Planning a kitchen makeover and need help discovering which look is right for you? Fear not, we’ve put together an edit of on-trend, modern cabinets so you can find your perfect type…

From sleek and slim Shaker to stainless steel door fronts, there are so many options to choose from. To help you decide which aesthetic suits your space and personality best, KBB journo Charlotte Luxford has rounded up 10 contemporary kitchen cabinets that are rising in popularity and sure to get your inspiration going.

Minimalist kitchens

Versatile, handleless cabinetry tends to look most at home in modern settings, pairing well with integrated appliances for a seamless look. This design makes a kitchen feel calmer but also allows for bold colours and patterns. “It’s easier to create a focal point in a handleless kitchen, with a dramatic worktop or open shelving for example,” says Monika Misztal, interior designer at Piqu.

She adds that the style works well in open-plan spaces, helping create a sleek visual flow. In this kitchen, the green units add a pop of colour but let the textures – smooth matt cabinetry, a reeded island and a tactile brick wall – do the talking.

Slim Shaker

“This slim Shaker is a happy medium between contemporary kitchens with flat doors and traditional, Shaker-style designs – it offers an elevated detail and interest,” explains Sebastian Aronowitz, founder of The London Kitchen Company. He adds that in recent years, there’s been a preference for increasingly slimmer Shakers, i.e. 70mm frames rather than the wider, once more popular, 100mm ones. “Micro-Shakers are an advance on this, at around 25mm wide, creating a streamlined, modern look.”

The micro-Shaker is also at home in a blended kitchen, which may feature a Shaker run of cabinetry complemented by a handleless island, for example, offering a seamless transition between the two styles. It’s also much easier to keep clean, as a common frustration of those with traditional Shaker doors is the potential for dust build-up along the lower rails.

Fluted finish

Fluted surfaces are everywhere in the design world right now, with designers utilising ribbed cabinets to add texture to kitchen schemes. This type of contemporary kitchen cabinets can suit a wide range of styles, be it a slim Shaker kitchen with timber doors and fluted glass panels or a colourful handleless design.

“It’s worth bearing in mind that an entirely fluted kitchen can look a little over the top and dominate the space if used on floor-to-ceiling cabinetry throughout – the fluted style looks most effective when used more sparingly on statement pieces such as islands and pantry doors,” advises Rebecca Nokes, design director at John Lewis of Hungerford.

Ultimately, fluting is a great way to add interest to your space without having to use pattern or colour, if you prefer a more understated kitchen design – the trick is not to overdo it, so as to ensure it’s a look that lasts.

Dark and dramatic

Dark cabinetry has become very popular, with charred, off-black timber finishes and rich ebonised stains making a luxurious statement. The look is best suited to contemporary kitchens, tapping into the modern organic trend for natural materials and textures – it’s ideal for adding interest to understated slab or handleless cabinets, or statement fluted designs.

To prevent them from looking too cold or austere, black units are best paired with aged brass, bronze or copper hardware for a hint of warmth. “While a black finish is undeniably chic, it’s good to contrast cabinets with lighter elements so they don’t become overpowering,” advises Chris Spink, founder of Hush Kitchens.

“Here, oak cabinetry has been tempered with a pale wood chosen for the floor and chairs, creating a two-tone effect. Pops of colour such as burnt orange can also look fantastic in an off-black scheme.”

Stainless steel kitchens

Stainless-steel cabinetry is gaining popularity thanks to its sleek aesthetic but also because it’s durable, hygienic and versatile. This ‘cook’s nook’ was designed for a budding home chef, with the stainless-steel splashback providing a stunning backdrop, as well as a low-maintenance surface that can withstand the heat and splashes.

“For this design, we mixed the cool, modern edge of stainless steel with the natural warmth of oak, and added a striking pop of pink with a Crema Evora marble worktop,” says Francois Damseaux, director at Wood Works Brighton. “The result is a perfect balance of modernity and warmth.”

Stainless steel can be made in various thicknesses, from a thin sheet to a thick- wrapped worktop, and it’s much easier to work with in longer lengths, unlike stone. Not only that, but it’s non-porous, making it ultra-hygienic and super- easy to clean. For a contemporary kitchen style that will stand the test of time practically and aesthetically, stainless steel is a great choice for your cabinets.

Freestanding pieces

Freestanding cabinetry is rising in popularity – from standalone stylish dressers, breakfast cupboards, to entire runs of cabinets, or even island units like in this design by Rees Architects, who used Buster + Punch furniture.

There’s plenty of benefits to this type of kitchen; it can open up your space and – the best bit – you can take it with you if you decide it’s time to move on. It also suits all types of design, from country-chic to the more contemporary handleless.

If you want to make the cabinetry more of a feature or statement piece, why not mix and match the worktop, or change the paint colour.

Metallic kitchens

Contemporary, metallic kitchen cabinets, from tarnished brass to the below oxidised copper from Stori, not only makes a sleek design statement that helps bounce light around dark spaces, but can also provide a raft of practical benefits – from being incredibly durable and long-lasting to being easy-to-clean and heat-resistant.

Why not wrap your entire space in gold for a cohesive look that’s chic and glamorous, or choose a single piece crafted from bronze such as the island or a floor-to-ceiling larder to add wow factor.

Consider your budget, however, as this style of door can come with a hefty price tag – especially if you’re going bespoke. There may also be maintenance issues to consider; for instance, you may need to use certain cleaning products or introduce a lacquer if you don’t want the metal to patina. So be sure to discuss this style with your kitchen designer thoroughly before taking the plunge.

Modern handle

Recessed handles can elevate a flat door while contributing to the pared-back, uncluttered aesthetic of a modern kitchen. “This handle does not work on doors with a central panel and frames, as it would look squished into the door,” explains Leila Touwen, co-founder of Pluck.

In this kitchen designed by Zoe Murphy of Stealth Design, the handle is a small but high-impact detail, pulling the scheme together – the square form and blue accent shade echo the shape and colour of the Mutina Puzzle tiles on the splashback wall.

“This simple, adaptable style does not dictate how the rest of the kitchen must look, but will work in conjunction with contemporary or more traditional interiors,” continues Leila. “Having had this type of handle for over 10 years in my own kitchen, I can confirm that maintenance is easy and it still looks good a decade later.”

Striking stone

While stone surfaces are par for the course in kitchen design, as ‘stone drenching’ has come to the fore, the industry has developed new technologies to create statement stone cabinetry, allowing for pairings with work surfaces and islands to deliver a top-to-toe stone kitchen.

“This expressive kitchen design seamlessly blends state-of-the-art engineering with a rich, tactile palette inspired by nature’s finest artistry,” says Andrew Hays, founder of Cabbonet. The natural-stone cabinet doors have been carved out on the reverse side using a waterjet machine, and then a honeycomb metal core is inserted into the back, keeping the stone doors lightweight and allowing Cabbonet’s craftsmen to fix the hinges.

“The striking stone feature serves as a canvas, with its rich and bold colours inspiring the finishes and details throughout,” adds Andrew. To keep things practical, the stone doors are sealed with a nanotech coating to make them resistant to stubborn stains such as acidic foods and red wine.

Flat panels

“This kitchen is an excellent example of considered simplicity,” says Annie Burrows, lead designer at Blakes London. “Pared-back, solid oak cabinetry with flat-fronted in-frame drawers provides a contemporary take on the classic Shaker style. With no raised panels or intricate details, the clean lines and simplicity of this timeless design provide a neutral backdrop to allow more detailed finishes to shine – in this case, the statement Lacanche range cooker and chunky brass hardware on the drawer fronts.

“Great for kitchens with high usage, these flat-fronted units can easily be repainted, and handles refreshed for a new look and feel when the time comes,” adds Annie. “They’re also simple to clean and maintain, with no crevices for dirt and dust to accumulate.”

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