Kitchens are utilitarian, functional, and deeply personal.
The style of your kitchen is often the focal point to showcase the style of your entire home.
The kitchen is about more than food, it’s about your lifestyle.
These most popular and sought-after kitchen styles define the look and feel of beautiful 21st century homes.
1. Traditional
Kitchens are all about practical and functional details. This overall aesthetic is classic and timeless with a clean, comforting, and inviting feel.
Cabinets may have raised panel doors with unique details. Crown molding and toe kicks give a complete floor-to-ceiling look.
Glazed or glass windows are also common in a traditional kitchen design.
White is a popular traditional kitchen color, but it may also include other pale shades combined with rich toned woods or a dramatically dark paint.
The island is often the centerpiece of a traditional kitchen that may feature corbels or pilasters with wainscoting.
2. Contemporary
The contemporary style kitchen incorporates a mixture of new and old with a sleek aesthetic. They are more simple, and lack the details of a traditional style.
Concrete flooring, brushed silver fixtures, and the inclusion of chrome and lacquer provide a bit of an industrial vibe.
Polished countertops are sleek and free from clutter to create a sense of calm, tranquility, and peace.
3. Transitional
According to the National Kitchen & Bath Association, the transitional kitchen is one of the most popular styles because it blends contemporary with traditional.
Painted shaker cabinets with clean lines are fundamental combined with other materials in pale neutrals like beige and gray.
4. Beach
Beach style kitchens bring the easy-breezy nature of the coast into your own home.
Cool shades of blue are often paired with soft accents like wicker furniture with fluffy pillows.
A beach kitchen needs huge windows with copious amounts of sunlight. Go with light flooring, whitewashed paint and unique accents to help you feel like everyday is a vacation.
5. Eclectic
When done correctly, the eclectically exudes confidence. It’s a unique space that doesn’t try too hard.
Instead, it’s about being bold and intricate. Bright paint colors, various textures and a personally curated but often mismatched collection of trinkets to show the taste, preferences, and personality of the owner with effortless appeal.
6. Modern
A modern kitchen can come in a variety of materials and finishes but always includes warm neutrals, white, and/or moody darks.
A pop of color is often a very on-trend addition along with metallics and very smooth textures.
Often cabinets are both flat-fronted and handle less to create a sleek finish.
7. Craftsman
The craftsman style is all about organic and earthy finishes in natural wood tones, browns, and warm hues. This kitchen is unique, inviting, and comforting with hand built items designed to last.
Intricate woodwork and stonework give a more artisan and rustic feel.
8. Farmhouse
The farmhouse style is a modern but rustic look synonymous with Joanna Gaines and shiplap.
In a farmhouse kitchen you’ll likely find more traditional cabinetry, an apron-front sink and open shelving filled with rustic objects.
It is welcoming and relaxed, but highly functional. The color pattern here is likely clean white, warm neutrals and nature-inspired greens.
9. Rustic
Rustic styled kitchens always include a combination of wood, stone, and often brick.
They are a bit eclectic in nature, lending themselves to limitless options.
Distressed finishes, unfinished surfaces, and plenty of texture are all important elements.
They are somewhat a combination of both craftsman and farmhouse kitchens with the simplicity and practicality of a log cabin kitchen.
10. Mediterranean
Mediterranean style kitchens are intentionally designed to invoke the beauty and complexity of Greek design.
Look for bold colors in earth tones with textured walls, intricate tiles, hardwood cabinets and terra cotta accents.
Unlike a modern or contemporary kitchen, the Mediterranean style features plenty of curves, creativity, and details.
11. Asian
A signature of the Asian-style kitchen design is clean and simple lines, multi-functional features, floral designs, and wall art.
The finishes usually include light stone tiles, wood elements, bamboo flooring and black cabinets.
An Asian kitchen is all about creating calmness and peace in the space while hiding clever features that add to the functionality of the space.
12. Industrial
An industrial kitchen space resembles a commercial kitchen with an urban flair.
Surfaces may be concrete countertops, stainless steel appliances, exposed brick, and plenty of open space.
Exposed pipes or wood beams fit perfectly with the industrial style. You may also have long shelves with a display of kitchen tools and gadgets for the experienced cook.
13. Scandinavian
If you’ve walked through an IKEA showroom, you understand the basics of Scandinavian design.
The Scandinavian kitchen is all about neutral colors, functional features, wood tones, and a slightly eccentric touch. It carries notes of mid-century modern, mixed with minimalistic chic.
14. Mid-Century Modern
This term refers to the dominant furnishings of the post World-War II environment featuring simple, functional teak furniture with clean lines and simplistic décor.
This style screams retro and often uses a pop of bright colors like orange, teal, or yellow.
Flat front cabinetry and floral patterns add warmth and personality.
15. Shabby Chic
The shabby chic kitchen is well used, comfortable, and lived-in.
It is the best combination of rustic and glamor with roots in country style.
It keeps the emphasis on a practical kitchen rather than just a pretty one.
Distressed or antiqued cabinets, light colors, and soft textures are classic shabby chic style.
16. Southwestern
Southwestern kitchens draw influence from Mexican, Native American, or Spanish elements.
They tend to have a more casual feel using natural materials and a palette of Earth tones like blues, reds, greens and browns.
Spanish mosaic tiles are often incorporated into a backsplash with granite or wood countertops.
Textured walls, wood floors, and rugged furniture round out the details that define a southwestern kitchen.
17. French Country
This is a combination style taking elements from both rustic and elegant kitchen styles.
Soft colors and patterned fabrics are both essential to the French country style.
Furnishings are typically painted and distressed. Décor may include vintage pieces, wrought iron racks and copper pots.
A decorative range hood is a classic element of today’s more modern French country kitchens.
18. Cottage Kitchen
For homes near the ocean or a lake, a cottage kitchen is a common choice, but it can be created anywhere.
The cottage style features more quirky, compact and rustic details while hiding state-of-the-art appliances behind custom cabinetry.
Traditional cabinets in pure white with decorative details or open grate doors display China or treasured collectibles.
Freestanding furniture, distressed paintings and industrial accessories create a lived-in style.
19. Classic
Classic kitchens are designed to be both flexible and simple.
They use timeless features and neutral color palettes to essentially create a look that is trend-less and lacks a defined style.
It is a great option to suit a wide variety of tastes, styles, and budgets.
A classic kitchen uses plain white cabinets with a light color scheme and occasional dark accents.
What Style Speaks to You?
Creating kitchen styles that fit your lifestyle starts with a good design and a great remodeling contractor in Louisville, KY.
To create a space you’ll enjoy for years, we provide all of your kitchen remodeling project needs in one place from start to finish.
If you’re not sure what style speaks to you, start by gathering inspiration from other kitchens, and look for similarities that appeal to you.
Remember, the best style is one that you can’t live without.
Most kitchens are a combination of designs to create a space that is completely your own.
Give us a call for a free consultation and seek the advice of our design experts.
We can’t wait to make your Louisville kitchen remodeling dreams a reality.