Modern Kitchens

I really love to cook, so Kitchens are rooms that I really love to design. But aside from their practical aspects, Kitchens also function as the heart of the home. This is the place where, homework is done, kids are fed and stories are told. So it can be difficult when I get a request to do a modern Kitchen, because it seems to me that these can be the antithesis of this. The image above is a Kitchen I did in a house up in northern California in conjunction with a local Kitchen Designer. The family has young kids and this Kitchen can be a madhouse at times, so I think that the clean lines help to give the Kitchen a more straightforward, handsome look that a more traditional style might not.

Here are some ideas to consider if you are creating a modern Kitchen:

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  I like to use a combination of different materials to create a sense of warmth. In this Kitchen we used Douglas Fir doors wrapped in stainless steel, and then repeated the stainless steel on the island. It helps to create a nice rhythm.


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  One of the hallmarks of modern Kitchens is this idea of big splashes of one material. I like the idea for instance on the back splash, using a very simple color, like the sandblasted glass, but do it in a small tile, so that you still get some texture up there.


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  Once again, use different types of light so that you can create different effects, from bright utilitarian to a warm glow at night.


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  When laying out the kitchen, massing is very important. You want a modern kitchen to feel light and effortless, so try keeping all the bigger pieces (Refrigerator, wall ovens, pantry etc) grouped together.


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  When using a lot of material like stainless steel, make sure you balance it out with some material with a lower lustre, like slate, or else you will end up with a glary, shiny mess.

Good Luck, and Happy Cooking!