5 Principles of Contemporary Kitchen Design

Modern kitchen design should position the room as a gathering space, artfully integrated in the rest of the home’s decor. With space in most apartments limited, kitchens are no longer shoved in a corner only meant for those preparing the food and cleaning. Kitchens in many apartments are prominently visible upon walking through the front door and should be integrated accordingly into the grander design and color scheme of the home.

1. Remodel Efficiently

Heavy kitchen remodeling can be expensive and time consuming. If you’re renting, chances are your landlord won’t allow it, so look to creative but cheap ways to transform the look of your home’s eatery. Landlord permitting, paint a few sections of the walls between counters and cabinets a bright color to add interest without having to replace the woodwork altogether. Instead of inserting a tile back splash behind a stove or sink, sponge paint a strip of the wall, bringing in some of your favorite colors from the rest of the home.

2. Create Counter Space

Counters typically aren’t plentiful in most apartments for rent, so do everything you can to clear unnecessary clutter from the area. Hang boxy floating shelves for commonly used ingredients such as spices and cooking oils and keep food items off counters altogether. Invest in a wooden chopping block table and a cafeteria-style cart to store items like your microwave, blender, toaster or coffee maker. If you can afford the space, placing an island in the center of the room adds invaluable cooking and preparing space.

3. Encourage Eating

Many apartments lack a room specifically designated for dining, so the kitchen must serve the dual functions of preparing and eating. You can still add the elegant look of a dining room by decking a table with a runner, bold place mats and even a glass bowl full of your produce. If space is more limited, opt for a taller, cafe-style table with bar stools.

4. Make Sure It Multi-Tasks

The kitchen can be just as big as and even directly connected to the living room, so be sure to considerate it an important space for hosting social functions. Adding a few key elements will make guests comfortable congregating in the kitchen. Bring a tall wooden wine rack stocked with plenty of glasses to encourage socializing in the room. A low, long dresser covered in a table cloth or runner can act as a buffet table for serving dishes during parties, while its drawers give you the added ability to stow away linens or paper goods.

5. Don’t Forget the Artwork

There’s no reason why a kitchen can’t be just as much of an expression of your personality as your living and bedroom are. Framing a statement piece of artwork or a modern photograph and tacking it centrally on a kitchen wall is an excellent way to add flavor to the room. Keep the kitchen theme and look for vintage restaurant signs or print quirky recipes on cool paper and frame them. Use funky colorful or patterned potholders and oven mitts and hang from hooks on the walls. Display pottery and pretty glass vases on a few floating shelves.