Every year, kitchen furniture manufacturers try to bring their collections closer to the highest possible level of convenience, functionality and aesthetic appeal. Interior designers, in turn, are finding new color and texture solutions for decorating kitchen spaces. A whole army of professionals is working so that you and I can find and equip the kitchen of our dreams - a highly functional, comfortable, beautiful and fashionable room in which our whole family will be comfortable. We hope that an impressive selection of design projects representing new products in the field of kitchen design will be useful for your inspiration.
Features of modern trends in the design of kitchen spaces
The modern style of kitchen design, as well as the production of furniture sets, is very democratic and allows you to find your own option for every homeowner, even with the most demanding taste. A large assortment of color, design and texture solutions is presented to the modern buyer. And yet, the latest trends have common features that will help us form an idea of the kitchen of 2016:
- minimalism and hi-tech had the greatest influence on the formation of modern style, hence the desire for simplicity, functionality, high technology and minimal decor;
- kitchen units are simple and concise, but at the same time meet all the requirements of ergonomics and ease of use and maintenance;
- high-tech materials make it possible to use imitations of natural raw materials even in areas with high humidity and sudden temperature changes;
- the facades of kitchen ensembles, as a rule, appear completely smooth, the fittings are hidden;
- storage systems have high-tech equipment - shock absorbers, adjustable supports and closers become indispensable components of modern furniture;
- countertops are increasingly presented in a thin version - elegant shiny surfaces look trendy in any design of the kitchen space;
- the decoration of the kitchen area is simple, monochromatic solutions using neutral tones;
- the color palette of modern kitchens is increasingly cool – white, gray and black shades dominate;
- bright colors and variegated patterns can only be seen in the kitchen apron;
- Often in modern design projects for kitchen premises you can find a design “without finishing” - brick walls, imitation concrete surfaces.
Unconventional ideas
This year's trends allow for a move away from a clear style towards the implementation of exclusive design projects that reflect and emphasize the individuality of the home owner. In particular, this applies to interiors that are too small and kitchens combined with the living room.
In the design of small rooms in 2016, as before, various techniques are used to visually expand the space: corner sets, shiny facades, built-in appliances, light shades. It is strongly recommended to avoid protruding textures and dark colors.
To create a modern design in a large kitchen, you can practically divide the area with a bar counter and use interesting textures. You can get acquainted with the ideas using the presented photos.
Color scheme is the key to success
The three main pillars around which the color spectrum of modern kitchen design revolves are grey, white and black. Contrasting combinations are the obvious mainstream of kitchen spaces in 2016. At the same time, you can find both options with a predominance of white (which is quite traditional for kitchen spaces), as well as completely black kitchen sets or design projects in which all shades of gray are presented.
White kitchen with contrasting accents
For small and medium-sized kitchens, white finishing and furniture is the best option for creating a visual expansion of space and a bright, clean image of the room. Black interior elements - household appliances, glossy or matte countertops, dining area chairs and even hood designs - can highlight the snow-white idyll with maximum effect.
Wooden surfaces for color variety
A great way to diversify a snow-white kitchen with a cool palette and the warmth of wood tones. Whether it is a natural material or a successful imitation of it (and modern materials do an excellent job of this role), a “warming” of the atmosphere of your kitchen is inevitable. In modern design projects you can find the use of wood grain for the facades of both the upper and lower tiers of kitchen cabinets.
Black and white colors, together with wooden surfaces, always look luxurious. You can choose one of the colors as the base and “dilute” it in doses or conditionally divide equally the presence of each of the shades in the kitchen interior. Combinations of plain surfaces can be effectively diversified with a black and white ornament or pattern of ceramic cladding on a kitchen apron or floor covering.
Black color is the dominant color in the kitchen
Any housewife knows that kitchen facades require special attention in daily cleaning - even drops of clean water are visible on dark surfaces. But aesthetic appeal. The incredibly modern appearance and even drama of a black kitchen set takes precedence over performance, and many homeowners end up with very original kitchens.
Of course, for the harmonious integration of an absolutely black set into the kitchen space, it must be large and bright - the presence of panoramic windows or a glass exit to the backyard is preferable. Otherwise, you risk getting a very gloomy, dark, and not modern kitchen design.
A black kitchen set needs not only a light and spacious room, but also bright accents that could raise the degree of the interior and bring notes of optimism and celebration to the design. This could be a bright kitchen apron or bar stools, chairs in the dining area in a colorful shade.
Sliding tables
Recently, extendable tables have become popular, which can be attached to a cabinet and various structures. They can also be used as independent elements, closer to the edge of the wall or window.
Furniture set – the face of the kitchen
To a greater extent, the entire image of the main functional room of the home will depend on how the kitchen set looks. The color, texture and models of facades that were used in the manufacture of kitchen furniture largely determine the style of the interior. Modern kitchen sets, as a rule, have simple and laconic shapes, strict lines and neutral colors, but, as with any rule, there are exceptions in the field of kitchen design. Moreover, modern stylistics does not impose any canons on the choice of design ideas, but only directs color and design solutions in a given direction.
Modern kitchen facades are most often smooth, light-colored surfaces, devoid of fittings. Simple and concise solutions, absolutely inconspicuous in appearance, hide a lot of functionality in the depths of their storage systems.
Snow-white glossy facades are perfect for small kitchen spaces. Not only white, but also shiny surfaces contribute to the visual expansion of small spaces.
Nothing extra
Organizing the space of a small kitchen implies that everything really necessary is located in this area. Many housewives are amazed at how much space is freed up in their closets after a move or major renovation. Don't wait for such drastic events. Constantly monitor how necessary certain items are. Throw away or donate what you don't need but is taking up space in your cabinets.
Features of finishing kitchen spaces
Walls
In modern kitchen interiors, the finishing is most often painted in light colors. Perfectly smooth and snow-white walls are an absolute favorite of the coming season. With white walls, you don’t have to worry about color combinations for furniture, household appliances and possible decor. The bright image of the room always leaves a pleasant feeling, a light holiday mood, freshness and cleanliness. In addition, against the background of white finishing, even neutral, pastel colors of kitchen furniture will look expressive.
Wall decoration with imitation concrete surfaces is an enduring trend for functional rooms. As a rule, moisture-resistant decorative plaster is used for kitchen spaces to implement this design technique, but liquid wallpaper and painting can also be used.
Brick or stone masonry is a finish that requires scale. In a spacious kitchen, an accent wall, at first glance without treatment, will look expressive. In high-tech and modern kitchen design, such design techniques bring notes of brutality, industrialism, and sometimes echoes of rural life.
Another way to decorate walls in modern kitchen spaces is to use wall panels made of MDF or fiberboard. Modern panels can easily withstand exposure to moisture and temperature changes, they are easy to clean and can use chemicals thanks to PVC film, but there is no need to talk about the environmental friendliness of such a finish. If natural material is used for wall cladding, we obtain a cladding that is safe for humans and the environment, but we are forced to monitor moisture ingress onto the surface and remember the high fire hazard of the material.
Ceiling
In a modern kitchen, tension or suspended structures are usually used to decorate the ceiling, allowing you to obtain a perfectly flat and smooth surface. Finding a design project with a ceiling color other than white is not easy. Lamps are most often built into suspended structures above the working zones of kitchens. These can be either stationary or rotating models of lighting fixtures.
Using suspended structures, you can create a two-level ceiling to highlight the area of built-in lamps. Depending on the location of the kitchen unit and the placement of the island or dining area, you can create local lighting for each functional segment of the room.
Floors
One of the most popular options for flooring in the kitchen is the use of stone tiles or porcelain stoneware. The use of ceramic tiles allows you to create a reliable, durable and safe coating that will withstand exposure to moisture and high temperatures. In addition, there are a lot of color and texture options, you can easily find a floor covering that suits your interior. Ceramic tiles can very successfully imitate wood and stone surfaces.
Thanks to modern additives and protective sprays, parquet flooring can be used even in areas with high humidity and temperature changes. Of course, parquet as a floor covering is not a cheap pleasure, but such a finish will last for many years and will look luxurious, noble and organic in any design of the kitchen space.
Thanks to the improvement of production technology, modern laminate collections can also be used as floor coverings in kitchens without any consequences. Externally, such material is difficult to distinguish from natural floor boards, and the cost of such cladding is much cheaper and can be produced by homeowners themselves.
Kitchen apron
In modern kitchen design projects, the apron is almost the only finishing element in which the presence of bright colors, colorful patterns or colorful patterns is possible. Using patchwork ceramic tiles is a great way to add variety to a monochromatic and neutral interior in a modern kitchen.
A kitchen backsplash lined with plain subway tiles will not go out of style for many years. You can be sure that the money you spent on ceramic cladding was not in vain - practicality, durability and attractive appearance are guaranteed for many years. And all this time you will be able to enjoy a kitchen design that does not go out of fashion - these are techniques that have been proven over the years.
An apron equipped as a wall-mounted storage system with a high level of organization and systematization is an echo of the influence of high-tech style on the development of modern kitchen design. Magnetic holders, hooks and open shelves with shiny chrome surfaces look great against a dark background.
Modern or high-tech
Multi-level ceiling options, original lamps and the presence of accessories give the room a distinct personality. Modern high-tech trends love glossy surfaces, chrome-plated ultra-modern kitchen appliances, light panels, and complex lighting circuits.
Textures such as frosted or clear glass, modern plastic, perforated aluminum profile, and original handles fit organically into the style.
Style Features:
- pronounced “technogenicity”;
- abundance of metal surfaces;
— plenty of glass and chrome plating;
- communications, that is, ventilation shafts and pipelines decorate the room.
Load-bearing structures become original decorative options. Style exaggerates the desire for innovation, and high-tech floor lamps amaze with their elegance. Sometimes extravagant, the decor, as in minimalism, is very restrained.
High-tech often resembles an industrial style, a loft: we often see concrete walls, a simple self-leveling floor, a shiny metal surface, original-shaped plumbing fixtures, built-in lamps, and fittings. In this case, random purchases should not be allowed. Emphatically technogenic, modern functionality, complex movable modules or built-in facade parts in metal frames are always appropriate.
Dining area in modern kitchen
Obviously, to install a dining group within the kitchen space, it is necessary to have a supply of square meters, after installing all the necessary storage systems, household appliances and work surfaces. But modern design projects are to a greater extent designed for apartments with improved layouts and kitchen spaces of private houses of urban or suburban type, where there is no shortage of useful space.
In order to fit a dining area into a small kitchen, it is enough to use a corner or L-shaped layout of the kitchen unit and refuse to install an island. Corner layout is a universal option for placing the maximum possible number of storage systems, work surfaces and household appliances in a minimum number of square meters. A full-fledged dining group is an important element of the interior for apartments and houses in which there is no possibility of organizing a separate room for a dining room, and the family has more than three people.
The dining group, consisting of a large snow-white table and black chairs of an original design, fits incredibly organically into the white and black interior of the kitchen space. Black elements added clarity, constructiveness and dynamic contrast to the snow-white kitchen.
A bright dining group for the kitchen in light, neutral colors is like a breath of positive attitude and invigorating mood. Just one colorful shade is enough to effectively dilute the gray palette of the room.
A practical and at the same time visually attractive way to organize a dining area in a kitchen space is to extend the tabletop of the island or attach a spacious counter to its two sides. With this arrangement, the compactness of the furniture ensemble is preserved, but the dining area is a very large and spacious group, designed for a large family.
Corner cabinets
Corner modules present a certain difficulty for the housewife because of their depth and unique shape. At the same time, modern storage systems include carousel and retractable systems that allow you to optimize such an inconvenient space and turn it into a mini-storage room. Instead of irritation and complaints, there is now ease of storage and a large volume of easily accessible shelves and baskets.
Lighting and decor - new designs for the kitchen
Given the desire of modern stylistics for practical and functional minimalism, decor almost completely disappears from the design projects of kitchen premises. As a result, the role of decor is taken over by functional interior items - lighting fixtures, for example. Given the abundance of working surfaces in kitchen segments, each of which needs local lighting, lighting fixtures are located at different levels. Often within one room you can find two chandeliers - one for the dining area, the second illuminates the kitchen island. At the same time, work surfaces often have individual lighting built into the upper tier of kitchen cabinets.
A hood above a kitchen island with built-in lighting is a common design technique for modern kitchens, in which a free-standing module becomes a place to integrate a gas stove or hob. To illuminate the dining area, you can use either one large chandelier or a whole composition of small pendant lamps.
Smart cabinets
Sometimes deep drawers and shelves are very inconvenient, because... do not allow easy access to objects stored in the very depths. This is how those “gray” zones appear, rarely visited by housewives. It is here that the rubbish that steals precious space multiplies and multiplies.
Modern designers have solved this problem easily and simply. They placed the shelves on skids and runners. Now, with a slight movement of your hand, the contents of the shelf simply float out into your hands. Your eyes perfectly see everything that is stored there.
The same goes for boxes. Tandem boxes with 100% extension do not give the slightest chance for chaos to sneak into your cabinets.
However, if you are short and have a small area, you have to choose:
- capacious storage and inconvenient access;
- easy access, but limited cabinet space.
Currently, this problem is being solved by installing shelf lifts. They allow you to reach all items from the third shelf of the top cabinet to your eye level. At the same time, the dishes are completely safe.
By the way, the same systems are provided for wardrobes. It makes sense to sometimes borrow ideas from your closet.
Appliances
Household appliances used in a studio kitchen must correspond to the characteristics of the room, be combined with the design, complement and decorate it.
Great demands are placed on the hood, since all fumes, odors and soot must be quickly removed from the room so as not to fill the apartment. It is necessary that the equipment is powerful, but has a stylish appearance.
Take care of purchasing a powerful hood for your studio kitchen
The choice of refrigerator should also be given maximum attention. It should be spacious and have a large freezer and refrigerator compartment. If it does not fit the kitchen design, experts recommend hiding it in a niche or making a special cabinet to accommodate it.
To create an original interior in an apartment with your own hands, it is enough to know the trends of the season, as well as have a little of your own imagination. Photo examples of finished works from famous designers will help in the process of work, they will make it easier and make it even more interesting.
Floor
You need to understand that the design of any small kitchen, without the use of modern ideas and approaches, is initially doomed to failure. This especially applies to the choice of material and pattern for the floor. One wrong step, and you will make an already small room visually even smaller.
Our people are accustomed to laying large tiles on the kitchen floor in the old fashioned way, which is fundamentally wrong. If tiles, then only small or medium size. This, one might say, is the law.
It is also important to consider the type of coating, because we are talking about the kitchen. The floor should be easy to clean and resistant to moisture. Ceramic tiles, moisture-resistant laminate, linoleum are the most optimal solutions.
You should be somewhat wary of natural wood, because the material can become deformed when exposed to moisture.
Modern manufacturers today produce solid wood boards that are treated with special moisture-resistant compounds, but their price is quite impressive. Therefore, not every owner of a small kitchen can afford high-quality wooden floors.
A more budget-friendly option that can visually expand a small space is glossy tiles. Take a closer look at plain white, cream, beige options.
If desired, it can be combined with dark-colored tiles (black, dark blue, burgundy, brown), laying out the pattern in a checkerboard pattern. Whether to make the drawing evenly square or diamond-shaped, everyone decides for himself.
Don't underestimate the glossy surface of ceramic tiles. It perfectly reflects both natural and artificial light, visually enlarging the space.
Many designers use it not only for the floor, but also for the walls and even the ceiling of a small room. We would venture to assume that such a move will be very popular in 2022.
A moisture-resistant laminate, whose pattern imitates a natural plank floor, is also suitable. Please note that such panels should not be laid across the room, but lengthwise.
Installing laminate diagonally will also look impressive. Only you must understand that in this case the material consumption will be significantly higher than with longitudinal laying.
Give preference to light shades, because they are endowed with the ability to visually expand the room.
Linoleum is the cheapest material, resistant to water and easy to clean. Having decided to opt for it, give preference to light, monochromatic options or a coating that imitates solid wood.
Walls
When starting to repair walls, most of you will be faced with the need to level them. What can you do to properly prepare the surface without reducing the size of the room?
If the defects are not particularly serious, a small layer of putty will help solve them. Otherwise, plasterboard sheathing will be required.
You can first remove a layer of old plaster using a hammer drill. As a result, you will reach the same level, while obtaining a perfectly flat surface.
Another tip: place the sheets of drywall on glue, because a structure made from profiles will “steal” about 3-5 cm of usable area from you. Don't forget to clean and prime the walls first.
The prepared surface is suitable for painting, wallpapering, decorative plaster, and tiling.
What wall color should I choose for a small kitchen?
The main rule here is to avoid dark colors, they visually greatly reduce the space. Therefore, feel free to take a closer look at colors such as:
- White
- Beige
- Coffee with milk
- Light olive
- Sand
- Peach
Glossy ceramic tiles can be used not only to decorate a work apron. The shiny surface of the wall in the dining area will give the room visual spaciousness.
Also choose plain and light wallpaper. A small, unobtrusive pattern or decorative panel on the wall next to which the dining table is located is possible.
Previously, we have already considered all the nuances of choosing wallpaper for small kitchens.
The same rules should be followed by those who choose painting or decorative plaster.
Photo wallpapers will look impressive and unusual. Just make sure that the selected image does not overload the surrounding space.
Seascapes and images of street cafes are perfect. The painting itself should be an extension of your room, visually expanding it and making it more spacious.
Mirrors will also be relevant on the walls of a small kitchen. It is not necessary to purchase a huge model that covers the entire wall. Create an original composition from several small mirrors.
