Contemporary

Contemporary Kitchen Styles

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.