Find Your Perfect Fit: Different Kitchen Styles to Inspire Your Space
Designing a kitchen is one of the most pivotal aspects of creating a home that reflects your personal style and meets your day-to-day functional needs. Some homeowners walk into the design process with a crystal-clear vision, influenced by their personal tastes or a Pinterest board filled with inspiration. But for many, choosing between the different kitchen styles is a real challenge.
As such a central and frequently used space, your kitchen deserves a look that you’ll love for years to come. A full kitchen style overhaul is a significant investment, and it’s not something you want to redo on a whim. That’s why understanding the range of kitchen styles can be so helpful. Exploring your options helps you discover what truly resonates with you, so you can move forward confidently with a look that feels right.
Exploring the Nuances of Different Kitchen Styles
Each kitchen style has a set of defining traits—visual and functional elements that give the space its character. While we’ll walk through each style individually, it’s worth noting that you can absolutely mix and match elements to make the kitchen uniquely yours. If you choose this route, we recommend testing elements together before committing.
Farmhouse Kitchen Style
The farmhouse kitchen style exudes warmth, comfort, and timeless appeal. It leans into rustic elements and vintage accents while embracing a cozy, lived-in vibe.
- Notable Characteristics: Open shelving, apron-front sinks, shiplap walls, and exposed beams.
- Common Color Palettes: Soft whites, creamy beiges, light grays, and muted pastels.
- Materials: Natural woods like oak, alder, and pecan, plus stone or butcher block countertops.
- Finishes: Brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, and matte black.
- Accents: Woven baskets, antique-style light fixtures, and vintage ceramic decor.
For cabinetry, the hand-selected wood cabinets from Omega Cabinetry are a perfect fit. These artisan-crafted cabinets are available in semi-custom or fully custom options, allowing you to create a farmhouse space that’s uniquely yours. Popular wood species like Rustic Alder, Rustic Oak, Rustic Pecan, and Walnut bring the authentic warmth farmhouse kitchens are known for.
Mediterranean Kitchen Style
Inspired by the coastal regions of Southern Europe, Mediterranean kitchens are full of life, color, and old-world charm. This style celebrates texture and personality, bringing a sense of vacation-like warmth into your everyday space.
- Notable Characteristics: Curved architectural elements, mosaic tiles, wrought iron accents, and arched doorways.
- Common Color Palettes: Terracotta, olive green, ocean blues, warm golds, and crisp whites.
- Materials: Hand-painted tiles, plaster or stucco walls, natural stone, and distressed wood.
- Finishes: Aged brass, wrought iron, and antique copper.
- Accents: Decorative tile backsplashes, open shelving with pottery, and ornate lighting fixtures.
Colonial Kitchen Style
Colonial kitchens draw inspiration from early American homes and reflect a more formal, regal feel.
- Notable Characteristics: Symmetry, classic cabinetry, crown moldings, and paneled doors.
- Common Color Palettes: Deep reds, navy blues, creams, and forest greens.
- Materials: Cherry and maple woods, brick or wood flooring, and soapstone or granite countertops.
- Finishes: Polished brass, pewter, and antique bronze.
- Accents: Traditional lighting, historic-style cabinetry, and framed artwork.
Yorktowne Cabinetry offers elegant and sophisticated cabinetry that perfectly aligns with colonial design. While they also offer contemporary options, their detailed custom cabinetry offerings communicate the stately aesthetic of this style while providing advanced durability.
Contemporary Kitchen Style
Contemporary kitchens focus on simplicity, function, and sleek lines. This style emphasizes form following function.
- Notable Characteristics: Clean lines, flat-panel cabinets, minimal ornamentation, and streamlined appliances.
- Common Color Palettes: Whites, blacks, grays, and accent colors like navy or emerald.
- Materials: Quartz or concrete countertops, glass, stainless steel, and lacquered wood.
- Finishes: Matte black, brushed steel, and high-gloss finishes.
- Accents: Minimalist decor, integrated lighting, and hidden hardware.
To achieve a seamless contemporary look, UltraCraft Cabinetry offers European-style frameless cabinets that are both beautiful and functional. These cabinets provide more usable space and come in over 10,000 door style and finish combinations, allowing you to create a unique, modern design.
Industrial Kitchen Style
Industrial kitchens channel urban loft aesthetics with raw, exposed materials and a utilitarian vibe. The type of kitchen is both gritty and stylish, bringing an edge to your home.
- Notable Characteristics: Exposed ductwork, metal accents, reclaimed wood, and open shelving.
- Common Color Palettes: Charcoal, concrete gray, black, white, and muted metallics.
- Materials: Concrete, brick, steel, and distressed wood.
- Finishes: Brushed steel, matte black, and unfinished metals.
- Accents: Edison bulbs, metal stools, and factory-inspired fixtures.
Mid-century Modern Kitchen Style
Mid-century modern kitchens blend retro design with modern convenience. They bring bold personality with clean, functional elements.
- Notable Characteristics: Flat planes, geometric patterns, organic curves, and minimalist aesthetics.
- Common Color Palettes: Mustard yellow, avocado green, teal, burnt orange, and walnut brown.
- Materials: Wood veneer, laminate, and colorful backsplashes, or quartz for a modern touch.
- Finishes: Chrome, matte black, and wood grains.
- Accents: Starburst decor, retro lighting, and playful color pops.
Pair this style with Cambria quartz countertops for the perfect contemporary touch. Made from one of the hardest materials on Earth, these high-end surfaces are nonporous, stain-resistant, and available in sleek styles with beveled or waterfall edges, offering both durability and beauty.
French Kitchen Style
French kitchens evoke a sense of effortless elegance and refined charm. They strike a balance between rustic and luxurious.
- Notable Characteristics: Furniture-style cabinetry, ornate moldings, glass-front cabinets, and mixed materials.
- Common Color Palettes: Soft neutrals, light blues, creams, and warm grays.
- Materials: Granite countertops, aged woods, brick accents, and tile.
- Finishes: Aged bronze, gold, brushed nickel.
- Accents: Chandeliers, vintage-inspired hardware, and classic French decor like enamel cookware.
How to Achieve an Airy Open Kitchen Style
Across these different kitchen styles, the open concept layout has become one of the most desirable formats for modern living. It removes barriers between the kitchen and adjoining rooms, creating one large, multifunctional space. This setup encourages interaction, making it ideal for entertaining and family living.
Here’s why homeowners love the open kitchen style:
- Increases natural light
- Promotes conversation and socializing
- Makes smaller spaces feel larger
- Encourages multifunctional use of your space
It’s most common in contemporary, farmhouse, industrial, and mid-century modern styles. To achieve an open kitchen style, consider removing non-load-bearing walls, adding a large island with bar seating, installing consistent flooring throughout your connected spaces, and choosing cabinetry and finishes that visually blend with the rest of your home. Other accents that could help are open shelving, light woods, glass cabinet doors, and even glossy or reflective surfaces.
How to Choose Between Different Kitchen Styles
Choosing a kitchen style is a big decision, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are some helpful steps to guide you:
- Create a Vision Board: Collect images, swatches, and examples to see what consistently catches your eye.
- Visit a Showroom: Seeing materials, finishes, and layouts in person can bring clarity to your preferences.
- Think About Function: Consider how you use your kitchen and what layout or features would support your lifestyle.
- Align with Your Home: Make sure your kitchen style complements the rest of your home for a cohesive look.
- Mix Thoughtfully: If you like aspects of several styles, test how they work together before finalizing.
Example Materials, Finishes, and Color Palettes for Each Style
If you’re looking for straightforward, expert-approved recommendations, here are some go-to combinations of materials, colors, and finishes for different kitchen styles. These options are a great starting point to guide your build or remodel with confidence.
| Style | Cabinet Material | Countertop Material | Color Palette | Finishes |
| Farmhouse | Rustic Alder | Natural Stone | Cream, White, Soft Gray | Matte Black |
| Mediterranean | Distressed Walnut | Natural Stone | Terracotta, Blue, Olive | Aged Brass |
| French | Aged Oak | Granite | Soft Blue, Cream, Warm Gray | Brushed Nickel |
| Colonial | Cherry | Quartz | Navy, Cream, Forest Green | Polished Brass |
| Contemporary | Frameless Maple | Quartz | White, Black, Emerald | High-gloss Steel |
| Industrial | Rustic Oak | Concrete | Charcoal, Black, Gray | Brushed Steel |
| Mid-century Modern | Walnut | Quartz | Mustard, Teal, Walnut Brown | Chrome |
Your One-stop Resource for Different Kitchen Styles
At Standard Kitchens, we offer everything you need to bring your dream kitchen to life. From industry-leading cabinets and stunning countertops to high-quality hardware, we supply top-tier materials for every kitchen style.
Our expert design team at Elevations Design Studio is here to guide you with personalized recommendations and curated solutions that match your unique style and functional needs. Whether you’re drawn to a single look or planning to blend different kitchen styles, we have the expertise and resources to make it happen. Stop by one of our showrooms to see kitchen styles and materials in person, or get in touch with us today to start planning your perfect space.