Contemporary, Modern and Transitional Kitchen Designs: What’s the Difference?


When it comes to kitchen design, contemporary, modern, and transitional are the cream of the crop. These styles vary in many ways, but they’re often confused with each other. Homeowners searching for a new and appealing design should know how to separate these three layouts and understand how each one can provide the desired benefits. 

Contemporary Kitchens

If you think about it, contemporary is a broad term, and you might need a full gauge of what encompasses this type of design. The term contemporary in the sense of kitchen design lingo is a kitchen that contains trendy qualities during the current time. So while bright pops of color and styles may have been considered contemporary a decade ago, today’s contemporary styles are more simplistic and filled with neutral colors and tones.

Modern Kitchens

Contrasting contemporary styles, modern kitchen designs are straightforward. This design style emphasizes form over function, removing unnecessary accents and materials to focus on a simple design style. Modern kitchens were born in the 20th century and contained more earthy elements and natural wood finishes. Custom wood cabinets are a large part of the theme here, and you can also add flat panel doors, frameless cabinets, and sleeker-looking appliances and features that add to the aesthetic appeal.

Transitional Kitchens

If you’re looking for the best of both worlds, transitional kitchens are the go-to option. They perfectly blend traditional elements like dark wood with sleeker modern elements. Transitional kitchens can have wood floors with modern and simplistic chandeliers or large, elegant chairs and quartz countertops with contemporary-looking kitchen islands. When done right, transitional-style kitchens are a dream come true for individuals who can’t decide between the beauty of past and present design styles.

Which One Is Right for Me?

Deciding between these kitchen ideas can be a tough decision. You might want to have beautiful engineered wood flooring but want to keep pendant lights and flat panel cabinets. Eventually, you’ll have to make a choice, but before you do, don’t forget to consider the following factors to narrow down the decision:

  • Layout – A solid format is very important, so don’t sacrifice style for comfort and flexibility in the kitchen.
  • Lighting –  What kind of ambiance do you want to create? Certain styles work better with certain lighting types, so consider which one you prefer. 
  • Flooring – A comfortable and beautiful floor is a blend most homeowners strive for. One that looks dingy, dirty, or out of place can throw off the entire design.
  • Storage – If you desire a ton of storage space, a simplistic design might not be right for you. A kitchen is only worthwhile if important appliances are stored properly, so consider your daily habits and storage needs. 

Design the Kitchen of Your Dreams Today!

Want to ensure that your kitchen design is the best it can be? The first step should be to contact the experts. At Capital Kitchen Refacing, we have plenty of experience with various kitchen remodeling jobs around Central Jersey, Philadelphia, and plenty of locations in between. Our kitchen refacers can take any kind of kitchen and mold it into something that every homeowner would love. Contact us today and reshape the aesthetic of your kitchen with contemporary, modern, or transitional designs.