A kitchen is one of the biggest investments you'll ever make in your home, and while durability and practicality is a big consideration, you can't overlook its appearance.
Whether you're in the market for a full renovation or simply want to give your existing kitchen a modern update, we've got all the inspiration you need with our contemporary kitchen ideas…
1. Add impact with natural textures
© NextGive your kitchen a nomadic and natural vibe by incorporating rattan textures across everything from your dining chairs to your lighting. These accessories can be an effective way to give your kitchen a whole new look and feel; ideal if you want a kitchen makeover without replacing your existing cabinets and worktops.
2. Go kitsch with vintage-inspired décor
© DunelmPut a contemporary spin on vintage kitchenware with playful prints and pops of colour. Details such as stripes and scalloping add a quirky touch to your kitchen décor, while clashing shades of pink and green add the unexpected and conversation-starting finishing touches.
3. Introduce an open pantry
Rather than hide your food away in cupboards, introduce a stylish open pantry, with shelving to showcase all your essential ingredients neatly organised in jars and tins. Not only will this free up valuable cupboard space to store small appliances and cookware, it will ensure you have everything you need close at hand while cooking. (Photo: John Lewis & Partners)
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4. Create a chic breakfast bar
With plush velvet stools and industrial pendant lighting hanging overhead, this breakfast bar is a sure-fire way to transform your kitchen and add a modern dining area, even in smaller spaces. (Photo: Cult Furniture)
5. Strip it back
Sleek marble worktops and cabinets without handles create a streamlined aesthetic that will instantly modernise your kitchen. (Photo: Caffe Lattte)
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6. Try panelling
Wooden panelling can transform your kitchen, and could even be a DIY project for anyone looking to upcycle old cabinets. We love how this kitchen has a curved panelled island unit. Paired with marble worktops and metallic accents it creates a luxurious and contemporary feel. (Photo: Caffe Latte)
7. Play around with texture
For a modern aesthetic that you can truly make your own, try experimenting with a mix of textures across your cabinets, worktops and even ceilings. Think a mix of wood, stone and glass for a unique and luxurious kitchen. LED pendant lights complete the look to perfection (Photo: Nest)
8. Make your island a focal point
A kitchen island is a practical piece that can provide extra workspace and another dining area – and we love the idea of making it an unexpected focal point too. Experiment with patterned tiles underneath and line with statement bar stools for an island that is fun as well as functional. (Photo: Cult Furniture)
9. Mix and Match
Who says your kitchen cabinets all have to be the same? Design your own unique kitchen with one shade of cabinet doors on the top and another on the bottom. This bold orange-red shade adds an amazing contrast to an otherwise white kitchen, with dining chairs to match perfectly. (Photo: IKEA)
10. Have open shelving
Rather than hiding all of your crockery or ingredients away in cupboards, open shelving can be a stylish alternative. Add potted plants or greenery and avoid over-filling the shelves to stop it from looking cluttered. (Photo: George Home)
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11. Rethink the dining table
Utilise the space in a small kitchen by ditching the dining table and instead fitting a floating shelf along the wall. Not only can it serve as extra storage space, but it will also double up as a breakfast bar. (Photo: Wilko)
12. Paint wooden cabinets
Breathe a new lease of life into rustic wooden cabinets with a lick of paint. Whether you opt for a muted neutral tone or go all out with bold fuchsia, it's a low-cost way to modernise your kitchen. (Photo: English Blinds)
13. Go for an industrial look
Give your kitchen a cool and contemporary makeover with nods to the industrial trend; you can easily recreate the distressed bare brick wall look with wallpapers from stores like B&Q and Wayfair. (Photo: TK Maxx)
14. Make windows a focal point
For a budget-friendly way to instantly update your kitchen, you could experiment with colourful or patterned window blinds. These work perfectly with an otherwise neutral kitchen, and are a low-commitment, contemporary touch. (Photo: English Blinds)
15. Upgrade your appliances
Sleek stainless steel appliances look stylish and modern with wooden cabinets. Keep the room bright with spotlights and additional low-hanging pendant lights over your dining space. (Photo: Harvey Norman)
16. Experiment with wooden wall panels
Rather than painting the kitchen walls, try wooden wall cladding that matches your cabinets. Not only does it look ultra-modern, but it's easier to clean, too. (Photo: Fritz Fryer)
MORE: How to create a chic monochrome kitchen like Frankie Bridge and the Beckhams
17. Play with patterns
A patterned splash back is a striking and contemporary addition to the modern kitchen, working perfectly to add a pop of colour next to white gloss cabinets. Rather than covering the whole wall, just go for one panel around the cabinets, and paint the space above in a complementing colour. (Photo: IKEA)
18. Create a modern country kitchen
Turn your pots and pans into a design feature by hanging from slim rails on the walls. Copper pans will add a modern metallic touch and help transform any space into a country-style kitchen. It will free up some extra cupboard space, too. (Photo: Argos Home)
19. Go dark and dramatic
Don't shy away from dark colours in your kitchen. Dark gloss cabinets create a luxurious and contemporary kitchen paired with grey worktops and splash backs. Use your lighting, accessories and potted plants scattered around the room to add some colour. (Photo: IKEA)
20. Totally Tropical
We don't know what we love more in this kitchen, the painted white brick walls, the glossy coloured cabinets or the tropical accessories. Either way, it all works together to create a kitchen that is fun, playful and practical all at once. (Photo: Sainsbury's Home)
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