Gray is a timeless color that works well in every room in the house, especially the kitchen. This kitchen shows off a beautiful monochromatic look decked in chrome accents and shades of gray. The marble backsplash seamlessly transitions into the countertop while the herringbone accent tile adds interesting character.

When you don’t have a lot of space to play with, make the most of your small kitchen design with our amazing tips. Whether you’re an eclectic or a traditionalist, you can still play around with textures, colours and small kitchen decorations to achieve your personal style. ‘Art creates a more sociable feel to a room, akin to living spaces and lounges rather than working rooms, therefore it gives off a more calming and relaxed feel to the space,’ adds deVOL’s Helen. Helen is the Creative Director at deVOL, a leading kitchen design company that mixes classic and contemporary. Helen has been creative director at the company since 2011, passionate about the signature understated approach deVOL takes to designing kitchens.

Update and Maximize Existing Cabinetry

Black cabinetry will give the space depth, use a mixture of open kitchen shelving ideas and floor-to-ceiling units and a vintage cabinet as long as it’s painted black or white will fit in nicely. Keep your accessories simple, this look needs to be streamlined rather than cluttered. The NKBA and Swanson are looking forward to welcoming warm natural wood tones back into kitchens. Natural high texture and wood patterns on cabinets bring an organic air to kitchens, especially when they’re part of a contemporary, midcentury, or Scandinavian design.

• A large, oversized fridge is utilitarian in nature, but it can also be a design statement, especially with a see-through beverage door.
• Wood, alongside marble, has been a popular choice for statement kitchen island ideas but they are now having to make way for a new fluting option – metal.
• Using a handsome open shelf rather than cabinetry makes the kitchen feel more like a living space and blends in better with the surrounding dining and entertaining areas.
• If a kitchen bar is a must-have for you, make it work in your space, even if that means building in a diagonal bar.

Painting your cabinets a dark color will create a grounding effect in your kitchen. Brass hardware also stands out beautifully against navy blue or black. A bright shade of powder blue on your cabinets and kitchen island looks like a breath of fresh air.

Personalize IKEA Cabinets

An expert in stainless-steel designs, Alpes Inox produced the gleaming units that occupy this corner kitchen – from £8,676 for a simple island with drawers (alpesinox.com). When deciding on the colours for this Turin home, the designers at PlaC studio only had to look down at the many shades in the original speckled flooring, which it had smoothed and resealed. The wall lamps are Michele De Lucchi’s ‘Dioscuri’ for Artemide, twentytwentyone, from £135.

• A galley kitchen can provide plenty of cabinets and countertop space, but it can be a tight and/or dark kitchen space.
• In this kitchen, Damron went for bold basics (like black countertops against white matte subway tiles – matte being one of the key kitchen trends) to create subtle visual interest in the space.
• A deep carbon design packs extra punch when partnered with plum-toned walls.
• Kitchen trends come and go but this one seems to be sticking around, though it’s important to choose the right material.
• One option is to use the same paint color or wall treatment everywhere, creating effortless harmony between rooms.

This West Village home designed by Cortney and Robert Novogratz shows how spacious aisles on either side of the island make it easy for guests to buzz in and out from the outdoor patio. Make the most of a long and lean layout with a kitchen island table. In this Brooklyn townhouse, designer Eneia White incorporated a stepped-down table into the island. It defines a place for casual meals and features standard—not counter height—seating, which may be more comfortable for some diners. Modern kitchen ideas don’t always have to mean no country elements allowed. Team contemporary features, like Crittall-style windows, with country-chic beams and furniture for a cool modern rustic look.