Search for your dream kitchen here.
What is a Traditional Kitchen?
Traditional kitchens are marked by their classic design elements and architectural features originating from 18th, 19th and early 20th century American and European design. While many modern kitchens embrace minimalism, traditional kitchens are quite the opposite and instead favor detail and ornamentation to create an elegant and luxurious space. To help you define what exactly makes a traditional kitchen, here are 7 characteristics you should look for.
Natural Materials
Traditional kitchens mix and match natural materials like stained wood and patterned stone to give the room a comfortably layered look. While contemporary kitchens use man-made materials like metal and concrete for their sleek appearance, traditional kitchens embrace the natural imperfections of wood and stone as they add to the detail of the room.
Raised or Recessed Cabinetry
A key indicator of a traditional kitchen is in its cabinetry choice. Raised or recessed panel cabinets are used instead of contemporary flat cabinets. These cabinets often have elaborate profiles and large applied moldings. It’s not uncommon for traditional cabinet fronts to have decorative inserts like glass or metal mesh that you would typically see in a dining room.
Classic Stains and Colors
In traditional kitchens, the colors are typically muted with varying shades of creams, light pastels, greys, and greens being the most popularly used. In addition, the wood is often stained or finished with a glaze to make it look distressed or aged, adding to the timeless feel of the room.
Crown Molding
Traditional kitchens are marked by their attention to the little details, so it’s no surprise that decorative crown molding is used to add flair to the room.
Natural Flooring
You won’t find laminated floors in a traditional kitchen. Instead you’ll find natural materials like tile, stained hardwood, or patterned stone
Custom Range Hoods
Custom range hoods are often the focal point of traditional kitchens. Ornate metal hoods, custom-shaped plaster hoods, or carved stone or wood hoods are used to add interest to the space.
Decorative Lighting
Decorative lighting is used to further embrace the detailed look of traditional kitchens. Chandeliers, recessed task lighting, and lantern-style lights are the most common lighting choices.
What is a Contemporary Kitchen Design?
The contemporary kitchen is not the same as a modern kitchen, even though some people use these terms interchangeably. A contemporary kitchen can be modern but it can also adopt other styles as well. For example, it can have vintage details and accents without being a vintage kitchen. There are a few elements that are specific to this style and that can help us distinguish a contemporary kitchen from other types and that need to be taken into consideration when adopting this style. The first thing anyone thinks about when talking about contemporary kitchens is the cutting-edge technology. Appliances are very important in this case. They need to be sleek, durable, to ensure great performance and to have advanced features. Functionality is an important aspect to take into consideration, as well as style.
The variety of materials
Contemporary kitchens usually feature a multitude of materials, textures, and patterns. The contrasts are highly valued and seen as a subtle way of replacing opulent decorations and details. Most often you’ll notice variations of the type of wood or stone, combined with countertops that come in several types of materials as well. There’s also a mix of shapes and scale that is specific to this style.
Eye-catching light fixtures
The light fixtures are a very important detail for contemporary interiors. Even if they are usually characterized by minimalism and lack of details, they still stand out in other ways. For example, the size or the shape can be an important aspect, as well as the texture and color. They serve as both functional elements and decorations.