Top 70 Best Modern Kitchen Design Ideas – Chef Driven Interiors

For a sad many, the kitchen is still a place of utilitarian function only.

Oven, stovetop, sink, refrigerator, some counter space–done, right?

Alas, how much they miss. The kitchen is the nucleus of the home, regardless of whether you live in the city, suburbs, or country. It is where you provide for and fortify yourself and your family, where you entertain friends, and where the most delicious memories are made.

A kitchen is much more than a necessity, and today’s designs all but prove it can be lifted from the pages of domestic pragmatism into a work of art. Beginning with every conceivable material, from granite to glass, and finishing with your own personal style finale, the modern kitchen is your culinary showcase.

Featuring state-of-the-art technology and installation motifs, the superb modern kitchen can boast galley-style wood flooring, flat-panel cabinets, stainless steel detail and appliances, wine storage units, overhangs for pots and pans, and size-appropriate islands, to name just a few.
Convenience and sophistication need not be at odds with each other; with an up-to-date and personalized kitchen you can most certainly have your cassoulet, eat it too, and even savor a cocktail after.

Don’t forget to check out some of our favorite product selections with Longaberger to make your kitchen feel perfectly designed.

Modern Kitchen Design Ideas

Counter-space is king in any modern kitchen design. This long, clean island provides a ton of workspace for prepping, cooking, and entertaining. The waterfall countertop is a nice touch, turning an island into a buffet/bar combination.  If you’re considering installing a lengthy island like the one pictured, it’s worth planning ahead for seating. The countertop overhang is the perfect space to store some shallow stools that tuck away when not in use.

There’s no kitchen design rule that says you can’t have more than one island. This extremely-functional pair of islands work together to provide plenty of workspace for prepping and cooking, plus an area to enjoy the fruits of that labor. While this design probably won’t work in a small kitchen, overly large kitchens with attached dining areas can benefit from an additional island to take up awkward floor space.

While the built-in oven and large bank of cabinets may seem particularly modern, our favorite feature in this kitchen is the exposed ceiling. It creates an industrial feel in a residential kitchen, making it a great space to hone your culinary chops. You can achieve a similar look, even if you don’t have expensive hardwood overhead. By pulling down the drywall in your ceiling, rerouting some wiring, and wrapping your joist with faux-beams, you could mimic this idea in your kitchen.

Marble backsplashes and waterfall countertops can make big impacts in modern kitchens. They often reflect a lot of light, keeping the space bright and enjoyable to work in. They’re also particularly easy to clean, with fewer seams and exposed cabinetry. Spills and splashes can be wiped up without much issue, so if you’re a messy chef, consider spill-proofing your modern kitchen with this design idea.

A simple two-tone color pallet is a great way to make your modern kitchen feel cohesive and clean. The main feature and focal point of this room is clearly the large wall of windows overlooking an incredible view. Tie major features like this back into the kitchen space by choosing cabinets and countertops that match the window casing and frames. Touches of contrast look great in the backsplash and seating area as well.

Islands and exhaust hoods have a way of drawing a lot of attention to themselves. Why not embrace that idea by matching their styles like in this modern kitchen? The woodwork coordinates between both fixtures, bringing style and function to the space. The oversized kitchen hood covers the sink area as well, making a large impact against the contemporary cabinets.

If you’d like to add an island to your modern kitchen, but don’t want a run-of-the-mill look, consider a style like the one above. The contemporary-style, dark paneling lends a modular and dramatic look to this island, while a wrap-around toe-kick makes it feel like it’s floating in the kitchen. While this may not be the simplest design to pull off, it does make a huge impact in the space. If it aligns with the look you’re going for, the juice is probably worth the squeeze.

This ultra-modern cooking space has an amazing full-length skylight to keep the space feeling bright and open. Combined with the slate floor choice and contrasting cabinets, this would be a fun place to spend time preparing large meals. If a skylight isn’t in the cards for your modern kitchen, you can still bring more natural light into the room. An easy way to pull in more light through the existing windows would be choosing sheer curtains over dark, heavy fabrics that absorb light. Also, if you have the wall space for a contemporary-style mirror, it can reflect the light around the room, making it feel larger and brighter.

Maybe your kitchen can’t emulate the view that this kitchen is lucky enough to experience, but you can take some design cues from it anyway. This kitchen’s designer knows the best features to incorporate to make this modern kitchen a stand-out. If you’ve only got a window or two in your kitchen, you should still try facing your workspace towards them. You’ll feel more connected to the outside world while the natural light will improve your mood.

Maybe your kitchen can’t emulate the view that this kitchen is lucky enough to experience, but you can take some design cues from it anyway. This kitchen’s designer knows the best features to incorporate to make this modern kitchen a stand-out. If you’ve only got a window or two in your kitchen, you should still try facing your workspace towards them. You’ll feel more connected to the outside world while the natural light will improve your mood.

Modern kitchens don’t have to be completely void of color. If you’re thinking about a space that you’d like to accent with some color, this island might provide the winning solution. The exposed-look wood ceiling and blue-wash finish on the cabinets and seating area bring a rustic touch to an otherwise completely modern space. The snow-white waterfall countertop performs as a picture frame for this colorfully accented feature.

Many of the best features in modern kitchens are designed to be simple, no-fuss solutions to common problems. This waterfall-style kitchen island serves several purposes. It makes an ideal sitting area and breakfast bar. Seating can be stored underneath to streamline the room as well. Last but not least, the under-mount sink combined with the seamless countertop makes clean up simple and easy. The sheer usability of this island makes an already attractive feature into an ideal work area for serious cooking and entertaining.

One great benefit to modern-designed kitchens is that they often come with a ton of storage space. It’s not uncommon to see large banks of cabinets taking up entire walls. The kitchen pictured here is a wonderful example of how much storage you gain from a contemporary-inspired renovation. The spaces above the stainless range hood and below the sink and stove are both full of drawers and cabinets, making pantry storage a non-issue.

Modern kitchen decor sometimes suffers from looking too well-organized. They often feel like spaces unexplored by humans. This decor idea makes use of empty floor space to bring some life and chaos to the otherwise cold-feeling kitchen. Open shelves are not only useful, but they can also make a huge impact when the idea is properly executed. These shelves provide storage for dishware, cookbooks, and decorative touches. If you’re considering mimicking this look, make sure your shelving matches the kitchen’s design. The metal framework feels at home in this space, so try to bring that level of cohesiveness to your project.

When you want your kitchen island to be the main focal point of the room, there’s no better way to garner attention than waterfall countertops. These countertops are made from long slabs of granite or marble, specially mitered to fold to the floor at a 90-degree angle. This kitchen island’s tiered seating area makes use of a waterfall on one side while leaving the far end open for better flow to the table area.

Blending your favorite touches from the modern and traditional sides of home design might result in a kitchen like the one pictured here. There’s a lot to admire about this space, including the very large island, built-in oven, and the awesome snowy backsplash that follows the L-shaped layout around the room. If your cabinetry leans toward the traditional side, you can do a lot to update it by adding long, modern pulls like the ones here. Choosing stools that are a close match to the hardware is a classy touch, so try coordinating this look with your own space.

The lighting fixtures you choose for your kitchen will say a lot for its overall aesthetic. If you’re retrofitting your existing space with new lights, choose something modern that still fits your current cabinet and countertop situation. You don’t have to go with an ultra-modern kitchen design like the one pictured here. You can hedge your bet and choose something that lands in the middle.

If you’re looking for a way to mix up your color pallet and cabinet materials but still want to be able to tie everything together, a bold backsplash and counter combination like the one in this kitchen may be just the ticket. The gray-painted island still looks at home in front of the dark wood cabinets because they share the marble design. Use this idea if you’re looking to get creative but you’re worried your ideas won’t blend.

Islands have become commonplace in most modern and contemporary kitchens. They add usable workspace and a major focal point. Enhance your island by adding a tiered sitting area for guests to relax and tell stories by. For an added unique touch, you can try using thick, heavy hardwood that is cut to mimic a waterfall countertop. While not necessary, matching the wood to other accents in the room is a classy move.

For a unique approach to modern kitchen design, consider coordinating cabinetry and ceiling color and materials. The dark shiplap ceiling spills down into a bank of matching cabinets, lending the room a longer feel while providing a ton of storage. The shiplap continues down a column on the other side of the room to tie both sides together without overpowering the space with dark features. The resulting room feels clean and interesting while still being highly functional.

The upper cabinets in this kitchen sit on the countertops, minimizing some workspace but providing a ton of storage. The result is that the large island becomes the main countertop space, but with a beautiful marble slab like the one pictured, who would mind? This kitchen’s design allows very little space for a backsplash, but the designer decided to make the most of it with a matching marble slab behind the stove. If you’re only going to cover a small area with a backsplash, consider going the extra mile and creating something unique and eye-catching.

Modern Kitchen Design FAQs

How can I make my kitchen look modern?

There are a number of easy ways to give your kitchen the modern look. Upgrading your existing cabinet doors to a modern design is easy enough to accomplish through several websites that provide this type of service. You can also shop for new fixtures like faucets and lighting. You’ll want to make sure their design feels modern, but once you pick them out, they’re easy to install and can make a huge impact on the kitchen’s overall feel.

What are modern kitchen colors?

Say goodbye to the pinks, greens, and blues from the nightmare kitchens of the past. Modern kitchens find themselves following a simpler color pallet. Popular choices for modern kitchen decor are blacks, grays, whites, and dark hardwoods. These colors all work very well with the stainless appliances that many of these kitchens use.