Exploring Kitchen Cabinetry Styles

Below is a long list of kitchen cabinet styles currently in use, from Old World to modern, and everything in between. Keep in mind that many designers differ in these classifications, and many kitchens simply defy categorization.

What's Your Style? Often my clients will select specific elements of different styles to incorporate into their custom kitchens, creating an entirely new design of their own making. The most important advice I can give is that you do not contradict the style of your home when choosing a kitchen style. If you have an Old World or Craftsman home, by all means do not install a modern or contemporary kitchen! (Sadly, I have seen this done).

Kitchen Design Photos: Here is a list of kitchen cabinet styles with pictures in each category. Feel free to print or save these pictures into your own kitchen design ideas folder. Take notes of what you like. Enjoy the photos, and happy planning!

Antique kitchens have distinctive features that come from an earlier period in history. Whether an authentic restoration or a fresh remodel, the unique character of this style brings a sense of age and beauty to any traditional home.

Arts and Crafts kitchens are identified by simple lines, rugged construction, and very little excess ornamentation. The Arts and Crafts movement began in England around 1890 in response to the overly ornate, assembly line furniture of the time. The movement focused on aesthetic simplicity, talented craftsmanship, and impeccable quality.

Antique kitchens have distinctive features that come from an earlier period in history. Whether an authentic restoration or a fresh remodel, the unique character of this style brings a sense of age and beauty to any traditional home.
Arts and Crafts kitchens are identified by simple lines, rugged construction, and very little excess ornamentation. The Arts and Crafts movement began in England around 1890 in response to the overly ornate, assembly line furniture of the time. The movement focused on aesthetic simplicity, talented craftsmanship, and impeccable quality.
Asian Kitchens: With a beautiful array of materials and color palettes to choose from, an Asian kitchen design can bring a fresh look to both contemporary and traditional homes. Kitchen cabinet styles featuring Asian-inspired designs are growing in popularity throughout the United States.
Contemporary kitchen cabinets are generally composed of minimal ornamentation and flat surfaces. The style is intentionally non-traditional. Contemporary kitchen designs date from the 1940s to the present, and trace many of their stylistic origins in Europe.
Cottage Kitchens: Timeless and beautiful, cottage kitchens exemplify an inviting and relaxed setting. Cottage style kitchens tend to be more feminine in appearance than their slightly more rustic country counterparts.
Country Kitchens: Some kitchens are made to be admired at a distance; Country kitchens are made to be used. Their down-to-earth style and lived-in looks make country kitchens among the most comfortable and inviting rooms to be in. Painted and glazed cabinets, farmhouse sinks, beadboard panels, and open shelving are trademarks of country kitchen designs.
Craftsman kitchen cabinets are defined by simple lines, rugged construction, and very little excess ornamentation. The Craftsman style, an American extension of Britain's Arts and Crafts movement, began in the United States between 1900 and 1930. Recent revivals have reinvigorated the movement, and Craftsman kitchens are growing in popularity today for their historic beauty, craftsmanship, and quality.
Early American kitchens fit in with the Colonial, Georgian, and Federal architectural styles that date from about 1640 to 1840. Throughout our nation's history, architects have borrowed ideas from these early American styles to create the Colonial Revival and Neocolonial styles which we still use today.
European kitchen cabinets feature contemporary styling and industrial looks. On the cutting edge of modern design and engineering, European kitchens tend to be minimalistic and highly functional.
French country kitchens portray the beauty and character of rural France. With natural materials and earth tones foremost in the color pallette, a country French kitchen design creates the perfect environment for comfortable living and authentic cooking.
Gourmet Kitchens: For professional and aspiring chefs alike, and for all who desire luxury cooking environments, you've come to the right place! Deluxe appliances, large working islands, and food prep zones are expertly arranged in these amazing gourmet kitchens.
Italian Kitchens: Nothing quite captures the cozy feelings of family and food like a warm Italian kitchen design. With the rich, traditional colors of the old country, Italian kitchens make an inviting environment for both cooking and conversations.
Log home kitchens combine the beauty and artistry of wood with the utility of metal and stone. Truly an integral part of the house, a log home kitchen bridges the gap between nature's untamed beauty and our desire for an incredible place to cook.
Luxury Kitchen Design: Today's expensive homes are only as luxurious as the kitchens they contain. Luxury kitchens call for extraordinary details along with the use of rich materials and colors.
Mexican Kitchens: Growing in popularity at an astounding rate, Mexican kitchens are as bold and spicy as the food and flavors of Mexico. Hot colors and a welcoming cooking environment are essential to achieving an authentic Mexican style kitchen.
Mission Style: In today's language, "Mission" is a generic term that can refer to a few different historic styles, but most people understand it to be referring to the Craftsman style.
Modern kitchen designs feature flat surfaces, geometric forms, and minimal ornamentation. While wood veneer and stone are occasionally used, materials in modern kitchens are more often man-made, including plastic, metal, concrete, and glass.
Old World kitchens have historic proportions borrowed from the vast array of styles from European history prior to the 1600s. With natural materials and earthy colors foremost in the design palette, an Old World style kitchen combines heavy proportions with luxurious attributes.
Retro kitchen designs are made to revive the nostalgic fashions of the past. Old-fashioned telephones, retro kitchen appliances, classic memorabilia, and even old-school "futuristic" designs can be used to complete the picture of today's creative retro kitchens.
Rustic kitchen designs embrace the rural lifestyle with robust cabinetry, warm colors, and hearty wood with plenty of character. Best of all, the popularity and beauty of rustic kitchens is not limited to mountain cabins, but can be found in suburban homes near you.
Shaker kitchen cabinets are a popular option in today's kitchen remodels. Today's shaker style kitchens resemble the Arts & Crafts and Craftsman styles, albeit with even less ornamentation. Utilitarian designs, tapered posts, flat paneled doors, and sturdy construction are trademarks of the Shaker design.
Traditional kitchen cabinets rarely go out of fashion, as they encompass a variety of historic styles from European and American architecture over the last three centuries.Today's finest homes most often rely on traditional, tried and true designs.
Transitional kitchen design combines both contemporary and traditional features to create an updated look. Not too modern, and not too traditional, transitional kitchens are for those who want their style somewhere in between.
Tuscan kitchen design derives its look from Tuscany, a region in Central Italy known for its beautiful landscape, cultural legacy, and culinary tradition. Tuscany style kitchens have become increasingly popular as more people discover the comfortable warmth and historic beauty of Mediterranean kitchens.
Unique kitchen designs include distinctive styles or colors that make them one-of-a-kind. Today's unique kitchen ideas reveal the particular tastes of the homeowner, from Rock'n'Roll to Sci-fi, Medieval to Steampunk
Victorian kitchens draw their designs from the ornate furniture styles named after Queen Victoria of England who reigned from 1837 to 1901. Victorian kitchen cabinets are graceful and elegant with elaborate carvings and gothic ornamentation.
Vintage kitchen cabinets are made to be authentic restorations or reproductions of earlier styles. Purists appreicate the historical accuracy of vintage kitchens, as opposed to retro kitchens which are more nostalgic than historical. For the aficionado, every detail must be in place: Vintage appliances, old-fashioned telephones, and period decor come together to accurately restore the kitchen designs of the past.