
Pay attention to the details – what finish is used for the walls or floor, what are the advantages and disadvantages of the furniture, how convenient it will be to cook in such an environment. By being observant, you can better plan the upcoming renovation and avoid many mistakes!
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