15 Smart Kitchen Design Ideas

Kitchens are the heart of every home. Some people prefer old and rustic kitchen designs, while some prefer super modern, chic, or eclectic. Regardless of your style preference, everybody wants their kitchens to be functional and look good.

Let’s take a look at some of the smartest kitchen design ideas for your home.

15 Smart Kitchen Design Ideas

The kitchen design above is reminiscent of the Star Ship Enterprise from Star Trek. It’s simple, has lots of storage, is modern, with a retro throwback in the chair, and the stainless steel gives it a contemporary touch. And the curves? You would be hard pressed to not feel like you were the captain of your kitchen!

The above kitchen design idea is great because of all of the bold statements. From the rust colored wall to the two-tone cabinets with bulky pulls, the kitchen has all the simple confidence it needs. The stainless steel vent hood and matching counter top is also quite the statement maker. Its decor is a combination of things that match and things that contrast.

You don’t get much more mid-century modern design than this. The clean lines, shiny finish, and dramatic color make this kitchen perfect for those looking for a functional combination between the past and the future. To make it minimalist, many things, including the microwave, should be hidden away. Yet everything appears to be conveniently located.

This kitchen design idea is the perfect combination of styles. The dark wood and light fixtures make it just a little rustic while the stainless steel appliances, stools at the island, and the geometrical shapes make it more modern. Meanwhile, the frosted glass cabinet doors and arched ceiling add a uniqueness and a visual interest.

A key element to a smart kitchen design is contrast and balance. This is a perfect example of exactly those things. The dark cabinets and floors with the light counter tops, appliances, and island makes this kitchen ideal for anyone no matter what their style. The cabinets are crowned with a bulkhead, which gets rid of the dead space above the cabinets. This gives the illusion of clean lines all the way to the ceiling.

This kitchen design idea is more of a rustic design. The in-cabinet lighting and stainless steel vent hood both add charm and visual interest. The painted white small island is a wonderful complementary piece to this natural wood kitchen. The counter top is a subtle and ideal choice for this kitchen design, and the layout provides lots of storage and plenty of good prep space.

This is a great design idea for a smaller kitchen. The mirror makes the area feel bigger while the chairs at the island provide double function as the prep space and eating area. The entire kitchen is designed with storage in mind and has implemented a few unique storage areas on the back wall in addition to the huge cabinets on the ends of the island.

And now a smart kitchen design for the purists. White is a clean, simple color that makes the room feel more bright and open. The butcher block counter tops and matching table make it unique in that the only “stone” in the room is the subway tile back splash. Open shelving and frosted glass cabinet doors add a touch of modern style. The curved-end cabinet is a great, unique idea to add more usable storage to your kitchen.

The above kitchen design has sharp lines, minimal decor, and the pulls and appliances are camouflaged. Even with a large island, you eyes are drawn to the dark back splash that goes to the ceiling and also around the appliances. Because of the light colors of the floors, cabinets, and counter tops – and thanks to the natural light from the large window – the room doesn’t seem too dark even with all of that dark character.

Here’s another great design for smaller kitchens. The refrigerator is hidden and matching the rest of the cabinets. The open shelving, light floors, and walls make the bright red pop without letting it be overbearing. The tall peninsula is set above the counter top adding just a few more inches of prep and storage space in addition to seating.

This kitchen design is a perfect example of high-end finishes in a kitchen. Everything from the appliances to the lighting to the counter tops to the baseboards say “class.” But there is more to this kitchen than that. It also has plenty of storage, a small, but useful, island, and seating at the peninsula to add to the functionality of the space. The light colors make it seem much larger than it really is.

Something a lot of people overlook when designing their kitchen is the impact a back splash can have on a room. This kitchen has a lot of bold factors from the dark cabinets to the olive green on the walls and the island. This back splash tones everything down and yet, is itself, another bold statement piece. Again, the balance hits the nail on the head and the kitchen design idea is not overly dark.

A unique solution for a kitchen design that is not big enough to have a full-sized window is to add smaller windows in the dead space behind the sink. Natural light is always best, so getting it any way you can is going to help the design of your kitchen no matter what. The windows definitely help balance the dark of the cabinets with the darker, yet still light, counter tops. The glass cabinets make the space feel more open while adding interest to the space.

For many, this would be considered closer to industrial or commercial kitchen design ideas. But I would argue that this kitchen design uses every bit of the space it has to its advantage. And while the floors and stainless steel lack warmth, the back splash, wood cabinets, and island make this a welcoming space any family or professional chef would feel comfortable in.

The above kitchen design idea is a great example of a mid-century modern design. The retro parts being the bold color and geometrical pulls and cabinets. The modern parts being the stainless steel counter tops, frosted glass cabinet doors, and sharply angled faucet and sink.

Conclusion

Overall, this list shows just how diverse smart kitchen design ideas can be.  It also shows many unique and different ideas for storage and lay out, as well as solutions to problems you probably didn’t know existed There are many smart solutions for any style that may appeal to you that will combine the visual appeal with functionality. If you can dream it, it can happen!