With white, marble and timber accents, the kitchen in this harbourside house brings heart to the home. A butler’s pantry is concealed behind an arched VJ-panel doorway and lined with Moroccan wall tiles in Snow from Surface Gallery. While it’s possible to create an attractive kitchen design with gleaming finishes and top-line appliances, what truly makes a kitchen great is a point of difference. Adding an element of dark to an otherwise white kitchen makes it more interesting and gives it a modern touch that elevates it above a classic kitchen.

• In a small kitchen, add extra storage with a repurposed bookcase or a versatile kitchen cart.
• The couple brought the kitchen into the modern era by removing soffits, upper cabinets, and asbestos-contaminated linoleum floors.
• A full block of kitchen wall cabinetry can make a small kitchen feel cramped, but if you really need that storage, mix in some glass fronted cabinets to break up the row.
• If installing new flooring isn’t currently in the cards, you can give your hardwoods a second life by painting them white.
• She stripped out the old cabinets for simple Shaker-style versions, added a new island with a sink and dishwasher, and painted the floors.

Breaking up a space with open shelving is a great solution and can make an eye catching design feature if styled with pretty crockery and glassware. If you don’t have the room to hang a large pendant light or if it’s not the most practical option, think about using wall lights to create some interest instead. To create a harmonious transition to the rest of the home, the walls and even ceilings in the adjacent dining area were also clad in oak. Jasmine Lam keeps the kitchen of her London pied-à-terre stocked with water for guests.

Or… add interest to a smaller kitchen with a patterned backsplash

Contemporary kitchens include any combination of flat-front cabinetry, sleek fixtures, stone features, wood accents, and stylish tile. Modern rustic interiors mix vintage elements with contemporary conveniences to create a homey mix. This guest house kitchen from Marie Flanigan Interiors includes modern cabinetry, rustic open shelving, and a French butcher block in place of a kitchen island for a modern space with a timeless feel.

A patterned option is best for as it is more energising, and helps disguise spillages. Meanwhile, calming more neutral styles work well for a relaxed dining zone. Kitchen booth ideas are always a plus, but they work especially well for small kitchen design. Build in your banquette or booth attached to the kitchen peninsula or cabinets so everything is in one.