Contemporary kitchen and Modern kitchen are terms that are often used interchangeably.
While this is not a problem in everyday speech, confusion can arise if you are talking to
architects or interior designers. We use the terms interchangeably on our website as most of
our visitors do, too.
Modern refers very specifically to the period of the early to mid-20th-century. This style
celebrated mass-produced building materials, clean lines and a new, previously inconceivable,
type of design. Glass, steel and concrete could be produced in larger quantities and sizes and
with the machine-produced precision that was previously unavailable. Designers began to
realise they could push the boundaries in a way that was unable to be explored before. It was
quite a departure from the styles before the industrial revolution and still sends ripples into the
designs we enjoy today.
A Modern kitchen harks back to that early to mid-20th-century era.
Contemporary kitchens are kitchens that are very present Contemporary design moves with the
times. It grows and evolves as we do and takes inspiration from new technologies as well as
earlier styles. We often refer to these kitchens on our website as lowercase m modern kitchens.
What Defines a Contemporary Kitchen at this Point in Time?
At this point in time, contemporary kitchens play with texture, color, symmetry and asymmetry.
Clean lines and a pared-back silhouette are common elements. Function and form are of equal
importance in contemporary kitchens with ergonomics, increased storage and ease of
movement around the kitchen placed at the top of the list.
Clean Lines
Modern Scandi style kitchen with clean lines and a U shaped layout with an island bench. A lack
of overhead cabinets maintains a feeling of spaciousness. J grip door profiles on the white
cabinets provide integrated handles that don’t interrupt the sleek lines.
Clean lines keep the vista of the kitchen uncluttered and contribute to an overall impression of
tidiness and harmony. Serving ware and vases can be added for that pop of color or nod to a
fleeting but pleasing design trend. The symmetry of door heights and banks of cupboards or
drawers create the effect of clean lines. No-fuss door profiles such as a flat ‘slab’ style or V
groove doors for a painted finish or flat laminate doors.
Handle Choices
Handles with a simple profile or recessed lip-pulls also contribute to an uncluttered look. If
handles are not your thing, consider a J groove door which has an integrated ‘handle’ or grip
area to open. Push to open doors and drawers allow for the least encumbrance. Manual
options involve a spring-loaded magnetic catch. Electric options require only the lightest touch
and are perfect for those with arthritis and other conditions.
Colors
There are so many options for color in contemporary kitchens. Minimalist kitchens often
feature one color only where other looks incorporate two or even three.
Layout
The layout of your kitchen will be largely dictated by the space you have available.
Contemporary kitchens can be designed to fill all manner of spaces. Kitchen layouts are
generally described as L shaped, U shaped, G shaped or galley-style (two benches or banks of
cabinets in parallel).
Your designer will direct you regarding which layout to choose in order to optimize storage and
access.