Kitchen Design Ideas

A picture showing the 3 main kitchen styles - traditional, transitional and modern.

The 3 Kitchen Design Styles

Although there are countless variations  most kitchen design styles fall into one of three categories – traditional, transitional or contemporary. There are similarities in that all styles have floor cabinets, wall cabinets etc. (see our kitchen definitions page). It is typically the ornamentation of wall and floor cabinets and the center island where the different design styles show themselves. Here’s a more complete overview of the 3 primary kitchen design styles.

1) Traditional Kitchen Design

Traditional Kitchen Design features significant ornamentation – including various moldings such as crown moulding at the top of the cabinets and a recessed kick plate under the floor cabinets. Additional accents can include fluted columns and prominent door and drawer hardware The cabinet doors are typically raised panel face-frame doors with the frame surrounding the inset doors (learn more on our Kitchen Definitions page). Colors are muted and the materials are natural – meaning wood, the finish can be a stain or paint.

Picture of a raised panel kitchen cabinet door
This raised panel door is a common style in traditional kitchen designs
Crown moulding on top of a traditional kitchen cabinet
Decorative Crown Moulding if present often features elaborate ornamentation.
Decorative moulding on a stove hood in a traditional kitchen
Decorative moulding on a traditional kitchen cabinet hood.
photo of elaborate moulding on the sides of a kitchen island
The traditional kitchen design style will often include elaborate moulding on center islands.
This kitchen in our Vauxhall NJ showroom is a traditional kitchen design

This kitchen in our Vauxhall New Jersey showroom is a traditional design style. Notice the crown moulding, raised panel doors, elaborate stove hood and decorative moulding – all hallmarks of a traditional themed kitchen.

A closer look at some of the moulding in a traditional kitchen design

A closer look at a traditional kitchen design focusing on the moulding and raised panel doors. Tile murals are another favorite feature of traditional kitchens.

Dark stained cabinets are the theme in this traditional kitchen design. Wooden floors are very common in today’s kitchens and the interaction between the floor and cabinets is striking.

This traditional kitchen design features white painted wood cabinets. Glass window cabinet doors are often incorporated into a traditional kitchen design.

2) Transitional Kitchen Design

Transitional kitchen styles include elements from the past and present, blended together to create a design that offers the best of both worlds. Transitional Kitchens have become today’s most popular kitchen design style. A transitional kitchen is in the middle between traditional kitchens and contemporary ones in that it combines elements of both styles. The showy moulding treatments present in traditional kitchens have been muted. There is still moulding but it is subdued – less showy, and involves simple lines. Doors are often sunken panel or shaker style, colors can range through the spectrum. 

A shaker style kitchen cabinet door showing the recessed center panel
This Shaker kitchen cabinet door includes a recessed center panel.
Transitional kitchen crown moulding example
The simple lines of a crown moulding for transitional style kitchens
A picture of a transitional style stove hood.
An example of a transitional style stove hood, with minimal ornamentation
Traditional style kitchen island photo
There is less ornamentation in a transitional style kitchen island vs. a traditional island

This compact kitchen in transitional style features shaker cabinet doors, exposed appliances, and floating shelves to the left (floating shelves are a popular feature). The two tone theme is carried through the kitchen and there are glass door cabinets incorporated into the design.

This Somerset County, New Jersey transitional kitchen features a three-tone theme with white cabinets, a section of blue cabinets and the beautiful wood grain of the center island.

Transitional means elements that draw from both traditional designs and modern designs. In this kitchen there are influences from both. There is crown molding although it is simple. The columns on the island are decorative but subdued. You do not have to stick to one style or another exclusively. You can choose elements from either in a transitional kitchen that best suit your taste and needs.

This transitional kitchen design features a two-tone color scheme which is a popular choice. Typically there is one color in the main floor and wall cabinets, and the island is a different color. Others choose to have

3) Contemporary Kitchen Design Style

Contemporary kitchen design is typically very light on any ornamentation. Crown moulding is rare as is virtually all other moulding. The cabinets and drawer fronts may be a material other than wood and the hardware may be very unobtrusive. The lines are clean and simple.

examples of 4 different colored contemporary kitchen cabinet doors
Contemporary kitchen design often use materials other than wood, and the color palette is wide and often vivid.
a contemporary kitchen hood with no ornamentation
A contemporary stove hood typically has little to no ornamentation.
an example of a contemporary kitchen island with very little ornamentation or frills.
A contemporary kitchen design island has simple lines, and little ornamentation.
A contemporary kitchen design in New Jersey shows the clean lines and minimal ornamentation

This modern kitchen design features a counter seating area with minimal ornamentation – they are clean lines and the counter looks substantial. Notice how indiscrete the handles are on the door – another common theme in modern design. The cabinets themselves are all man-made materials. There is a massive amount of storage in this relatively modest size kitchen. This allows the countertops to remain uncluttered. Again, the lines are clean and simple – the kitchen functions very well and it is very efficient to work in.

Another example of a contemporary kitchen design

This contemporary kitchen design has a three tone theme with 2 shades of gray and select wood grain cabinets. All materials used in the cabinet are man-made which allows for large doors and drawers. In contemporary kitchens there is often a desire for clean, uncluttered countertops – that means there has to be a lot of storage, and the storage has to be done thoughtfully if the kitchen is to function efficiently. This kitchen which was a Kitchen Classics design and installation that has all the best that contemporary kitchen designs have to offer – clean, simple, abundant storage and efficient functionality.

contact our senior kitchen designer who designs all 3 styles of kitchens.