While some of us have a single kitchen style firmly in mind, others are drawn to features from different looks. Fortunately, you can combine design cues and elements from different styles to create a best-of-both-worlds look that gives you a stunning, custom-designed kitchen.
At Kitchen Craftsmen, we’re experts in crafting kitchens that seamlessly combine elements from different aesthetics, resulting in bespoke spaces that reflect your unique personality and lifestyle.
Here are our top tips to consider before you start:
- Avoid overcomplicating things.When it comes to design, it’s tempting to take all the best elements. Try to select fewer features that will blend easily and naturally. Try and avoid using too many elements from one design style over the other.
- Stick to complementary colour palettes.Different styles work better with different shades and some just don’t work together at all. Keep things simple to achieve a great fusion that feels consistent.
- Remember functionality in choices.You want your kitchen to be a beautiful design statement, but it must still be workable as the most used area of your home. We recommend starting with all the storage options you want and then designing your new space around them.
- Find clean integration points.Consider a seamless look in physical places where styles ‘meet up’, like benchtops and splashbacks, or cabinetry and flooring.
- Think of your kitchen in sections.Split up the areas and create powerful contrasts that still work together. For example, choose cabinets on a wall that contrasts with an island bench, or benchtop and splashback materials that complement each other or are made of the same material. This approach allows you to infuse personality and character into different zones while maintaining overall cohesion.
What styles go together?
Modern meets contemporary
Bringing these two together works well, particularly in a renovation where your home may be modern but you’re after a more contemporary kitchen layout.
Modern kitchens feature frameless cabinets, horizontal lines and feel sleek, streamlined and sophisticated. They’re typically packed with state-of-the-art appliances, and a lack of detail gives them a clean look. Light and space are maximised in modern kitchens and clever storage solutions can be found throughout. This kitchen style generally also features distinct zone divisions and a single monochromatic colour palette.
Contemporary kitchens are also sleek, but they mix old materials in new ways, and add artistic or style touches with pattern and texture. Think dark wood or black cabinetry, white quartz benchtops and smooth stainless steel appliances. Add a few pops of colour or even a bold piece of artwork and you’ll be wowing in your new space. The modern style kitchen keeps all benchtop clutter to a minimum. When fused with contemporary styling you’ll enjoy outstandingly designed out-of-sight storage. Then, add a contemporary, split-level island bench with breakfast bar for great functionality.
Contemporary and Shaker Style
This pairing trend is becoming a favourite! Shaker style is simple, practical and casual, with a sophisticated, high-quality craftsmanship feel. It’s ideal for our WA climate and combines beautifully with contemporary elements for a kitchen that’s classic, timeless and designed for great living and elegant entertaining.
Go for crisp, clean lines, natural materials and cabinetry that complement the shaker style, but deliver innovative, contemporary storage. With a large island bench as the focal point, think about island cabinets in a contrasting colour, and all benchtops in smooth, natural stone.
Whilst shaker style traditionally uses neutral colours like white, grey and cream, opting for bold hues in your cabinetry immediately gives a contemporary vibe. To instantly modernise your shaker style kitchen consider modern, sleek hardware and include contemporary luxuries like a built-in wine fridge, coffee machine and integrated appliances.
Modern and Scandinavian
These styles celebrate similar sleek and minimal looks, and they’re extremely practical with clear workspaces and functional surfaces. The clean, defined lines of modern kitchens balance perfectly with textured Scandi-inspired elements like timber, stainless steel, concrete and stone. Think about understated frameless cabinetry with engineered stone benchtops in a veined finish. You might even want to consider an island with a different benchtop material, like timber-look laminate to take your kitchen to the next level and create a modern-scandi fusion.
Scandinavian style is all about natural-looking materials and contrasting metals that stand up to wear and tear. Combine stainless steel appliances, brass or matte black handles and sink ware with your timber-look cabinetry, and create a well-designed space you’ll love entertaining in.
Our creative Kitchen Craftsmen designers have plenty of experience and enthusiasm to help you find the perfect blended style for your dream kitchen. Visit one of our five showrooms across Perth and chat with them today.