A visiting friend recently asked me how I came up with such a contemporary style for my kitchen. Until he asked, I had never really considered my kitchen contemporary and I posed myself the question: What exactly is a ‘contemporary’ kitchen? After some research on exactly what elements compose the typical contemporary kitchen, I found I was able to break the style into three sub-styles. Each sub-style still contained the elements needed to consider a kitchen ‘contemporary’, such as a clean-edged, streamlined appearance, and an overall focus on function rather than form. The sub-styles also each held their own unique take on how these elements were applied and used through such commonalities as appliances, cabinets, counters, and flooring.
The first of these three sub-styles could be considered minimalist. While the concept of minimalism is the largest contributor to the overall style of contemporary kitchens, there are varying degrees to which the subject can be taken. Taken to the extreme, minimalist kitchens are left with a form-fitted space in which the bare necessities remain. Clean counters, sharp-edged cabinets and appliances, and colors of black, grey, and white, impress upon one the absence of décor and the fact this the area is there for pure use. There are no extras, no shiny bobbles, no frills, just the steel, glass, and tile necessary to get the job done. While this sleek style might be abhorred by the fan of superfluities, by those who enjoy function over form and a quick and easy clean up, it can be considered beautiful.
The second sub-style of a contemporary kitchen is what would be deemed ‘home contemporary’. This sub-style is most prevalent in today’s modern kitchen. While there is still a focus largely on function and minimalism, this contemporary style melds into the equation some of the atmosphere found in a home environment. There is more life to the style. There might be coolly colorful granite countertops instead of white tile, wooden floors instead of polished concrete and more colorful paint selections, but the overall contemporary style elements remain. While the focus is skewed more toward eye pleasing features, the sleek superfluity of the space is still maintained.
The third sub-style of the contemporary kitchens would be that of ‘function’. The functional sub-style marries minimalism and a homier feel in a blend of the bare essential and relaxed embellishment. Similar to a restaurant kitchen, the focus of the functional contemporary kitchen is one that makes the area as useful as possible without catering to minimalist values. Whether eye catching or not, the decor of the functional kitchen is there to serve the needs of the chef and his endeavors into food cooking and preparation. The functional contemporary kitchen is to act as a work area first and foremost. Industrial grade appliances, well-placed and practical storage cabinets, bins, and drawers, and easy to clean counters and cabinets constructed of durable materials are the types of furnishings one might find in such a kitchen.
