Embracing Elegance and Functionality: The Secrets to Modern Kitchen Decor

Discover the secrets to transforming your kitchen into a modern haven with these innovative and stylish design ideas. From striking sculptural light fixtures to clever storage solutions, this article will guide you through the essential elements of modern kitchen decor. Get ready to be inspired as we explore creative ways to update your kitchen and create a space that is both functional and visually stunning.

Use Sculptural Light Fixtures

Laure JolietIncorporate sculptural light fixtures in your modern kitchen design. Opt for simple yet striking fixtures like the brass pendant with two globe lights in this kitchen designed by Regan Baker.

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Let the Light Pour In

Felix ForestCreate a kitchen with clean lines, graphic fixtures, a simple color scheme, and an abundance of natural light. This design by Arent & Pyke showcases the characteristics of a striking and modern kitchen.

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Paint on the Floor

Douglas FriedmanAdd sophistication to your kitchen with a painted chevron pattern on the floor. This kitchen, designed by Jeffrey Bilhuber in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, showcases this elegant design element.

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Create a Countersplash

Douglas FriedmanIncorporate a countersplash in your kitchen design by using the same slab style for the countertop and backsplash. This design choice offers a seamless look and easy cleanup for cooking splatters. In this kitchen by Michelle Nussbaumer Design, the white marble countersplash enhances the pink upper cabinets and deep blue drawers.

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Incorporate a Contrasting Hood

Meghan Beierle-O’BrienAdd a statement-making element to your white kitchen with a contrasting hood. Designer Caren Rideau incorporated a large black range hood to create a striking contrast in this kitchen. The textured bar stools bring a cozy feel to the modern design.

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Consider Dark Counters

Lauren PresseyAdd a moody touch to your modern kitchen with dark counters. While many kitchens feature bright white counters, dark ones can create an airy atmosphere without sacrificing style. Take inspiration from this kitchen designed by Linda Hayslett, which combines dark counters with floor-to-ceiling windows and crisp white walls.

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Use Glass Fronts

Josh ThorntonContrast the clean look of a modern kitchen with cabinetry featuring glass fronts. This unexpected touch adds visual interest and can make your kitchen stand out. Designer Summer Thornton enhanced the space with glass fronts, natural light, white marble counters, and a good range hood in this Chicago townhouse kitchen.

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Go for Gold

Jef Jacobs for Dries OttenAdd a touch of glamour to your modern kitchen with a gold accent. Incorporate high-shine elements like mirrored islands to create an edgy look. In this kitchen designed by Dries Otten, the gold mirrored surface adds sophistication to the playful elements throughout the space.

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Mix Metals

Lauren MillerEmbrace the pairing of modern and rustic styles by mixing different metals in your kitchen design. Infuse glamour and warmth by incorporating gold cone-shaped pendants, a gold faucet, and a silver range hood with gold details. Designer Natalie Chong achieved this look in her Toronto kitchen.

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ONE METAL, 100% OF THE TIME

If you have a small kitchen, be deliberate with the metals you choose for your appliances, handles, and other kitchen staples. Steel is a great choice for modern design as it keeps the space bright and easily coordinates with other colors and textures. Add a rod for hanging dish towels or pots and pans to make the space practical. Make sure the metal matches the others in your kitchen for a uniform and masterfully designed look.

Scandi Wood Cocoon

Stephen Kent JohnsonAdd a touch of northern European calm and simplicity to your kitchen design with Scandi wood elements. This kitchen on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, designed by Ashe Leandro, features Caesarstone countertops, Brizo fittings, a Wolf range, and Finnish Design Shop stools.

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Modern Rustic

Combine modern and rustic styles in your kitchen design for a unique and trendy look. Incorporate natural elements while maintaining cleanliness and neatness. Opt for worn woods in a uniform layout for the ceiling and choose simple, straightforward elements for wood accents, flooring, and accent pieces. Remember that simplicity and clean lines are key in modern design. Add a detailed rug, backsplash, island, artwork, or other focal point to create drama and interest in the space.

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Deliberate Detail

Add detail and pattern to your modern kitchen while maintaining a clean and structured look. Choose one area or aspect to be the focal point, such as a detailed rug, backsplash, island, or artwork. Keep the rest of the space simple and straightforward to allow the focal point to shine. For example, a patterned backsplash in an otherwise plain kitchen creates stunning drama.

Design By Patricia Davis Brown Designs

Unvarnished Rusticity

William WaldronCreate a rustic atmosphere in your kitchen by embracing an unvarnished and natural look. In this Berkshires home, surrounded by forest, the custom retrofitted kitchen features cabinetry by KraftMaid, a Jenn Air refrigerator, Kohler faucet and sink, and a sandstone tile floor.

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Small Open Shelves

Maximize storage and add a practical and stylish accent to your kitchen by incorporating small open shelves. Instead of filling an entire wall with cabinetry, opt for open shelving units to display plants, family photos, or cookbooks. In this modern style kitchen, there are plenty of cabinets for storage, so open shelves provide an opportunity to showcase favorite items.

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Add Cushy Bar Stools

Vanessa LentineCreate comfort and warmth in your modern kitchen by offsetting cold white marble counters and cabinetry with sleek and cushy bar stools. This design choice, as seen in this kitchen by Pure Salt Interiors, adds a cozy touch to the space.

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Modern Backsplash

Make your backsplash a practical and beautiful element in your modern kitchen. Embrace simplicity by choosing a clean and straightforward backsplash. This kitchen showcases a square version of classic subway tiles for a timeless yet modern look. By opting for this type of backsplash, you can create an accent wall without the need for additional decor.

Up in Your Grille

Christian HarderCreate a kitchen that stands out with custom grilles by Architectural Grille. This design choice adds a unique touch to your counters and sets your kitchen apart. Combine this feature with cabinets by Scavolini and a Cambria countertop for a stunning result.

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Try Open Shelving Within Cabinetry

Paul CostelloAdd a functional and visually appealing element to your kitchen with open shelving within cabinetry. In this all-white kitchen designed by Barrie Benson, a section of warm wood-tone open shelves sits between the cabinets, providing storage and adding warmth to the space.

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Make It Disappear

Hecker GuthrieFor a kitchen that seamlessly blends with the surrounding dining and living areas, opt for hardware-free cabinets and a sleek white color. This design choice by Hecker Guthrie allows other elements, such as pink cane chairs and a pearly marble table, to take the spotlight.

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Pretty Picture Window

Isabel ParraAdd a picture window to your kitchen to enjoy views of nature. In this Perifio kitchen, at least one picture window provides a connection to the outdoors. The custom cabinets are painted in C2 paint, and the quartz island and countertops are from Caesarstone.

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Plain Perfection

Stephen Kent JohnsonIf the basic ingredients are top-notch, you don't need to add pepperoni to the pizza. Decorator Billy Cotton kept it nice and simple in this kitchen he designed in Midtown Manhattan.

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Riding the Wave

Esther ChoiWe've never seen a kitchen as unique as this one, located in a downtown New York apartment designed by Dash Marshall. Inspired by feng shui principles, the architects clad the island, storage spaces, and appliances entirely in undulating pale oak tambour. Talk about ahead of the curve!

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Terrazzo Checkers

Thomas LoofFor a prewar apartment on NYC's Upper East Side, designer Bradley Stephens deploys Italy's greatest flooring innovation to give the kitchen an Art Deco vibe. The island in the kitchen is custom, the stools are from Grazia & Co., and the refrigerator is from Sub-Zero. The backsplash is from Ann Sacks, the hood is from Wolf, the Swedish pendants are vintage, and the cabinetry hardware is from Buster & Punch.

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Aquamarine Palette

Eric PiaseckiIn this Steven Gambrel–designed Chicago revivalist mansion, the kitchen's ceiling and walls are covered in handmade glass tiles, the custom-cut oak floors are arranged in an Escher-like pattern, and the exhaust hood is enameled in forest green.

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Modern Contemporary Decor

In terms of actual definitions, modern and contemporary styles actually have some key differences from each other. That doesn't mean that they can't be paired together, though--in fact, it's just the opposite. Allow the fixtures of your kitchen to be simple and straightforward, and then add in contemporary flair through light fixtures, seating, and accents. Modern style would lean towards more simplistic, natural seating, but contemporary loves rounded, artistic shapes as shown in the chairs here. The light fixtures fit contemporary style too with their roundness and curvature, but even so, this room is a cohesive blend of the two styles that you can easily imitate in your kitchen.

Beachy Black and White

Katie CharlotteIn this Cortney Bishop-designed beach house, which she affectionately named "Ebony and Ivory," black and white take center stage in the kitchen, with an understated marble island and backsplash paired with a black fume hood, cabinetry, and doors.

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Smoky Green

Ty ColeThis shade of green never goes out of style. Here, 2Michaels selected Vintage Vogue by Benjamin Moore for the kitchen cabinets and island of a brownstone on the Upper West Side of New York City. A pendant by Apparatus, barstools from Stellar Works, and hexagonal backsplash tiles by Tyler Hays complete the look.

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Illustrious Italian

The stunning mosaic stonework of Italian design pairs perfectly with modern design! If you do go with a bold stone mosaic, choose cabinets and hardware that are simple and understated. You can carry that trend to the upper cabinets, but at the same time, you can choose uppers that lean into Italian design with arches and frills. However, don't forget to add in one more important element to tie it all together--a rug. This traditional-inspired floral rug is the perfect addition to add a feminine and cohesive touch to the mosaic wall and pink and gold color scheme, but any runner with a traditional theme and neutral color scheme would work well in a modern Italian kitchen.

Design by Andrea Design

Statements & Simplicity

Modern style loves function and minimalism in all of its spaces including the kitchen. That doesn't mean that the space needs to be bland, though! Once again, choose simple cabinets and accents. Then, allow your backsplash to be the star of the show by choosing something marbled or "artistic" looking. You can even add in a shelf for function, but try not to fill it too much to detract from your backsplash or clutter the space. You can add items that have functional purpose in the kitchen, or items that function as art. Don't forget that you can always break a neutral color palette by adding in a colored runner! It's comfortable to stand on, and stylistically, it's a perfect opportunity to add in your favorite color.

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Green and Gold

Douglas FriedmanFor his own Hollywood, California home, designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard's kitchen features a vibrant green island and backsplash, both of which are tempered by a high-top marble table and brass pendants from his Corbett Lighting collection.

Charles Curkin

Articles Editor, ELLE Decor

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Primary Color Accents

Stephan JulliardWhile the bones of this charming home in Portugal are traditional, the vivid blue and a drop of bright yellow command the eye’s attention in this otherwise simple kitchen by Jacques Grange in Comporta, Portugal. All the cabinets are custom.

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Have Fun

Dries OttenSince you have to spend most of your time at home, why not make it a fun place to be? Taking notes from this vibrant, playful, and geometric kitchen designed by Dries Otten is a good place to start. It's a bold and contemporary interpretation of classic Art Deco staples.

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Take Risks

Arent & PykeModern design is streamlined, sure, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for experimentation and bold choices. In modern kitchens, in particular, lighting provides the perfect opportunity to play with design and scale. Arent & Pyke clustered a pair of long, narrow, cylindrical pendants to offset the formality of this kitchen, instead of going with a classic pendant light over the island.

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Pick a Strategic Layout

When you have a small kitchen, you need to be strategic. In this kitchen designed by Hecker Guthrie, the layout is perfect for cooking, there's plenty of storage space since the cabinets reach up to the ceiling, and the understated bar stools do a nice job transitioning the kitchen space to the dining-living area. The modern circular hood and the countertop surface extending up the wall add the perfect intrigue.

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Add One Pop of Color

Reid RollsYou know the drill: whiter=brighter. Keep everything white, then add in pops of color via serving ware, vases, and flowers. The pops of red break things up just enough in this kitchen from Leanne Ford Interiors, and we also love the upcycled soup cans for an affordable decor solution channeling pop art.

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HARDWARE ACCENTS

A kitchen that incorporates black, white, and earthy tones is already well on its way to showcasing that modern look, but there's so much more to design than just a color scheme. Consider the hardware and metals that you have throughout the room. Black metal can be incorporated with earth tones and white fixtures to stand out and add some flair. If you have black cabinets, like this kitchen does, use a different color for the handles, like a bold color or even white. Not only is it practical for you to actually see the handle, but it also adds in a pop of vibrance against the stark color.

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Design by Andrea Designs

Hide the Hood

Hecker GuthrieIf a classic stainless steel hood feels too commercial or stark in your space, you don't necessarily have to replace it altogether. In this kitchen, Hecker Guthrie found a clever solution: Hiding it behind a pretty glass encasement. This adds graphic fun and also polishes things off.

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Incorporating modern kitchen decor into your home has never been more exciting! From sculptural light fixtures to contrasting hoods and dark counters, there are countless ways to make your kitchen stand out. Experiment with mixing metals or stick to one metal for a cohesive look - the choice is yours. Transform your space into a modern rustic retreat with deliberate details and unvarnished rusticity. Add small open shelves and cushy bar stools for a cozy touch, and don't forget to include a modern backsplash for a sleek finish. Whether you're drawn to the simplicity of plain perfection or the excitement of riding the wave, there's a style to suit every taste. Try out a terrazzo checkers or aquamarine palette for a refreshing twist, or embrace the elegance of illustrious Italian design. Make a statement with bold accents or keep it simple and stylish with green and gold details. Infuse your kitchen with primary color accents to inject a sense of fun and playfulness, and don't be afraid to take risks with your design choices. Pick a strategic layout that works for you and add one pop of color to bring your space to life. Don't forget about the details - hardware accents can really make a difference. And finally, let your kitchen hood disappear for a seamless and streamlined look. With these inspiring ideas, you'll be well on your way to creating the modern kitchen of your dreams.