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Contemporary

Contemporary Kitchen Styles

A white contemporary kitchen with stainless steel and Plexiglas
Slab door cabinets and stainless steel countertops make for a sleek, minimalistic kitchen design. Designed by The Kitchen Specialist, Durham, NC.

 

Contemporary kitchens tend to be described as modern, minimalist and geometric. The characteristics include horizontal lines, asymmetry and a lack of molding and other ornamentation. Materials often are man-made rather than natural: stainless steel, laminate, glass, concrete, chrome and lacquer.

 

Contemporary encompasses styles from the 1940s to the present, with Europe—especially Italy, Germany and Scandinavia—leading the way.

 

Expect to see:

  • Frameless cabinets with oversized hardware
  • Cabinet material: stainless steel; white or bold-colored laminate; or subtly grained woods such as birch, ash or maple
  • Cabinet door style: slab or horizontal lift-up
  • Frosted glass inserts
  • Stainless steel and other metallic accents
  • Curved cabinets and counters
     

Contemporary styles: Art Moderne, Futurism, Functionalism, Modern, Post-Modern

 

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