If installing new flooring isn’t currently in the cards, you can give your hardwoods a second life by painting them white. If you choose paint with a durable finish and a bit of sheen, they will be relatively easy to keep clean. There are other ways to make a modern kitchen come to life aside from color and pattern. If your kitchen feels a bit too flat, it might just be missing some texture.

Warm up the room with pops of color in creative ways and carry those colors throughout the spaces. In this kitchen, the black and gold accents add drama and give this space a chic look. When moving onto other areas connected to the kitchen, carry those same details over. Even kitchens with less square footage can benefit from an open design. Pulling down a wall can take two small choppy rooms and create a larger livable space. All of the same design elements used in larger open kitchens work in these smaller rooms, but you’ll want to choose furniture and decor with a smaller footprint to not overwhelm the space.

Tuscan Kitchen

In this small kitchen design, Ami McKay of PURE Design utilized shelving on the opposite side for cups and other kitchenware. First, it maximizes space by leaving more room on the countertops for meal prep. Interior designer Caren Rideau of the Kitchen and Design Group proves you can have your small kitchen and coffee nook, too.