7 Modern kitchen decor ideas

aged copper splashback in blue kitchen

The kitchen is very definitely the heart of the home so anything you do to decorate it needs to make it as beautiful and as practical as possible. Combining those two characteristics is more difficult than you might think, which is why we put this post together.

We have come up with some modern kitchen décor ideas that deliver in terms of aesthetics and practicality to deliver sumptuous kitchens you will love spending time in.

Pops of colour in cabinets


Clever use of colour has always been a design staple but improvements in the quality and range of paints has widened that appeal. So much so that painting kitchen cabinets is now much easier and delivers a much better aesthetic than at any time before.

A light kitchen with dark cabinets is right on trend. We see bold shades work incredibly well for different style kitchens. As paints are cheap and can be applied by a competent DIYer, we think they provide an accessible way to upgrade your kitchen with minimal outlay.

Mixing old and new


The days of modern kitchen being nothing but contemporary or a farmhouse kitchen using nothing but wood are thankfully long gone. Cleverly combining old and new can be a very effective design statement.

Use a reclaimed butcher’s block as a worktop, reclaimed wood for a table, mix modern cabinets with an old dresser and generally shake things up a bit. With the right combination of elements, you could easily create timeless appeal.

Aged Copper Splashback

aged copper splashback in modern blue kitchen
Who doesn’t love the colour and character of aged metal? Not that rusted stuff we see on the outside of buildings, but beautiful metal like these polished aged copper splashback from Halman Thompson.

A splashback is simple to fit, practical in its purpose and lovely to behold. Three things that make them stand out in any kitchen. With the flexibility to be cut to size, copper splashbacks easily make any kitchen look good!

Aged Brass Splashback

aged brass splashback with patina in grey kitchen

While we’re on the subject, if copper is a little rich for your tastes, why not try an aged brass splashback? It has the same ease of use and flexibility as copper but provides a more low key feel with its lighter colour.

Splashbacks are very flexible additions to any kitchen that serve a practical purpose and a design one. Buy quality and you’ll get professionally aged metal that will deliver the atmosphere of quality we all like to see.

Bold ceilings


Painting the ceiling a colour other than white is a very effective design statement. Balanced with light wall colours and furniture, a dark ceiling adds a real atmosphere to a room.

There is a huge selection of kitchen-specific paints out there now in all kinds of colours. Using one to showcase an interestingly-shaped ceiling, skylight or feature can work magic. It’s also cheap and easy to do!

Free standing units


You don’t have to spend thousands on a built-in kitchen. You could go for a farmhouse-style free standing one instead. Or you could mix up a modern fitted kitchen with a free standing island or unit.

Reclaiming an old unit would add real character. Mixing a free standing island in a contemporary fitted kitchen makes contrast. Adding a contemporary unit within a farmhouse or older kitchen provides a completely different contrast. They could all work equally well in different situations.

Black window frames


Another way to add real pizazz to a kitchen is to change from white UPVC to a darker colour. It might sound expensive but there are lots of UPVC paints out there that make short work of adding real character to your windows and doors.

Painting like this requires patience and the correct paint and procedure but it is easily within reach of a DIYer. It’s a relatively cheap way to completely transform the look and feel of a kitchen, especially if it has patio doors as well as windows!