A Kitchen is the heart of the home, a space that is central to everyday living, entertaining, and sets the design tone for the rest of the home. As it is such an integral part of everyday life, the options to make it all your own are endless. After choosing your house plan, the overall style of your kitchen should be the first thing that's decided. With a working theme you can downsize the selection process while having a direction and definitive kitchen design that aligns with your preferences.
From farmhouse to contemporary, modern, and traditional, with so many kitchen styles and options to choose from, it’s difficult to decide on your dream kitchen without seeing it first. In this article, we’ll talk about the most popular kitchen styles and free visualizers you can use to start realizing your dream kitchen. When designing your home, our interior design experts will create realistic 3D visuals to get your kitchen design just right.
Farmhouse-Style Kitchen
A farmhouse-style kitchen is unpretentious, homey, and balances subtle natural hues, and materials with bolder hues and personality. The farmhouse-style kitchen can range from organically rustic and natural to more contemporary or modern. No matter where on the spectrum, a warm and homey feeling shines through. Key features include: porcelain apron-front sinks, painted cabinets, shiplap, natural wood floors, exposed beams, subway tile. Farmhouse-style kitchens tend toward lean neutral hues, creating a bright, welcoming space with the option to add personality with subtle hues and natural textures.
As some of the finest kitchen paint colors, lighter, neutral hues like warm whites, beiges, and charcoal grays with charcoal accents are preferred in contemporary farmhouse kitchens. Upper and lower kitchen cabinets can be painted in brighter and darker colors to create contrast, or you can add texture by layering on some shiplap wall paneling. There are many neutral color schemes that would look great in your farmhouse-style kitchen.
Traditional-Style Kitchen
Cozy and familiar, the time-enduring traditional-style kitchens offer attention to detail, with layered elements but not overwhelming. The classic look predominantly uses natural wood, quarried stone and metal with current versions also integrating laminated materials and mixing industrial and modern pieces into the ensemble. Hardwood floors, shaker cabinets and stone clad backdrops make the most of the visual space.
Traditional-style kitchen works in any floor area size or shape but with the spacious island counter as the classic’s hallmark, medium to large kitchens would benefit greatly to the theme. Corbels and molding are common features with more flexibility in choosing the hardware material and style. To achieve the relaxed atmosphere of traditional themed kitchens, the earthen tones love to be paired with neutrals and warm lighting. Kitchen appliances and pantries are typically built-in.
Kitchens, with the use of natural wood and elements, remain the desired style on many new homeowners’ lists as well. This style can bring in rustic, country, old-world, or eclectic influences. The overall feeling of the space is warm, homey, and welcoming. Distressed traditional kitchens typically incorporate painted cabinets with or without glass front doors, simple granite or laminate countertops, and hardwood floors. The best traditional kitchens lean on classic elements, while still allowing room for family fun or guest entertainment. Freshen up the look by mixing in modern or industrial elements, like unique lighting fixtures or boldly painted walls.
Transitional-Style Kitchen
The transitional-style kitchen is a unique blend of traditional and contemporary furniture, finishes, materials and fabric – all of which equate to a classic, timeless design. This hugely popular aesthetic is ideal for those of us who revere an enduring look – and those who want to build or remodel once, and once only.
Relaxed, bright, and an air of elegance, the transitional style is an amalgamation of the old and new themes. It's common to find art deco furniture and luminaire in transitional kitchens with pendant lights as distinct elements.
This style loves bronze, brass, nickel and other warm metals as accents or hardware. Compared to your classic kitchens, transitional themed kitchens have incorporated sleeker finishes such as glass and laminates. Monochromatic geometric patterned tiles are typical featured elements with wood and neutral tones as common combinations.
Transitional-style kitchens provide an exciting space for flexibility especially if you aim for more personalization while maintaining the timeless classic look. Integrating art deco styled furniture and luminaire are common as it gives not the juxtaposed look but more of a blend of styles.
Contemporary-Style Kitchen
Reflecting the current times, contemporary-style kitchens have simple and clean lines. You’ll find contemporary kitchens have that warm and homey quality to it compared to your modern kitchen. Glass, smooth surfaces, and light woods are used in contemporary design. Stone and other organic materials are also used. To prevent visual clutter, gadgets and other kitchen items are stored away.
Horizontal lines may be seen in contemporary design in the flooring, backsplash, and cabinet and counter layouts. Geometric shapes are sometimes used to provide a more modern feel. Contrasting furniture, wall art, windows, countertops, lights, squares, diamonds, globes, and rectangles accents are a great way to increase the aesthetic appeal of a contemporary-style kitchen.
Modern-Style Kitchen