With mid-century mod styles making a strong comeback, you may be inspired by the simple beauty of contemporary kitchens. But if traditional kitchens are the most common style in your friends’ homes, modern kitchens might still seem a little exotic.

If you’re left scratching your head for kitchen planning ideas, look to Europe for inspiration. Europeans favor a contemporary style, with countries like Germany leading the world in modern kitchens. Contemporary kitchens have the advantage of being practical and down to earth. There are no frills- everything has a purpose.

Contemporary Cabinet Style

One of the defining traits of contemporary kitchens are frameless cabinets. This type of cabinetry has no face frame, with the door instead hinged directly to the cabinet box and laid fully over the front. This isn’t always the case, but even framed doors tend to be very minimalistic. Frameless door styles are often referred to as “full access” since they allow for easier entry.

And for those who prefer a clean and contemporary style, handleless cabinets are very desirable. Uninterrupted cabinet doors are very chic and they don’t compete with other elements of the kitchen. A handle-free cabinet door is opened either by touch latch, which is activated by a touch mechanism, or a recessed grip. A recessed channel inside the top, bottom, or side edge provides a groove to pull the door open with. If the handleless look is too plain for you, contemporary kitchens can also be fitted with simple handles, such as knobs or slim bar-style grips for a softer look.

Your Own Preference: Elegant vs. Industrial

Contemporary kitchens tend to invoke a feeling of simplicity. However, your finish choice has the power to also make the contemporary kitchen quite elegant as well.

For a true modern look, solid colored lacquer or laminate finishes are a great no-fuss choice. Thousands of potential color schemes are available, though white is still the most popular. Plain lacquer or laminate can also have added depth with a textured surface, like the wavy Leicht Esprit. For a more industrial feel, you may even want to consider a concrete, steel, or stone finish.

To add more elegance to the cabinetry, natural wood finishes are quite beautiful. Opt for a natural oak for a subtle and classic feel, or an exotic wood like olive or rosewood for a bolder statement.

Even lacquer can be very elegant in striking combinations like black and white, while bright colors look more cheerful. And if you can spare the expense, a glass, granite, or marble countertop really adds a higher level of luxury.

Contemporary Kitchen Layout Ideas

Because contemporary kitchens are practical in nature, usefulness should be an important design goal. Contemporary kitchens tend to be of modular construction. This is because cabinets in various sizes build on each other, which makes it easy to design a custom layout that fits your home to a T. Here are a few ideas to add a unique touch to the contemporary kitchen:

• Bookshelf divider: Create a partial room divider with a custom book shelf, displaying your favorite volumes, pottery and glassware.

  

• Ceiling suspended cabinets and induction hood: Special hardware allows many cabinets to be mounted directly to the ceiling. This suspended look creates a lofty, almost futuristic feel. In addition to cabinets, your induction hood can be ceiling mounted as well.

  

• Staggered cabinets: Because contemporary cabinets are simple in design, a staggered formation provides an interesting contrast. Pair light and dark colors or different textures to create a dichotomy.

  

• L shaped tall wall: The L shape is a very popular modern kitchen layout. A tall wall can be extended to form an L shape for an imaginative and useful kitchen design. Plenty of storage is accessible, and this compact design is great for smaller spaces. Complemented by an L shaped peninsula worktop and seating bar, this kitchen uses right angles throughout for an intriguing effect.

  

Contemporary kitchens offer a lot of choice, especially with a kitchen that is custom designed specially for your space. And for anyone on the fence about taking the plunge into a more modern style, transitional kitchens combine rustic or country elements with the contemporary.

Look for shaker style cottage doors or finishes like distressed wood to blend such inspirations together.