These 32 Modern Kitchens Still Have Plenty of Personality

Designer David Kleinberg kept the kitchen design of this Connecticut lake cabin light and airy with open shelving in front of a glazed tile backsplash in place of open cabinets, all positioned above blue cabinetry and a large oak island.

Metallic brushstrokes glimmer like sunshine radiating off a lagoon’s navy waves in this Kips Bay Palm Beach kitchen, where cabinetry designer Christopher Peacock created a magical intersection of work and play. To that end, he wrapped the room in a lustrous navy wallcovering, setting a sparkling backdrop for serving coffee or working from home.

Gil Schafer and the late Suzanne Rheinstein channeled the blue of the nearby sea in the paneled cabinets of the casual kitchen of this Newport Beach home.

In his Birmingham cottage, architect Paul Bates was inspired by woodwork in David Adler’s Clow house in Chicago to design the rectangular carvings in this low, white oak cabinetry accented with brass hardware.

Exquisite porcelain-front cabinetry with brass and steel strapping elevate the kitchen in this glamourous Naples, Florida retreat. Architect Bobby McAlpine repeated fluted detailing throughout the cook space to connect it to the rest of the home.

Designer Ellen Hamilton proves modern is bold with her vision for this colorful Florida kitchen. Fornace Brioni tile (Clé) ascending the walls and a plaster and gesso chandelier (Codor Design) add artful graphic dimension to the space.

For this quaint cottage in Napa Valley, designer Dan Fink created custom furnishings that emphasize modern comfort. He paired the kitchen’s cerused-oak cabinetry with slate-hued soapstone countertops and a backsplash of earthy brown tiles for a modern, masculine look.

The modern kitchen of this Philadelphia apartment designed by Young Huh feels warm and inviting thanks to gorgeous cabinetry by Poggenpohl. The countertop and backsplash are Cambria. Stools, Design Within Reach.

In this Charlotte, North Carolina, mid-century modern kitchen restored by architect Ken Pursley, a thin, plated-steel prep counter extends off the sink to face the den. Behind the doors to the left is a butler's pantry that serves as a second hideaway kitchen to keep prep and cleanup largely out of site.

In this Dallas, Texas, kitchen designed by Gil Melott of Studio 6F, a Turkish runner lends warmth and color to the modern open and airy space. The kitchen appliances are from Signature Kitchen Suite. The counters are Cambria.

In this New York City kitchen designed by Robert Passal, sculptural metal counter stools are finished in antique brass and upholstered in pistachio leather (Jerry Pair).

In the kitchen of this Dallas home designed by Meredith McBrearty, blown-glass pendants by MoMA alum Alison Berger turn kitchen island lighting into modern art. A parade of interesting textures warms the kitchen: quilted leather stools (Studio Piet Boon), glazed Moroccan tilework (Clé tile), and leathered quartzite counters. Range, Wolf.

At the 2020 Kips Bay Decorator Show House Dallas, designer Chad Dorsey outfitted the hard-working prep kitchen with all the comforts needed for the ultimate WFH space: a beautiful desk and a sunny breakfast table complete with a plush sofa that tucks into a scultural arched alcove.

The island, finished in brushed brass panels, features an undermount sink for a more streamlined design. The room is finished with a Trove wallcovering on the ceiling to serve as a faux skylight.

Dark-stained beams and interlocking white oak floor tiles from Jamie Beckwith add just a hint of rustic warmth to this serene white kitchen in a Naples, Florida, retreat designed by Celerie Kemble.

Modern doesn't have to mean color or austere, as proven by this Lake Toxaway, NC, kitchen, designed by Platt Architecture and designer Cliff Fong. Although its lines are more streamlined in style, the cookspace evokes a warm and inviting vibe thanks to a rustic-inspired palette that reflects the mountain lake landscape, with a custom-green center island fitted with Juno limestone counters, which also form the backsplash, and natural wood-hued cabinetry.

The focal point of this Dallas kitchen designed by Chad Dorsey is a cased opening with a Cambria stone inset and a chinoiserie-painted antique mirror by artist James Mobley on industry glass. The countertops, trim, and shelving by Cambria and rustic Cantera floor from Materials Marketing all reflect Dorsey’s “European elegance meets industrial edge” aesthetic for this ultra-chic cookspace.

At this Hamptons beach house, designer Alex Papachristidis stuck to a palette of ivory, white, silver, and gold. In the kitchen, Soane Britain’s polished brass-trimmed yacht table lends ship-shape style under a brass leaf Tommaso Barbi chandelier (circa 1970).

For his own kitchen, Birmingham, AL–based architect Jeffrey Dungan fashioned a waterfall countertop edge on the island where the counters make a ninety-degree angle and continue to the floor instead of simply ending with a finished edge. The streamlined design stands in provocative contrast to the graceful kitchen alcove arch.

Designer James Michael Howard anchored this modern, all-white kitchen in Westchester, New York, by extending the Breccia Imperiale marble countertop and backsplash up to the ceiling on the wall behind the range. The stone's organic pattern provides a focal point within the open-plan space. The refrigerator is Sub-Zero, the range is Wolf, the globe pendants are The Urban Electric Co., and the barstools are Suzanne Kasler for Hickory Chair.

In this Washington, DC, home, designer Thomas Pheasant grounded the lofty modern, white kitchen with rich tones in the base cabinetry, stone flooring, and the island's waterfall countertop (by Waterworks). The range is by Wolf, the wall ovens are Miele, the pendant lights are from Holly Hunt, and the stools are from Design Within Reach.