The best kitchens combine user-friendly features with lashings of personality, whether streamlined and ultra-modern or full of rustic character and charm.
These on-trend kitchens are brimming over with style and inspiration for your next renovation.
Thompson Custom Homes
1. On-trend
This divine kitchen highlights the best of what’s hot right now. The exposed brick and rough-hewn timber beams contrast beautifully with the clean lines of the benchtops; the custom-made cabinets on either side of the Industrial-style open shelving disguise the fridge and pantry; and an extra-special touch is added with the shapely glass pendant lighting.
Schwartz and Architecture
2. Eat-in innovation
In line with the enduring concept that the kitchen is the hub of the home, dining tables are being integrated in imaginative ways.
3. Black is back
This stunning kitchen is testament to how well very dark colours can work when a splash of white is thrown into the mix. A dollop of stainless steel here and there doesn’t hurt either.
Art of Kitchens Pty Ltd
4. Clear as day
Who says splashbacks have to be opaque? The easy-to-clean window splashbacks in this kitchen fill the kitchen with extra light and add a welcome injection of greenery.
Scott Weston Architecture Design PL
5. Orange aid
The best modern kitchens work because they have an unexpected element that’s eye-catching enough to draw comment. How could you not rave about this sunny orange cabinetry when you walk into this home?
Aviad Bar-Ness
6. Cutting edge
Island benches are still on-trend, but variations are starting to pop up. The chairs and table in this kitchen are reminiscent of the eat-in kitchens of the old days … but with an ultra-modern twist.
Siobhan Loates Interiors
7. Glass house
Bringing the outside in is an enduring trend, and this one does so no matter what the weather with the simple use of glass. Can’t you just feel the warm winter sun on your back as you linger over breakfast?
Conquest
8. Living large
This is a great design for big families or those who love to entertain. Note the drinks fridge at the end of the island bench to reduce traffic through the kitchen itself. Brilliant.
9. Revamp the romance
The wall sconces you thought had been left behind in the ‘70s are making a reappearance, and when you can control their brightness, they are useful in helping to set the mood in a kitchen/dining area.
Hsu McCullough
10. Raw materials
Natural timber is bringing warmth and character to modern homes, and is a far cry from the daggy timber cabinetry used in the kitchens of yesteryear.
Platinum Building Group
11. Shapely advantage
This streamlined kitchen has been given a creative edge that adds both interest and a massive wow factor. These ‘legs’ are a work of art.
Gather and Spruce Design Remodel
12. Avant-garde
Anything goes when it comes to flooring, and it’s the perfect opportunity to show off your personality. This flooring gives the kitchen an extra dimension of style that turns it from nice to remarkable.
Howells Architecture + Design
13. Blue belle
Tiling all the way up to the ceiling is taking kitchens by storm and, when the tiles are such a fabulous colour, they become the room’s standout feature.
Croma Design Inc.
14. Sensational stonework
Slab splashbacks are in, and what a happy coincidence that is for the person cleaning up after dinner. So easy!
Westborough Design Center, Inc.
15. Brass renaissance
If you thought brass tapware had done its dash, think again. These antique-look brass fittings create up-to-the-minute style with old-world appeal.
Terracotta Design Build
16. Study nook
Time-poor parents have to multitask on the go, so the best modern kitchens make it easy to shoot off an email or post a status update while dinner is on the stove.
Amy Sklar Design Inc
17. Dark design
Choosing a black appliance over the standard white is catching on, and manufacturers are taking note. Ovens, fridges and other appliances are increasingly available in black.
Feldman Architecture, Inc.
18. Daring escape
This is a striking modern take on open-plan living. The sun-filled sunken dining area is still connected to the kitchen, but less so than in kitchens featuring a standard island bench with seating opposite.
Renovation Design Group
19. Surprise element
French doors leading out to the terrace are always lovely, but new ways to open up the kitchen to the outdoors are gaining traction. The electronic garage-door here ties in well with the industrial feel of this kitchen and adds a real novelty factor.
Lake Country Builders
20. Miracle worker
Say goodbye to those awkward corner cupboards and hello to the corner sink. This sink positioning is catching on among homeowners who want to maximise bench and storage space.
