What style of kitchen should you choose?
If your home already has an overall style, this may be an easy decision. In other instances there may be a number of kitchen styles that will work well in your home. Here are some of the most popular kitchen styles in Australia:
Traditional Kitchen Style
The traditional kitchen is elegant and has a timeless aesthetic. It has a modern look and feel and uses crisp white and fresh colours. It is comforting and inviting with traditional and contemporary elements carefully included.
Details can vary considerably, yet vintage or period accents are common. Crisp white is often contrasted with the warmth of wood.
Contemporary
Kitchen
In essence, the contemporary kitchen is modern and minimalist. It contains artistic elements and characteristic straight and horizontal lines giving it a geometric appearance. It is sleek, with a bold colour palette.
The contemporary kitchen abhors clutter and incorporates a mixture of old and new without unnecessary detailing. There is an emphasis on the complimentary relationship between materials, surfaces and colours. The materials themselves take centre stage and the effect is one of serenity.
Modern Kitchen
The modern kitchen shares many features with the contemporary kitchen. It too is minimalist, sleek and sophisticated with clean lines and timeless contouring. However, there is greater emphasis on exotic and high end materials. Clutter and detail is again kept to a minimum so that the dominant features are beautiful, clear and polished counter tops with only a hint or two of colour to break up the space.
The overall look sought is one of uncompromising luxury and exotic materials with interesting tactile qualities help achieve this end.
Transitional Kitchen
The transitional kitchen is, not surprisingly, one that melds contemporary and traditional elements. It makes use of the warm elements of the traditional style and integrates these with elements of the contemporary style. In so doing it delivers a ‘best of both worlds’ design that is simple, minimalist and versatile.
There is no real definition of the transitional style kitchen. The one common denominator is the considered way in which the proportions, characteristics and materials belonging to the traditional and contemporary styles are carefully integrated to produce a style ‘all of its own’.
French provincial
The French provincial kitchen is one of the most readily recognised kitchens. It often features cherished objects that have been passed down from earlier generations. The style has a farmhouse feel and a natural and relaxed ambience. It is elegant, understated and chic.
It was originally less wealthy Parisians who developed the French provincial style. Their kitchens were small and featured large cabinets to maximise storage space. Larger cabinets remain a feature of many French provincial style kitchens today.
Stone, wooden or tiled counter tops and white porcelain sinks are all considered hallmark
s of the French provincial kitchen. Wrought-iron handles and racks for pots are additional features. The style depends heavily on curves and small details. There is nothing minimalist about the French provincial style.
A monochrome colour palette is incompatible with this style. Soft colours are the order of the day and hand-painted finishes are common, though costly. Budgetary considerations often mean that imitation hand-painted finishes are employed to achieve the same effect.
Industrial Kitchen
The industrial kitchen is common in buildings and apartments whose original purpose was to house industry. The style reflects this original purpose and has an open concept. Original warn floorboards, aged paintwork, exposed brick and high ceilings are retained in these older buildings. In newer spaces, the signature architectural features are often recreated as a backdrop.
Cabinetry is varied but is often paired with open floating shelves. Brick, metal and wood are essential elements of the style and old items that might have come from the factory floor are often included to enhance the vibe.
Chunky or heavy modern appliances are often chosen for their visual compatibility with other aged metal features. Light fittings are also heavy. The overall appearance of this style is functional.
